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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

Suriname's Forests Still at Risk Despite Huge Outcry

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

July 11, 1995

OVERVIEW & SOURCE

We had reported earlier in the year on the ludicrous plan to cut

nearly 1/3 of Surinames forests; by, whoelse, but Malaysian

Berjaya logging and others. Despite tremendous response to action

alerts from all segments of society, the plan narrowly continues

to move towards approval. Following is Rainforest Action Networks

update on the matter posted in econet's rainfor.general

conference.

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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

/** rainfor.genera: 152.0 **/

** Topic: Update: Suriname at Risk **

** Written 10:06 PM Jul 10, 1995 by rainforest@ran.org in

cdp:rainfor.genera **

Action Alert Update: Suriname still at risk

Your response to February's Action Alert 105 - which asked the

Suriname government to deny logging rights to five giant timber

companies seeking timber leases totaling more than 25% of the

country - flooded the office of President Ronald Venetiaan with

letters. Suriname media broke the story shortly thereafter,

further increasing the pressure on the government.

Despite the tremendous efforts made by groups including RAN,

World Resources Institute, Conservation International, and

individuals such as U.S. ambassador to Suriname Roger Gamble and

conservationist Thomas Lovejoy, almost half the 51 members of

parliament are leaning towards approval of the contracts. One

member told the Washington Post that bribery is rampant and

welcome because parliamentarians make only a few dollars a month.

Malaysian-based Berjaya (at $2 billion, the largest of the

marauding firms) put the brother of Suriname's foreign minister

in charge of its local operations, thereby gaining the minister's

support.

Terms of the proposed concessions demonstrate that these

companies are not acting in Suriname's interests, but preying on

the fears of a faltering economy. A group of U.S. government and

private forest experts have found that the logging proposals lack

important safeguards. There are no requirements that loggers need

to replant trees or provide any other environmental protection.

The proposals also lack provisions allowing Suriname to

adequately monitor the logging. The three biggest firms have

pledged to invest $262 million, but they stand to make far more

than that in profits. For example, the deal will bring Berjaya

$20 million a year while paying Suriname no more than $8.8

million annually.

Suriname's troubled economy does have some options.

Environmentalists have recommend the development of an ecotourism

industry, intensifying the search for medicinal plants, and

having Suriname take control of managing its own forest industry.

Also, Inter-American Development Bank President Enrique V.

Iglesias has sent President Venetiaan an offer to provide an aid

package if the logging were delayed.

The government has not given much consideration to either plan.

The only hope now is that the parliament will realize the faulty

logic of selling off Suriname's only real natural resource at a

discount in return for very short-term and short-lived benefits,

and change its mind about the concessions.

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From World Rainforest Report, July - September 1995

c 1995 Rainforest Action Network. Commercial reproduction

prohibited. Students, teachers, and activists may copy articles

for limited distribution.

Rainforest Action Network works to protect the Earth's

rainforests and support the rights of their inhabitants through

education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action.

###RELAYED TEXT ENDS###

You are encouraged to utilize this information for personal

campaign use; including writing letters, organizing campaigns and

forwarding. All efforts are made to provide accurate, timely

pieces; though ultimate responsibility for verifying all

information rests with the reader. Check out our Gaia Forest

Archives at URL= http://gaia1.ies.wisc.edu/research/pngfores/

Networked by:

Ecological Enterprises/ 301K Eagle Heights/ Madison, WI 53705

USA/ Phone- (608) 233-2194/ Fax- (608) 233-2193/ Emails-

gbarry@forests.org or switpi@igc.apc.org