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WORLDWIDE FOREST/BIODIVERSITY CAMPAIGN NEWS

Australian Activists Greet Malaysian Prime Minister

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Forest Networking a Project of Ecological Enterprises

4/10/96

The Rainforest Information Centre reports on the reenergized

Australian rainforest movement's greeting to Malaysian Prime

Minister during a recent visit. RIC and all groups involved were

reasonable and peaceful during their vigil in support of Malaysian

and other countries' forests and peoples. Following is a report

on the rainforest protest and a letter from Australian NGOs to the

Malaysian Prime Minister which concludes with the promise to "act

in a peaceful yet direct manner until these issues are resolved."

The last great forests/rainforests of the Earth deserve such an

effort and tribute. Organizing to save forests can and must

happen everywhere; with peaceful protest being only one, albeit

highly effective, tactic. Information networks and letter

writing, linking of groups, and letter writing are other ways to

get involved. All approaches are justified and needed as the

current biodiversity convulsion and natural systems decline

continues unabated.

LIST NOTE

Remember, despite its wide reach (over 700 recipients) and diverse

content, this list continues to primarily be the work of myself,

Glen Barry, Director of the small NGO, Ecological Enterprises. I

have been sick for the past week and am heading out to the forests

for awhile next week. This in addition to getting our own server

fully operational. Please remain assured of my commitment to this

project, and please indulge the occasional lapses, and take the

entire effort for what it is--grassroots forest activism.

The primary links of the much expanded Gaia Forest Conservation

Archives are:

Gaia Forest Archives Main Link

http://forests.lic.wisc.edu/forests/gaia.html

World Wide Forest/Biodiversity Campaign News & Archives

http://forests.lic.wisc.edu/worldfor.html

Papua New Guinea Rainforest Campaign News & Archives

http://forests.lic.wisc.edu/pngforest.html

Glen Barry

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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:

/** rainfor.genera: 145.0 **/

** Topic: MAHATHIR: Successful action in OZ. **

** Written 7:31 AM Mar 31, 1996 by peg:alight in

cdp:rainfor.genera **

AUSTRALIAN ACTIVISTS GREET MALAYSIAN PM, DR. MAHATHIR

Almost 50 people demonstrated their concern about continuing human

rights, indigenous and environmental issues in Malaysia as the

Prime Minister of Malaysia, Dr. Mahathir and Australia, John

Howard, met to discuss the future relationship between the two

countries. It had been 13 years since Dr. Mahathir had visited

Australia.

3 people were able to bring their concerns directly to Dr Mahathir

by entering the hotel where the meeting took place earlier in the

day and waiting for the opportunity to bypass heavy security.

Outside the building - a heavy police presence that outnumbered

the protesters almost two to one, held back any opportunity to

block the motorcade as it left the building. Despite police

brutality the following day against student activists, there were

no arrests (there were numerous incidents where orders were

disobeyed) - nor any brutal treatment of protesters, apart from

activists being carried away from the scene. It was felt by all

involved to be a very positive, peaceful action.

The protest was reported as the leading Australian news story on

every television channel - reminding Australians that issues of

critical concern in Malaysia have not been resolved. Despite the

peaceful nature of the action - reports highlighted the security

breaches, giving the impression that the action was planned and

implemented by a crack team of professionals - or even dangerous

fundamentalists. There was an immediate call for there to be a

probe into security for foreign dignitaries visiting Australia.

Some news reports descibed activists 'hurling abuse' or 'jostling'

Dr. Mahathir - when, in fact, there was no action of this kind.

Each of the 3 activists who came close to Dr. Mahathir asked

sincere questions about the situation in Malaysia. As can be

perceived by the letter following, the tone of the action was

rather one of a plea for Dr. Mahathir to change the course of

history. However reports also dealt with the reasons behind the

action, in particular channell 10 who went into some detail over

the Bakun dam issue.

For further information please contact alight@peg.apc.org. Video

footage and stills will be available shortly.

To: Dato Seri Dr. Mahathir Mohammed,

Prime Minister of Malaysia.

29.3.96

Dear Sir,

"Hast though not seen that unto Allah payeth adoration whosoever

is in the heavens and whosoever is in the earth, and the sun, and

the moon, and the stars, and the trees, and the beasts, and the

many of mankind " (Surah 22:18).

It is in the spirit of respect and cherishing of life that we make

this sincere plea to you:

Please use your power to change the course of history - not to

prove that Malaysia is capable of matching, or even surpassing,

the so-called 'developed nations' in the destruction of nature and

marginalisation of indigenous peoples - but to foster a new

development paradigm that will ensure that your grandchildren and

ours will have the chance to live on Earth.

"Act in your life as though you are living forever and act for the

hereafter as if you are dying tomorrow". Prophet Muhammad (peace

be upon him).

"All the Penan know is that we human beings cannot create land,

only God can. If our land belongs to someone else, we want to ask

them, 'When did you create the land, or plant the fruit trees and

where are the burial grounds of your ancestors?' Asik Nyelit,

Nomadic Penan.

While we are aware and active on many issues of concern with

regards to the environment and indigenous rights in Australia, we

are also aware that currently in Malaysia there are issues of

critical urgency - in particular;

* promises of reserves set aside for the Penan tribal people,

* continuing unsustainable logging and lack of legitimate land

rights to tribal peoples throughout Sarawak and Sabah.

* concerns surrounding construction of the Bakun dam, and

* the activities of Malaysian logging companies outside of

Malaysia.

Although we are acting on behalf of the request for support from

tribal people in Sarawak, many of us are also direct eyewitnesses

to the environmental devastation and suffering of local

communities caused by unsustainable logging operations in

Malaysia, PNG, the Solomon Islands and other areas. The details -

reports, eyewitness accounts, export and import figures - are

easily available.

We feel that there are few (in history) who have resisted the

temptation of short term profits in order to ensure that

development is both ecologically sustainable and respectful of

cultural diversity. We plead with you to set this example.

We wait in anticipation of your positive response to the above

concerns. We include with this letter a recent statement from

representatives of the Penan from the Ulu Baram region in Sarawak.

We also include documents outlining energy alternatives to the

construction of the Bakun HEP.

In the meantime, we pledge to continue to act in a peaceful yet

direct manner until these issues are resolved.

Yours sincerely,

Rainforest Information Centre

Australian Rainforest Conservation Society

Brisbane Rainforest Action Group

National Union of Students (NSW, QLD)

Aidwatch

Friends of the Earth, Fitzroy.

Goodwood Advisory Board

Melbourne Rainforest Action Group

Sydney Rainforest Action Group

Tasmania Forest Alliance

Tarkine National Coalition

The Australian Conservation Foundation

The Queensland Greens

The Democrats (Queensland)

Queensland University Environment Club

Bond University Environment Club

Gold Coast and Hinterland Environment Council

###RELAYED TEXT ENDS###

This document is a PHOTOCOPY and all recipients should seek

permission from the source for reprinting. 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 Conservation Archives at URL=

http://forests.org/gaia.html

Networked by:

Ecological Enterprises

Email (best way to contact)-> gbarry@forests.org