 |
| Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon campaigner |
Greenpeace today vowed that a death threat to one of its campaigners would not deter the environmental organisation from working to protect the Amazon from destruction. A telephone call was made to a house where Greenpeace campaigners live and work in Manaus, in the heart of the Brazilian Amazon, threatening death to Paulo Adario, the Co-ordinator of Greenpeace's Amazon Campaign.
Paulo Adario said, "This is not only a threat against my life but, of greater importance, it is a threat to all people who campaign to protect the Amazon. It is clear that our recent work exposing illegal logging of mahogany in the Amazon is at the base of this threat. In Brazil it is well known that most of the mahogany trade is controlled by criminals, who for too long have been allowed to operate with impunity."
On September 26th Greenpeace released fresh evidence of extensive illegal logging deep in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. Photographs and video images from a recent aerial reconnaissance by Greenpeace clearly showed sophisticated logging operations in lands belonging to the Amazon's Kayapo Indians, an area where logging is strictly prohibited. Satellite images obtained by Greenpeace also revealed details of these operations. This information was delivered to the Federal Prosecutor in Brasilia, along with Greenpeace's call for a full investigation.
In a bid to stop the opening of the forest by mahogany loggers, the Brazilian Government in 1996 enacted a moratorium on new mahogany logging ventures. But, based on Greenpeace's new information, several companies appear to be using false papers to cover up their illegal logged operations on adjacent Kayapo Indian property.
In one recent and tragic example, on August 25th the Coordinator of the Movement for the Development of the Transamazon and Xingu Region (MDTX), Ademir Alfeu Federicci (Dema), was killed by a gunman in his home in Altamira, in the Brazilian Amazon state of Para. Dema unsuccessfully defended himself and was shot in the head in front of his wife and children. Dema was an active leader in the resistance to the construction of dams planned by the Brazilian government on the Xingu River, and an opponent of illegal logging in the region.
Brazil's Minister of Justice, Jose Gregori, said on Tuesday that he was outraged over the threat to Mr. Adario's life. In a private meeting with Mr. Adario he committed his Ministry to action, and said he will instructed the Federal Police to immediately launch an intensive investigation.
Brazil's Minister of Environment, Jose Sarney Filho, also expressed deep concern: "I would like to say that I take the death threat made to the Greenpeace member as if it was directed to me. That is because Greenpeace does nothing less than what we do. That is why they have all my support in assuring the physical safety of the Greenpeace Campaigner. The partnership between the Ministry and Greenpeace is long standing and has brought many results, reducing the huge illegal operations in that region".
On Monday, Jose Carlos Dias, former Minister of Justice of Brazil and a prominent human rights activist, voluntarily stepped forward to pledge his full support for Paulo Adario and Greenpeace. Amazonino Mendes, the Governor of Brazil's Amazonas State, said that he would give all possible guarantees for the safety of Mr. Adario, so that the work of Greenpeace can continue in the Amazon.
Further information:
Please contact Greenpeace Press Office: 0207 865 8255
Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon Campaign Co-ordinator 0055 92 9985 5001
Susan Cavanagh, Greenpeace International Press Officer 0055 92 9984 1366
Photo and video of the illegal Amazon logging operations and of Paulo Adario are available from Greenpeace.
For photographs please contact: 020 7865 8294 and for video please contact: 0031 205 249 543
