ACTION IN THE NETHERLANDS ENDS WITH AGGRESSION FROM DOCK WORKERS WHILE NEW SHIPMENTS OF CRIMINAL TIMBER CONTINUE TO ENTER EUROPEAN PORTS

5 March 2001

Amsterdam - The Greenpeace activists who prevented the Vessel “Agat” from unloading its cargo of criminal timber for more than two days have ended their action in the Port of Amsterdam.

Six of the Greenpeace activists who had boarded the Agat on Sunday remained onboard as the ship entered the Netherlands at Ijmuiden locks. Four of the activists attached themselves to the crane cables of the fore and main masts: others chained themselves to the logs on the deck. On land, activists occupied the unloading cranes at the Agat’s intended berth.

This morning, two of the activists were punched by dock workers, as the environmentalists continued to prevent the logs from being unloaded.

At around 11:00 special forces of the Amsterdam police arrived to remove the activists from the unloading facilities. All 14 activists were arrested and have since been released without charge.

These actions come in the wake of a series of Greenpeace protests highlighting the illegal and destructive nature of the global timber trade, and the role of importing nations around the world in driving this unscrupulous industry. With only 20 percent of the world’s original forests left, those that remain are also in danger of disappearing, with industrial logging posing the single largest threat to their survival.

Meanwhile, yesterday during a night time operation Greenpeace activists boarded the vessel "MV Meltemi" at sea off the French port of Sete in the Mediterranean. Hundreds of logs from Liberia were discovered on board the ship bound for buyers in Europe.

Greenpeace carried out a thorough investigation of the cargo and were outraged to see so many logs from Liberia on board coming to Sete so soon after the Greenpeace blockade of the "Agia Irene" another Liberian log boat last week.

Among the logos discovered on the ship were those of the Danish timber trading company DLH whose buying policies are currently being investigated by Greenpeace.

Also logs from logging companies known by the United Nations to be involved in arms trafficking in Liberia and named by the UN included MGC (Mohamed Group of Companies) and ULC (United Logging Company).

“Greenpeace is shocked to see the scale of the destruction of Africa’s forests. These log boats enter Europe week after week carrying their cargoes of environmental destruction. This madness has got to stop. We demand that the French government and world governments take immediate action to deal with the crisis in the world’s remaining ancient forests otherwise the world’s great apes and other endangered animals will be extinct in the wild in our lifetime,” said Greenpeace campaigner Tim Birch.

In recent weeks Greenpeace has been protesting against ancient forest destruction in Chile, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia and Finland.

In the run up to the forthcoming Ancient Forest Summit and beyond, Greenpeace is urging governments of all countries to take action to immediately stop their role in the destruction of the worlds ancient forests by committing to:

• stop the destruction - by stopping any further industrial developments in intact ancient forests until responsible plans for forest conservation and sustainable use have been agreed
• Clean up the timber trade - by ensuring that timber is being produced and traded in a legal and ecologically responsible way; by refusing to trade with companies known to be operating illegally or destructively; and by demanding that all wood and wood products entering national ports must come from legal and well-managed forest operations according to high social and ecological standards

• Come up with the money - by providing at least US$15 billion each year to pay for forest conservation and sustainable development.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Catherine Cotton, onboard the MV Esperanza, ++31 627 000 061 or ++871 324 469 010

Gina Sanchez, Greenpeace Press Desk, ++31 627 000 064

Filip Verbelen, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner, ++32 496 161 586

Tim Birch, onboard the Rainbow Warrior, ++31 6 29 001151

Natalia Truchi, onboard Rainbow Warrior, ++31 6 212 969 08

For photos: John Novis, ++31 653 81 91 21

For Video: Lucy Clayton, ++ 31 653 50 47 21