The conference is due to last three days this week. Over the
course of just three days in Para State last week, 300 "bandit"
loggers held approximately 20 agents from IBAMA, the federal police
and the army hostage; threatened murder and arson against local
community leaders; and staged a mid stream stand off with the
Greenpeace ship in Porto de Moz last week.
Para State has seen the worst violence of any part of the Amazon
and is the subject of an in-depth Greenpeace investigation (1).
Greenpeace has been working alongside local communities in a drive
to create the extractive reserve Verde para Sempre (Green Forever)
in the Porto de Moz region (2). The creation of Verde para Sempre
will benefit more than 15,000 people in 60 rural communities.
Brazil's Environment Agency (IBAMA) started a field operation
three weeks ago to inspect logging operations. They have come under
attack from local loggers, as have local communities and the
Greenpeace team working in the region on board the environmental
group's vessel MV Arctic Sunrise (3).
The loggers are demanding that the government forces IBAMA to
withdraw from the region, writes off fines that have already been
imposed for logging violations and overturns IBAMA inspectors'
decisions to cancel their rights to log in their Forest Management
Plan areas. In addition they are also demanding more land for their
logging operations.
"The loggers, who are already illegally destroying public lands,
now want the government to reward them for their crimes", said Nilo
D'Avila, Greenpeace Amazon Campaigner. "The Brazilian government
should not negotiate. If they back down, they will fail in their
mandate to guarantee law and order, and will undermine the basic
right of thousands of Brazilians: the right to a sustainable and
secure future".
The traditional lands of the communities are being
systematically occupied by loggers and grileiros (land grabbers)
using tactics of intimidation and violence. Between 1985 and 2001,
40% of the 1,237 rural workers assassinated in Brazil were murdered
in Para State, according to data from CPT (The Pastoral Land
Commission). CPT also records lists of people under threat of
death. Of the 78 names listed in Para, eight are from Porto de
Moz.
Yesterday Greenpeace delivered a letter to the Minister of
Justice, Marcio Thomaz Bastos, asking the Brazilian Government to
ensure the safety of those working in the region to protect the
forest and communities as well as the federal agents and the
Greenpeace team.
"Lula should be sending more federal agents to strengthen the
presence of IBAMA and the police in this lawless region", added
D'Avila. "We also ask that he immediately approves the
establishment of the extractive reserve Verde para Sempre, and
guarantees the basic human and civil rights of the people of Porto
de Moz: to live in peace on the land, and to conserve and protect
these lands for the future of their children and for Brazil
itself".
Greenpeace is urging companies to immediately stop buying wood
from Porto de Moz and the Prainha region, because most of the wood
comes from illegal and crime related areas (4).
Greenpeace promotes the ecological and social use of the forest
resources, as well as the creation of a network of protected areas
in ancient forest regions worldwide.
Notes to the editor:
(1) 'State of Conflict' is available on the Greenpeace
website
Low resolution version (1MB)
http://archive.greenpeace.org/docs/stateofconflict_low.pdf
High resolution version (8MB) - This version can take up to 5
minutes to download.
http://archive.greenpeace.org/docs/stateofconflict.pdf
(2) Three years ago, the ribeirinhos (traditional riverbank
settlers) from Porto de Moz started their fight for the creation of
an extractive reserve, Verde para Sempre (Forever Green) as the
only way to guarantee the right for using the land and the
responsible management of the region's natural resources. The area
proposed by the communities spans 1,300,000 hectares and is
currently the home of 15,000 people. Extractive reserves are the
legacy of Chico Mendes, the workers' activist assassinated in 1985.
Land is granted by the federal government to be cooperatively
managed by the local communities for low-impact activities such as
rubber tapping, vegetable oil extraction and small-scale logging.
Extractive reserves also are required to include fully protected
areas, guarded by the communities themselves.
(3) The MV Arctic Sunrise is in Porto de Moz as a part of our
campaign to promote the ecological and social use of the forest
resources, as well as the creation of a network of protected areas
in ancient forest regions worldwide.
(4) This includes timber from sawmills in Sao Felix do Xingu,
Redencao, Tucuma, Xinguara, Ourilandia do Norte, Agua Azul do
Norte, Altamira, Brasil Novo, Medicilandia, Uruara, Placas,
Ruropolis, Itaituba, Trairao e Novo Progresso, municipalities with
sawmillls implicated with illegal timber and the destruction of the
forest in the Middle Land, Porto de Moz and Prainha and its
surroundings.
Notes: (1) 'State of Conflict' is available on the Greenpeace websiteLow resolution version (1MB)http://archive.greenpeace.org/docs/stateofconflict_low.pdfHigh resolution version (8MB) - This version can take up to 5 minutes to download.http://archive.greenpeace.org/docs/stateofconflict.pdf(2) Three years ago, the ribeirinhos (traditional riverbank settlers) from Porto de Moz started their fight for the creation of an extractive reserve, Verde para Sempre (Forever Green) as the only way to guarantee the right for using the land and the responsible management of the region's natural resources. The area proposed by the communities spans 1,300,000 hectares and is currently the home of 15,000 people. Extractive reserves are the legacy of Chico Mendes, the workers' activist assassinated in 1985. Land is granted by the federal government to be cooperatively managed by the local communities for low-impact activities such as rubber tapping, vegetable oil extraction and small-scale logging. Extractive reserves also are required to include fully protected areas, guarded by the communities themselves.(3) The MV Arctic Sunrise is in Porto de Moz as a part of our campaign to promote the ecological and social use of the forest resources, as well as the creation of a network of protected areas in ancient forest regions worldwide.(4) This includes timber from sawmills in Sao Felix do Xingu, Redencao, Tucuma, Xinguara, Ourilandia do Norte, Agua Azul do Norte, Altamira, Brasil Novo, Medicilandia, Uruara, Placas, Ruropolis, Itaituba, Trairao e Novo Progresso, municipalities with sawmillls implicated with illegal timber and the destruction of the forest in the Middle Land, Porto de Moz and Prainha and its surroundings.