SAVE OUR FORESTS, SAVE OUR CLIMATE
Greenpeace launches Forest Defenders Satellite Station in Jakarta
Jakarta, 3 November 2007 – Greenpeace today launched Forest Defenders Camp Satellite Station (FDCSS) at the Monas Park in Jakarta. The FDCSS will exhibit the beauty and destruction of the pristine rain forests of
Indonesia and the impacts on biodiversity and climate, with photos, cultural performances, talk shows and short films.
The FDCSS in Jakarta has been set up to support and disseminate information from the Forest Defenders Camp set up by Greenpeace on the boundary of a peatland forest cleared for palm oil plantations in Riau,
Sumatra. In addition to efforts to highlight and halt peatland forest destruction, Greenpeace is also attempting to promote long-term solutions to deforestation in Indonesia.
„We are campaigning for inclusion of deforestation in the next phase of the Kyoto agreement. The decisions that our government makes now are critical for securing the financing and capacity needed by Indonesia to
safeguard our tropical forests and to make a serious contribution to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Bustar Maitar of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.
"The Indonesian government must act before the UN conference on climate change in Bali. It is time for the President of Indonesia to acknowledge that peatland conversion is contributing to climate change and declare an unconditional moratorium on peatland forest destruction.” he added
The FDCSS is supported by the DKI Jakarta Province Local Government and will feature various local artists and musicians who back this initiative. The event will remain open during November 3-11, 2007 at Monas, and besides the informative exhibition and interactive demonstrations, public will get an opportunity to send messages of support to Greenpeace volunteers and community of Kuala Cenaku at Forest Defenders Camp. Those signing up as forest defenders at FDCSS can also send text messages to the President of Indonesia and Minister of Forestry, demanding action to stop destruction of Indonesia’s pristine rainforests and unique peatland wealth.
„We have to protect our forests and the marvelous creatures that live in them, this is our heritage and the only wealth that we will bequeath to our future generations. It is sad that the rate of deforestation in Indonesia is the fastest among the world’s major forest nations. Through the FDCSS we want to excite and inform the youth about the wonders of our forests and sensitize them to the impacts of forest destruction.” said Didit, team leader for Forest Defenders Indonesia. Greenpeace is an independent global campaigning organization that acts to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace.
