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Tag Archives: BP
From Paper Promises to Real Change: Saving Indonesia’s Rainforests
two years since Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) abruptly changed course, silenced its bulldozers and announced a groundbreaking Forest Conservation Policy. For decades, the Indonesian logging giant had been one of the globe’s most notorious threats to rainforests and forest communities – taking over and mowing down tens of thousands of acres a year to produce wood pulp for books, copy paper, tissue and packaging. But after steady years of nonstop pressure from RAN and other groups, we achieved one of the most dramatic shifts in corporate policy ever. APP’s Forest Conservation Policy has the potential to impact millions of acres of some of the most culturally and biologically diverse landscapes in the world — and it would never have happened without the steadfast perseverance of supporters like you. So THANK YOU once again! But at Rainforest Action Network, we know that promises, especially of the corporate variety, can be broken. So over the past two years, we have remained vigilant and active behind the scenes, working hard to turn paper promises into real change on the ground. Our goal is not a corporate PR moment, but real positive impact on the lives of local communities in Indonesia, and the protection of crucial habitat for endangered wildlife like the Sumatran tiger, elephant and orangutan. Working with Indonesian and other allies, our efforts have resulted in an improved process for conflict resolution with local communities, a commitment to effectively restore over two million acres of degraded forests, and we are still fighting for improvements and greater transparency throughout APP’s implementation process. Just last month, RAN released an in-depth report on APP’s progress. Along with 10 allied organizations – including 9 based in Indonesia – this on-the-ground research consulted 17 Indonesian communities directly impacted by APP – and the results reveal significant policy implementation problems. Our report offers detailed recommendations for how APP can properly address hundreds of unresolved land conflicts remaining in its concessions, Just today the company has released an action plan outlining its response to our concerns and a third party performance evaluation of APP that we helped secure. While we will continue to hold APP accountable, RAN also directly supports frontline communities living with the historic impact of APP’s deforestation. Our Protect-an-Acre program provides crucial grants that go directly to the local organizations and community groups working on these issues – groups like Yayasan Wahana Bumi Hijau (WBH) which recently supported villagers to successfully negotiate an agreement with APP to return 24,000 acres of their traditional lands to community stewardship. This story is just one of many, many more – please visit the Protect an Acre site to learn more and to pledge your support directly to the frontline communities that need it most. Thank you for making this possible – and please help us keep up the pressure in 2015 and beyond. |
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Giving Poachers the boot … Saving our wildlife
Criminal charges against Lumber Liquidators for illegal logging?
Lumber Liquidators is in hot water, reportedly facing criminal charges from the U.S. Department of Justice — and for good reason. The nation’s leading hardwood floor retailer has allegedly imported illegally harvested wood from critical habitats, including the Russian Far East.
These forests are home to the world’s last remaining Siberian Tigers. With only around 450 of these majestic tigers remaining, we can do more to respond to illegal logging across the globe.
The Lacey Act, passed in 1900 to combat the illegal wildlife trade, was strengthened to fight illegal logging in 2008 — and it’s these forests’ best defense. If adequately enforced, the law would ensure that wood products have been sourced legally and violators like Lumber Liquidators would face fines or jail time.
Last year, thousands of RAN activists expressed outrage at Lumber Liquidator’s ties to illegal logging and destruction of the last habitat of the Siberian Tiger. Now, our friends at Sierra Club are taking the campaign one step further – by demanding criminal charges be pursued against Lumber Liquidators. We fully support this campaign and wanted to ask you to help out as well. See Sierra Club’s message below for details on how you can help.
Christy Tennery-Spalding, Rainforest Action Network
Taking criminal action against Lumber Liquidators sends a strong message that corporations will be punished for profiting from the illegal destruction of critical habitat.
With the Lacey Act, the U.S. can lead the world in combatting illegal logging. Yet, this powerful law can only be successful if enforcement is taken seriously and corporations are put on notice that violations will not be tolerated.
Thanks for all you do for the environment.
Sincerely,
Jesse Prentice-Dunn
Sierra Club
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Prosecute Officer Brian Encinia!
Last week, in a remarkable display of solidarity, we joined with partners to deliver more than 500,000 signatures to Attorney General Loretta Lynch urging the Department of Justice to investigate Sandra Bland’s tragic death. But we can’t stop here. Over the last 3 weeks, it seems that Waller County District Attorney Elton Mathis has done everything in his power to cover up what happened to Sandra. Instead of looking at the illegal stop and violent arrest that unjustly put her in jail in the first place, local officials are trying to blame Sandra for her own death.1
We’ve waited long enough for Officer Encinia to be held accountable for his abusive misconduct. Now, we need a groundswell of public pressure to ensure DA Mathis does his job and brings Officer Encinia to justice.
The truth is, Sandra Bland would still be alive today had it not been for Officer Encinia’s brutal racism and violence. Sandra didn’t make any traffic violations when Officer Encinia made a u-turn and sped up behind her. She was also not armed and yet Encinia threatened to “light” her up with his taser.2 Sandra was not combative nor resisting and yet Encinia slammed her to the ground while she cried out in pain. Sandra was arrested and charged with assault, even though the video clearly shows Encinia as the aggressor.
In the video and later the police report, we see Officer Encinia spin a web of lies as he quickly attempts to justify his violent behavior and criminalize Sandra to his fellow officers.3 His actions are criminal and he should not be a police officer. We need DA Mathis to do everything in his power to prosecute Officer Encinia with a felony offense in order to keep this killer cop off the streets. In order for Officer Encinia to lose his police license he must be convicted of a felony.
Demand justice for Sandra! We will not remain silent as DA Mathis fails to do his job.
We’ve waited long enough. It’s DA Mathis’ job to protect Black residents in the area and hold racist and violent police who target Black people — such as Encinia — accountable. And we know accountability is possible. Baltimore DA Marilyn Mosby recently indicted the six police officers involved in the killing of Freddie Gray and just last week Collin County DA Joe Deter indicted Officer Ray Tensing for brutally killing Sam Dubose.4,5 Prolonged delays and silence are not the answer. We need Waller County officials to act now.
Waller County officials must come to terms with their violent history of racism and discrimination and stand up for Black lives. This is just as much about Sandra Bland as it is about making sure all Black people in the area don’t have to experience the same unbridled violence and brutality at the hands of the state. And it starts with prosecuting Officer Encinia for the illegal arrest and assault and battery of Sandra Bland. Let’s show Waller County officials that we are not going to stop until the killing stops.
We need widespread public pressure to bring Officer Encinia to justice. Raise your voice today.
Thanks and peace,
— Rashad, Arisha, Shani, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
August 6th, 2015
References,
1. “Marijuana Didn’t Kill Sandra Bland,” Ebony 07-27-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5109?t=6&akid=4645.1174326.0KTstg
2. “In the video of Sandra Bland’s arrest, the tape doesn’t lie,” Boston Globe 07-23-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5104?t=8&akid=4645.1174326.0KTstg
3. “Blame the Police,” Slate 07-22-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5105?t=10&akid=4645.1174326.0KTstg
4. “Marilyn Mosby: 6 police officers indicted in Freddie Gray death,” Washington Times 05-21-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5106?t=12&akid=4645.1174326.0KTstg
5. “Prosecutor: UC officer ‘purposefully killed’ DuBose,” Cincinnati Enquirer 07-29-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5107?t=14&akid=4645.1174326.0KTstg
Be a Seed for Change 
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