NEWS FLASH
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25
july 2000
International activists released 24-25july
2000
Crew reacts violently
to criminal timber protest 24
july 2000 Timber
criminals infiltrate the usa: activists board shipment of amazon criminal
timber to protest g8 leaders' lack of action against illegal logging 23
july 2000 G-8
adopts greenpeace demand to fight illegal logging by tackling export
practices and procurement policies. 22 july 2000 Greenpeace says this is the time now for the g-8 to save the ancien t forests 21
july 2000
Rainbow warrior raided by japanese police 20 july 2000 Greenpeace launches dawn raid on germany’s largest timber port 16th july 2000 Greenpeace ends its 65 hour vigil at the port of vilagracia de arosa 14th july 2000 Four activists arrested as greenpeace continues its protest against imports of criminal timber into spain july 2000 G-8 meeting july 21-23, okinawa, japan 13th july 2000 Greenpeace intensifies action against imports of illegal and destructive timber from african rainforests 12th july 2000 As g-8 foreign ministers talk, greenpeace continues to take action 11 july 2000 Greenpeace activists put themselves on the line to stop criminal timber imports 11 july 2000 Greenpeace highlights g-8 failure to protect the last remaining ancient forests 5 july 2000 Greenpeace activists release russian timber ship -- vow to take protest to g-8 ministers 4 july 2000 Greenpeace activists occupy russian timber ship to protest illegal log trade 3 july 2000 Greenpeace action on high seas - sea of japan timber shipment from russia bound for japan 30 june 2000 Greenpeace uncovers illegal logging in russia's far east
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FOUR ACTIVISTS ARRESTED AS GREENPEACE CONTINUES ITS PROTEST AGAINST IMPORTS OF CRIMINAL TIMBER INTO SPAIN
14th July 2000, Vilagarcia de Arosa, Spain Greenpeace's peaceful occupation of the cargo ship Ranger 1 took a dramatic turn as the Ranger attempted to dock and unload its cargo of tropical logs and sawn timber from Africa just after midday. Some of the wood was known to be from a company known to be logging illegally in Cameroonian rainforest in the last two weeks. The occupation of the vessel Ranger 1 began at 7.00 yesterday morning, when five Greenpeace activists boarded the ship. Following an inspection of the logs and timber on board, four climbers climbed to the cargo mast where they have remained so far until at least 16.00. The cargo included sawn timber from Lebanese-owned sawmill SFHS (Société Forestière Hazim Scierie). One of the largest exporters of timber in Cameroon, SFH (Société Forestière Hazim) is a company with a long history of violating forestry laws and creating social conflict. Greenpeace will release more details of this at its press conference this afternoon. Following a meeting with Greenpeace at 18.30 yesterday, during which Greenpeace affirmed its right to protest against the destruction of the world's last ancient forests, the Guardia Civil cut the inflatable from the anchor chain and proceeded into the harbour. Within minutes Greenpeace activists from Spain had entered the harbour where it was suspected that the timber would be unloaded. The Ranger 1 however, was unable to reach its berth due to low water. As the tide rose around 12.30 this afternoon, the Ranger began to move from its overnight position in to its berth at the dockside ready for unloading. Two Spanish Greenpeace activists who had kept vigil in the harbour overnight, chained themselves to logs and unfurled a banner which read (in Spanish) "Spain destroys Africa's tropical forests". Spain is one of the largest importers of wood from Africa, with 83 percent of its tropical timber imports coming from Africa. Of this, 46 percent comes from Cameroon alone . As the Ranger 1 moved to dock, Greenpeace used inflatables to prevent the ship - which was guided by two pilot boats - from reaching its berth. At around 1.30, as Greenpeace inflatables continued to prevent the ship from docking, police at the dockside fired smoke canisters at the activists. Two activists left their inflatables 13.45 using a dockside ladder minutes before it was crushed between the ship and the side of the dock. The crew of the Greenpeace inflatable were immediately arrested by police. Following docking the ship began to unload its cargo of logs and lumber. By 16.20 there had been no attempt to remove the four activists occupying the cargo mast of the Ranger 1. The timber is still being unloaded. |
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