Fighting Fund Set Up to Support Arrested Protesters
2/3/99
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Title: Fighting Fund Set Up to Support Arrested Protesters
Source: Native Forest Action media release
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: February 3, 1999
Byline: Steve Abel
A fighting fund has been set up to allow members of the public to
make donations towards fines Native Forest Action campaigners will
incur after recent arrests blockading a logging road and preventing a
logging helicopter from working.
"The public response has been extremely supportive of the our action
to ground Timberlands' logging helicopter. Offers of help have been
pouring in, including a suggestion of having a 'fighting fund' to pay
for the fines incurred by those people who risked arrest and violence
to stand up for our publicly-owned forests."
"Donations can be made to Native Forest Action, PO Box 836, Nelson"
"This action was taken as a serious measure after many other avenues
have been exhausted to stop Timberlands native forest logging over
the past 2 years," said Native Forest Action spokesperson Steve Abel,
"Our initial treetop forest occupation lasted for 5 months and drew
national attention to this logging. Last October the government
called for 'public comment' on Timberlands plans to expand their
logging operations into beech forests while continuing to log rimu.
The overwhelming public response was clearly against Timberlands
logging any more native trees".
"The Government have deliberately ignored public feeling so Native
Forest Action have been looked upon to stop this environmental
destruction. After long serious consideration we decided to take
yesterdays action, where two campaigners attached themselves to the
heavy-lift helicopter that removes centuries-old beech, rimu and
kahikatea."
The helicopter which is based in the central North Island and employs
Russian pilots and engineers is contracted by Timberlands. Despite
their claims that this form of rainforest logging is "environmentally
sensitive", what it really means is that pockets of rainforest that
were previously inaccessible because of their remote location can be
logged. Trees are still felled to the forest floor and the canopy is
far from "intact", as quoted by Jenny Shipley in her previous role as
Minister of State Owned Enterprises.
For more information contact: Steve Abel 03-789-8734
"The present is the point of power"