Feature story - 31 August, 2004
Our team of Greenpeace Jaguars, who have been protecting the ancient forests of Argentina from the expansion of Genetically Engineered soya, have been arrested while documenting the deforestation in northern Argentina some 1800 km north of Buenos Aires in the city of Tartagal, north of Salta province.
Greenpeace activists, dressed as 'jaguars', used chains to immobilise bulldozers that have been destroying Yungas forest in north west Argentina. Argentina's forests are being cut down to grow Monsanto's genetically engineered soya for export as animal feed to Europe and China.
Among the nine is Martin Prieto the Executive Director of
GreenpeaceArgentina. The Jaguars' lawyer was also thrown into jail,
thusdepriving them of legal representation. Our team in Argentina
hasspoken with the Jaguars and for now they remain in good
spirit.
We believe that they were arrested for the misdemeanour
oftrespassing, so far the judge has decided not to release them and
couldkeep them in jail for days. For now they are being held under
custodyin the Intelligence Brigade of the State Police of Salta in
a localpolice station.
The Jaguars have been prowling Argentina's native forests for
over amonth now, tracking down its destruction and trying to halt
theonslaught of GE Soya monoculture.
More information
Read more about the unique biodiversity which is being destroyed
in the
Yungas Rainforest and the Great Chaco American forest.
| See the Greenpeace
Jaguars in action: |
View Quicktime (16.1 MBytes)
View Real (8.0 MBytes)
View Windows Media (8.7 MBytes)
|
|