GREENPEACE SAYS THIS IS THE TIME NOW FOR THE G-8 TO SAVE THE ANCIENT FORESTS
Greenpeace Flagship detained by Japanese authorities for duration of G8 Summit

22 July 2000 Okinawa

With only one day left of the G-8 Heads of Government Summit, Greenpeace has stated, that the time is now for the leaders of the world’s richest nations to do something meaningful and take up the issue criminal trade of illegally harvested timber.

"Time is running against the last ancient forests. The G-8 heads of government should not waste the chance to combat the issue of criminal trade of timber and timber products today," said Martin Kaiser, Greenpeace Forests Campaigner. "Governments should not shame themselves again by ignoring the issue of trade."

Greenpeace contends that, although the Japanese authorities have now tried to stop the activists from continuing to highlight the plight of the ancient forests by placing the Rainbow Warrior and its crew under ship arrest since 01:00 this morning, they will continue to get the message across that the forests of the world are rapidly disappearing. Last night, the Rainbow Warrior was raided by the Japanese Coast Guard after the ship arrived in Naha. Four members of the crew were earlier arrested when attempting to deliver a letter to the G-8 Heads of Government explaining the organisation’s demands to the G-8 to stop illegal and destructive logging.

"While the G-8 continues to condone massive violations in the protection of the ancient forests, the Japanese authorities are trying to stop us from highlighting the G-8’s weakness. Illegal and destructive logging is out of control," said Michelle Sheather, a Greenpeace Spokesperson onboard the Rainbow Warrior. "By placing us under ship arrest, the G-8 will not be able to cover up the forest destruction that their countries are importing. The irony of it all is that our activists are arrested for peacefully protesting while the G-8 countries continue to turn a blind eye to their perverse policies condoning illegal trade in forest timbers."

Greenpeace has successfully highlighted the criminal imports and exports of illegal timber and criminally harvested timber products in Russia, Japan, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Belgium, UK and Denmark.

The G-8 will be discussing forest issues in this evening’s or tomorrow’s sessions. Greenpeace is further calling on the G-8 to fulfil their commitments from the 1997 and 1998 summits and for the end of subsidies harming ancient forests as well as the adoption of policies that will guarantee sustainable timber sources for tax money expenditure.