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PAPUA NEW GUINEA RAINFOREST CAMPAIGN, URGENT ACTION ALERT

PNG's Forests Face Renewed Assault, Your Advocacy Needed!

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Written by Ecological Enterprises Forest Networking Project

(http://forests.org/gaia.html)

7/24/96

Clouding the good news of recent decreases in pristine rainforest logging

in Papua New Guinea (PNG), in a shocking move, foreign timber companies

have refused to pay a Government mandated increase in timber royalties to

landholders. Currently landholders receive approximately 4 or 5 Kina per

cubic meter (USD 3-4) of timber. However, in an effort to move at least

part way to its promised 23 Kina per cubic meter, the Government announced

in its Forestry Policy a 10 Kina per cubic meter royalty to be paid to

landholders.

Locally based conservationists are critical of the policy that they feel

has failed to address preservation of biodiversity and falls short of its

promised 23 Kina per cubic meter. They have developed their own

_Alternative NGO Forestry Policy_ which proposes to radically change the

way landholders sell their timber. The NGO policy calls for a shift to

small and medium scale community-based forest projects, and emphasizes the

need for women to be involved in all aspects of forest related development.

This contrasts with current emphasis upon large scale, foreign controlled

industrial logging. The Alternative Policy stresses conservation of

biodiversity, community control and community negotiated land-use

management, environmental monitoring, project regulation, and the promotion

of non-timber forest products. The Government needs to push beyond its

proposed 10 Kina per cubic meter royalty and help landholders shake free of

timber barons who traditionally underpay and overexploit.

In direct defiance of the Government's directive, Foreign Timber Companies

led by Malaysian owned Rimbunan Hijau have refused to pay even the increase

to 10 Kina per cubic meter. They claim that under the increase their

companies will be operating at a loss and will have to pull out of the

nation. The rebuttal is simple: If they aren't willing to pay fair market

value for a resource that is making them rich at the expense of a

struggling developing economy - then good riddance.

The government and landholders need support in their efforts to stand up to

the powerful timber companies that already earn billions of dollars, own

one of two PNG daily newspapers, have bought significant political

influence, and continue to flaunt their control over the developing economy

of PNG.

Your letters and preferably faxes are extremely important to show that the

World is concerned about PNG, its peoples, and its environment; and

supports efforts to try to increase income for landholders through

ecological forest management. It is particularly important to show your

support for the _Alternative NGO Forest Policy_, that will not only help

landholders free themselves from multi-national ecocidal timber companies

abd their type of "development," but will also help to ensure the wise

management and conservation of PNG's remaining magnificent forests.

Please use the sample letters below (or write your own) and FAX OR WRITE

SOON :

SAMPLE LETTER FOR PRIME MINISTER CHAN

Dear Prime Minister Chan:

I am concerned about the protection of forests in your beautiful nation.

It has come to my attention that foreign timber companies have refused to

pay the Government's mandated 10 Kina per cubic meter royalty to land

owners and stand in direct defiance of your national policies. I support

your efforts to remain strong in the face of timber company threats to not

pay the royalty and to pull out of PNG. Please continue to protect the

interests of landholders and critical ecosystem's. I also encourage you to

seriously consider adopting the Alternative Forest Policy crafted by

conservation and development organizations working in PNG. This plan

stresses conservation of biodiversity, community control and community

negotiated land-use management, environmental monitoring, project

regulation, and the promotion of non-timber forest products.

Please be assured the World is supportive of your efforts to help develop

your economy while protecting important ecosystems. We urge you to expand

your efforts to protect forests through ecological forest management and

refuse to give in to the threats of companies which do not care about your

people or your land, but only about profit.

Thank you for taking my concerns into consideration.

Sincerely,

SAMPLE LETTER FOR NEWSPAPERS AND RADIO

Dear Editor/Announcer,

I am concerned about the protection of forests in your beautiful nation.

It has come to my attention that foreign timber companies have refused to

pay the Government's mandated 10 Kina per cubic meter royalty to land

owners and stand in direct defiance of your national policies. I support

efforts to remain strong in the face of timber company threats to not pay

the royalty and to pull out of PNG. Please tell your readers/listeners of

the importance of protecting the interests of landholders and critical

ecosystem's. I also urge citizens of PNG to encourage Government adoption

of the Alternative Forest Policy crafted by local conservation

organizations. This plan stresses conservation of biodiversity, community

control and community negotiated land-use management, environmental

monitoring, project regulation, and the promotion of non-timber forest

products.

Please be assured the World is supportive of your nation's efforts to help

develop your economy while protecting important ecosystems. We urge you to

expand your efforts to protect forests through ecological forest management

and refuse to give in to the threats of companies which do not care about

your people or your land but only about profit.

Sincerely,

ADDRESSES

Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan

Office of the Prime Minister

PO Box 6055

Boroko, NCD

Papua New Guinea

Fax: 675 327 6696

The Times of Papua New Guinea

Attn: Letters to the Editor

PO Box 1982

Boroko, NCD

Papua New Guinea

Fax: 675 325 4433 and 675 325 2579

Post Courier

Attn: Letters to the Editor

PO Box 85

Port Moresby, NCD

Papua New Guinea

Fax: 675 321 2721

Mr. Roger Hau'ofa

NBC Radio

PO Box 1359

Boroko, NCD

Papua New Guinea

Fax: 675 321 3747

** Roger is prone to read letters out over the air on his morning radio

program. Make sure they are well researched and written because a good

portion of the nation is listening.

###RELAYED TEXT ENDS###

This action alert was written by Scott Atkinson and Petrina Lin of

Ecological Enterprises. Permission for republishing is given, as long as

the authors and organization are credited. 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