Friday 5 September 2008

Greenpeace still blocking PNG logging ship

Greenpeace still blocking PNG logging ship

By PNG correspondent Steve Marshall ABC News


Environmental group Greenpeace says it has no intention of allowing an export ship on the Papua New Guinea south coast to start loading logs bound for China.

Four activists are still at the top of the ship's crane after climbing up three days ago and forcing the loading operations to shut down.

The joint protest between Greenpeace and local landowners in the Gulf province is to highlight illegal logging practices in Papua New Guinea.
Greenpeace says the TFI logging operation belongs to Malaysian company Rimbunan Hijau.

Rimbunan Hijau rejects the claim, despite independent export monitor SGS listing TFI as one of its companies.

The PNG Forest Industry Association would not comment on who owns the logging operation but in the association's opinion Greenpeace had completely manufactured the claims and timber was not illegally logged in PNG.