GREENPEACE CALLS FOR AN IMMEDIATE HALT TO WOOD EXPORTS
Brazilian government launches investigation into large-scale corruption

3 May 2000

MANAUS, BRAZIL -- Greenpeace today called for an immediate moratorium on national and international trade in wood products from Para State in the Brazilian Amazon, after a senior government official revealed massive levels of corruption in IBAMA (Para), the government agency charged with monitoring the logging industry.

In a letter presented to the Minister of Environment, Jose Sarney Filho, Greenpeace demanded that all permits authorising trade in wood and wood products, both domestic and foreign, be suspended, pending the outcome of investigations into the allegations of corruption by IBAMA officials and by many of the 1,324 companies operating in the logging industry in Para.

Paulo Castelo Branco, the Director of IBAMA in Para, went public Friday with a statement that corruption, bribery and falsification of documents were rampant in the Department. He claims that false documents, some for non-existent logging operations and some bearing his forged signature, are being used to launder illegally cut timber in the state. Castelo Branco, who requested a full investigation by the Ministry of Environment and the Federal Prosecutors, has been transferred from IBAMA to the Ministry of Environment for the duration of the investigation, which is expected to last for 60 days.

"During my administration in Para, the industry asked me for two months to meet the legal requirements (of IBAMA). I gave them three months, which they used to lobby to have me fired, rather than to meet the standards required by law," said Castelo Branco. "The industry in Para isn't interested in producing timber in a sustainable way, but instead prefer to use "propinas" (bribes) and corruption to continue to operate without controls."

"Given the seriousness of Castelo Branco's claims, Greenpeace is calling for a full and immediate moratorium on the trade of wood and wood products from Para State," said Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Campaigner in the Amazon. "The Brazilian market place, as well as importing countries, in particular Japan, France, Spain, Belgium, the UK and the US, must take emergency measures to suspend trade in wood products from Para State while the investigation is ongoing."

Adario went on to say that Castelo Branco's information substantiates the claim that over 80% of all Amazon wood is illegally cut. "Until the Government of Brazil can control this industry, buyers of Amazon wood from Para must presume that their products are illegal".

According to Greenpeace, the only way to control the industry is through an independent monitoring system, such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). "Greenpeace calls on the Amazon's logging industry to adopt FSC certification as a guarantee to consumers that their products come from legal and sustainable sources," concluded Adario. "Until a reliable certification system is in use industry-wide in the Amazon, legitimate and responsible businesses will be handicapped by the criminal activities of their industry associates."

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Paulo Adario in Manaus +55 92 9984 1366
- Rebeca Lerer in Manaus +55 92 9989 2669
- Gina Sanchez in Amsterdam +31 6 5312 8907
- Anne Dingwall in Manaus +55 92 9995 6078

Photos and video footage of logging operations in Para State, and of Greenpeace's action with Mr. Castelo Branco in December 1999, are available through Gina Sanchez in Amsterdam.

Follow Greenpeace's 'Amazon Guardian' Tour on the web:
www.greenpeace.org/~forests/amazon

(1) In December 1999, Greenpeace and Mr. Castelo Branco worked together to successfully apprehend illegal logs on the property of Eidai do Brasil Ltda., the Japanese multinational and leading exporter of wood products from the Amazon.

(2) The total volume of logs cut in Para in 1997 was 13,500,000 cubic metres, the equivalent of almost 4,000,000 trees, and 45.8% of the total Brazilian Amazon production. 1997 exports from Para totalled USD 330,540,341, or 71% of total Amazon wood exports, all according to the Department of External Commerce, and to AIMEX, the Association of Logging Exporters of Para.

(3) The Greenpeace ship "Amazon Guardian" is currently in Amazonas State in Brazil, as part of Greenpeace's campaign to stop illegal logging in the rainforest. In June the ship will enter Para. Journalists interested in coming aboard should contact Gina Sanchez in Amsterdam.