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Activists intimidated as logging company reacts violently to peaceful approach
31 May 2006
Greenpeace Forest Campaigner Sam Moko talks to Rimbunan Hijau security guards while attempting to deliver Rimbunan Hijau with the Golden Chainsaw Award.
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The activists were harassed inside RH’s Port Moresby compound and had
to lock themselves into their vehicles for their own safety. A
cameraman was assaulted while attempts were made to seize his film and
his camera was broken.
RH is the largest logging company in PNG today. A 2003/2004 review of existing logging concessions documented numerous allegations of abuse of local landowners, including rape and physical violence, by either logging company officials or police associated with the logging companies. Allegations were also made by a former officer of an elite PNG police taskforce that RH paid local police officers to intimidate and beat landowners who complained about breaches to their rights.
Today, our personnel and people from the media were prevented from leaving the compound for 45 minutes. The cars and windows were pounded on and verbal threats made. The situation came to an end after police arrived and escorted Greenpeace staff and volunteers, along with senior management from RH, to the local police station. No charges were laid.
We wanted to peacefully present the company with the award – to mark 30 years of forest destruction – and leave. RH’s over-reaction reflects its belief that it is above the law.
The incident occurred as delegates from around the world arrived in Port Moresby for the African, Caribbean and Pacific – European Union (ACP-EU) ministerial meeting to discuss trade and development. We will be asking EU delegates to urgently implement legislation to stop illegal timber from companies like RH from entering the European market.
RH controls logging concessions in many parts of the developing world. It operates with impunity in PNG, directly controlling 40 per cent of all log exports. It was recently granted a new 791,000 hectare concession in Kamula Dosa by the PNG government. This concession is located in one of the largest pristine forest areas left in the country.
The Greenpeace Golden Chainsaw award is reserved for the worst forest destroyers in the world. It has been awarded twice before, to companies in Brazil and Indonesia.
In conjunction with the award, we released a “Forest Crime File” highlighting RH’s continued involvement in large scale forest destruction and questioning the legality of its operations.
The report states that unless brought under control, timber giants such as RH will continue to “plunder the world’s ancient forests, destroying cultural diversity, biodiversity, stealing from some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people and degrading the environment on which we ultimately depend”.
The report also points to the close ties RH enjoys with the PNG government. Examples include:
RH is the largest logging company in PNG today. A 2003/2004 review of existing logging concessions documented numerous allegations of abuse of local landowners, including rape and physical violence, by either logging company officials or police associated with the logging companies. Allegations were also made by a former officer of an elite PNG police taskforce that RH paid local police officers to intimidate and beat landowners who complained about breaches to their rights.
Today, our personnel and people from the media were prevented from leaving the compound for 45 minutes. The cars and windows were pounded on and verbal threats made. The situation came to an end after police arrived and escorted Greenpeace staff and volunteers, along with senior management from RH, to the local police station. No charges were laid.
We wanted to peacefully present the company with the award – to mark 30 years of forest destruction – and leave. RH’s over-reaction reflects its belief that it is above the law.
The incident occurred as delegates from around the world arrived in Port Moresby for the African, Caribbean and Pacific – European Union (ACP-EU) ministerial meeting to discuss trade and development. We will be asking EU delegates to urgently implement legislation to stop illegal timber from companies like RH from entering the European market.
RH controls logging concessions in many parts of the developing world. It operates with impunity in PNG, directly controlling 40 per cent of all log exports. It was recently granted a new 791,000 hectare concession in Kamula Dosa by the PNG government. This concession is located in one of the largest pristine forest areas left in the country.
The Greenpeace Golden Chainsaw award is reserved for the worst forest destroyers in the world. It has been awarded twice before, to companies in Brazil and Indonesia.
In conjunction with the award, we released a “Forest Crime File” highlighting RH’s continued involvement in large scale forest destruction and questioning the legality of its operations.
The report states that unless brought under control, timber giants such as RH will continue to “plunder the world’s ancient forests, destroying cultural diversity, biodiversity, stealing from some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people and degrading the environment on which we ultimately depend”.
The report also points to the close ties RH enjoys with the PNG government. Examples include:
- An ex-Deputy Prime Minister was criticised by the PNG Ombudsman for pressuring the National Forest board to favour RH with an illegal timber permit extension.
- In 2004, Minister for Internal Security, Mark Maipakai was the shareholder and director of a company, Gopera Investments Ltd, holding a timber permit sub-contracted to RH.
- A National Intelligence Organisation report alleged that a
provincial Governor and two Members of Parliament were on RH’s
payroll.
