November 29, 2005
Protest at Stora Enso mill in the Netherlands
Greenpeace activists from four different European countries protested today at the Stora Enso mill in Wapenweld in the Netherlands. The protest was aimed at the unsustainable way the company acquires timber from Upper Lapland in Finland. The activists painted the words "forest crime" on the factory wall, on top of the company logo. Even though timber deliveries to Stora Enso have for the time being been stopped, the company has not been willing to take a decision not to buy timber from the disputed areas. The Netherlands together with Germany, Great Britain and Italy is one of the most important clients of Finnish paper industry.
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Posted by Satu Pitkanen at 02:18 PM
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November 27, 2005
Update from Lapland
On Monday, 14th November, the UN Human Rights Committee forbade the continuing logging in Nellim, Inari. The decision was delivered to the government of Finland and is temporary. The decision was taken in order to be able to secure a fair trial for the three reindeer herders who sued Metsähallitus and who were demanded a guarantee sum of over one million euros for the termination of logging in their grazing forests. The Finnish government has half a year to answer the committee on alleged human rights violations.
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Posted by Satu Pitkanen at 05:03 PM
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November 11, 2005
Response to actions
The actions taking place this week created a variety of different kind of response. Both the Ministry of Forestry and Agriculture and Metsähallitus announced that they are not breaking any laws and that they continue negotiations with reindeer herders about planned loggings. However on 8th November a representative of the Ministry, Mr Aarne Reunala, admitted in a radio interview that their negotiations are "not really true" and that the negotiations terminated in June have not been continued. "It's rather discussion but not negotiation, one might say", Mr Reunala said. Perhaps it's righteous to say that the Ministry has somewhat stretched the truth in its press release?
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Posted by Satu Pitkanen at 04:54 PM
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November 10, 2005
Paper ship stopped in Lübeck
Antares, the freight ship carrying fine paper originating from old growth reindeer forests in Northern Finland, was stopped from entering Lübeck harbour early this morning. Greenpeace activists from several different European countries tried to stop the ship already on Monday when it was loading cargo in Kemi, Finland. Upon its arrival to Germany more activists blocked the entrance way to Lübeck harbour, forcing the ship to turn back to sea. Activists are protesting against the unsustainable way of acquiring timber by the cargo holder, paper and pulp giant Stora Enso.
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Posted by Satu Pitkanen at 10:50 AM
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November 07, 2005
Action for ancient forests in Kemi harbour
Early on Monday morning six Greenpeace inflatables together with swimmers and climbers surrounded a freight ship carrying paper from Stora Enso's mill in Kemi. The ship was scheduled to leave Veitsiluoto harbour for Germany, but due to the activists' resistance the ship was delayed until the evening. The police joint forces with the coast guard, customs and fire brigade to bring down the climbers and to arrest all boat crews, thereby allowing export of paper originating from the last remaining ancient forests in Europe.
Stora Enso was against buying timber from Sámi reindeer forests last spring when the company was contacted by Greenpeace. After the the state owned forestry enterprise Metsähallitus terminated negotiations with reindeer herders in June Stora Enso has however continued buying timber originating from the disputed area.
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Posted by Satu Pitkanen at 07:01 PM
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