The following is written by one of our activists from PNG onboard the Esperanza
My name is Daniel Holland, I’m a freelance artist. My Dad is from Abau, Central Province and Mum from Popondetta, Northern Province, Papua New Guinea.
I live in Port Moresby and am a volunteer activist with Greenpeace. My first action was in the Pacific Ocean a few months ago, campaigning on the overfishing of tuna in the international waters between Pacific Island countries.
Now in my own country, Papua New Guinea, the Esperanza is here doing forest campaigning and I’m proud to be part of it. I’m in the climb team that climbed the
crane of the ship and hung the big banner that said “Protect Forests Save Our Climate’.
It’s a new experience and I like it.
I know exactly how these people feel, it’s painful. I had an experience a bit similar to these people.
At my place, because of the money some people don’t find out who the real landowners are and they bring companies in. Me and my brother got rid the logging out of our area and saved our forest a few years ago.
I learnt about this area when a report came out by CELCOR (Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights) and I knew these people around here were in trouble.
This was a good opportunity to help be a voice for them out here.
I’m a landowner myself in my village and to help another countryman be the voice on the crane with the banner was really good. I want the country and the world to know what is happening in this area with the illegal logging of our forests and to it’s people.