Brasilia, 17 September 1999 - Greenpeace launched today a campaign to pressure the Minister of the Civil House, Pedro Parente, to implement the Environmental Crimes Law that was approved in 1998 but has not been regulated.
"While the Brazilian Government discusses the regulation of the Law the environment is being damaged, as the recent apprehensions of illegal timber and the forest fires show. Currently, there is no way to properly punish the environmental criminals", says Roberto Kishinami of Greenpeace in Brazil.
28,000 cubic meters of illegal logs apprehended by the Brazilian authorities at the Rios Purus and Juru. Accused: the Chinese- owned company Compensa and the loggers (Patrons) Raimundo Lobo, Raimundo Pinheiro, JoOo Harley, Fl´vio Procãpio, César Augusto and Francisco Belmino. Fine: 66 cents per cubic metre.
