GREENPEACE INCREASES PRESSURE ON EUROPEAN GOVERNMENTS IMPORTING ANCIENT FOREST DESTRUCTION

22 March 2002

Salerno, Italy - Greenpeace activists took further action today in their global campaign to protect the world's remaining ancient forests. Two activists from the Rainbow Warrior boarded the cargo ship Kwanza carrying timber from Cameroon and are currently blocking the unloading activities on the ship. Before activists were able to board the vessel, port authorities stopped activists in canoes from reaching the ship. Six activists were able to swim to Greenpeace inflatables when police boats picked up the canoes. The Rainbow Warrior was trying to block the channel so the Kwanza would not enter the harbour, but local authorities stopped their attempt.

This follows a recent action against timber cargo onboard the ship Proussa in the port of Ravenna, in an attempt to prevent the destruction of the African rainforest from entering the country. The Proussa carried large volumes of logs and sawn timber from Africa.

The Greenpeace protest shows the continuing role of governments around the world in allowing the imports of illegal or destructively logged timber from the world's remaining ancient forests. The demand for these products continues to fuel the destruction of these forests.

Italy is the number one European importer of timber from Cameroons' rainforests. It is widely documented that most forest operations in Cameroon are conducted in a destructive way and illegal activities are rampant. "Greenpeace demands that the Italian government adopt a policy where they will commit to not buying timber from destructive or illegal activities in ancient forests and to stop the imports into Italy of such wood immediately" said Sergio Baffoni, Greenpeace Forest campaigner in Italy.

"European logging companies operating in Cameroon have repeatedly been fined by the Cameroon government for illegal activities but the destruction continues. Imports from the world's ancient forests continue to flood European markets from regions such as the Amazon, Indonesia and Russia, as well as Africa. Still the European Union stands by and does nothing. We demand that strong action is taken at the Ancient Forest Summit in the Hague this April by world governments. This could well be the last chance to save these magnificent forests," said Tim Birch, Greenpeace campaigner on board the Rainbow Warrior.

The activities of logging companies in Cameroon and the rest of the Congo Basin is seriously threatening the way of life of forest peoples such as the Baka pygmies. Countless forest animals are endangered. The poaching of bush meat is widespread in Cameroon and is particularly common where logging roads open up previously inaccessible forest. Only 2 months ago The Economist magazine said that, "A disastrous partnership of loggers and hunters in the Congo Basin ... (means that) in as little as ten years ...the world's second biggest tropical forest could be emptied of large mammals; and Africa's great apes - gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos - could become extinct."

The actions today are part 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.

In recent weeks, Greenpeace has been protesting against ancient forest destruction in Chile, the US, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Finland, The Netherlands, Switzerland, China, Australia, Denmark and Brazil.

For the latest news from the action, including written and audio updates from the activists, visit the Greenpeace Save or Delete Website at http://www.greenpeace.org/saveordelete/

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Sergio Baffoni, Greenpeace forests campaigner, ++39 348 3988 680
Tim Birch, Greenpeace Forest Campaigner, onboard the Rainbow
Warrior, or Natalia Truchi, Greenpeace Press Officer, onboard the
Rainbow Warrior, ++871 130 2412
Gina Sanchez, Greenpeace Press Desk, ++31 627 000 064