Feature story - April 15, 2002
The Greek government made promises to take action against forest destruction today, after Greenpeace activists boarded a vessel carrying timber from the last of Liberia's ancient forests.
Greenpeace activists board vessel 'MV Zini' in Corinth to protest destruction of Liberia's ancient forests.
Greek, German and Swiss activitsts boarded the vessel MV Zini in
the port of Kalamaki today. The vessel was there to unload logs
which it had picked up at the Liberian port of Buchanan. That port
is largely controlled by the logging company Oriental Timber
Company (OTC).
OTC is run by a close business associate of the President of
Liberia, who has granted the logging rights to at least one third
of Liberia´s remaining 4.8 million hectares of ancient forest to
the company. Liberia's forests contain tremendous biodiversity, but
its timber industry is fuelling both environmental destruction and
human rights abuses.
The Greenpeace activists dressed in costumes of the same animals
that are being wiped out around the world through the destruction
of ancient forests. As Greenpeace forests campaigner Filip Verbelen
said from the Ancient Forests Summit in the Hague, "The Great Apes
are threatened with extinction and these governments do nothing,
when positive decisions are urgently needed here and now."
In reaction to the Greenpeace action, the Greek ministry of
environment today joined other European nations in committing
itself to keep a very clear and strong position for the protection
and sustainable management of the last ancient forests of the
world.
More information:
Liberian
timber trade fuels regional insecurity (Greenpeace report)