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Tag Archives: civil rights
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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Breaking Down The Pope’s Address To Congress
“Mr. Speaker, The Pope Of The Holy See!”
Today, Pope Francis made history yet again by becoming the first pope to address a joint meeting of Congress. Speaking for nearly an hour on a range of issues, the pope’s overall message was one of peace, cooperation, and action. Pope Francis made sure to include members of Congress in his call to action, stating, “your own responsibility as members of Congress is to enable this country, by your legislative activity, to grow as a nation.” Though he is the leader of the Catholic Church, today’s speech solidified Pope Francis’s role as a moral force for Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
We’ve put together a summary of the key points in his speech. Head over to ThinkProgress for a complete run-down.
Immigration
Pope Francis spoke at length about immigration. He again reminded us that he is the son of immigrants and noted that “so many of you are also descended from immigrants.” The Pope called for people to treating immigrants with compassion and fairness, invoking the Golden Rule of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” He also urged us to reject “a mindset of hostility” towards immigrants, to welcome them, and help them seek opportunities. The pope said, “is this not what we want for our own children?”
Inequality
Throughout his speech, Pope Francis expressed his concern for the poor and his dismay at growing income inequality. He referred to his first papal exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium, and emphasized the need to strive for a just distribution of income and a “modern, inclusive and sustainable” economy. Pope Francis even had a special message for lawmakers, urging them to pay attention especially to “those in situations of greater vulnerability or risk.” He declared that “the fight against poverty and hunger must be fought constantly and on many fronts.”
Climate
Pope Francis also discussed the dangers of climate change and the need to pass legislation to address it. He cited his own encyclical, Laudato Si, stating, “now is the time for courageous actions and strategies, aimed at implementing a ‘culture of care’ and ‘an integrated approach to combating poverty, restoring dignity to the excluded, and at the same time protecting nature.’” The pope emphasized that US lawmakers have an “important role to play” in protecting the climate and noted that American research institutions can also make a vital contribution.
International Relations
The pope emphasized our need for international peace and cooperation. He recognized recent efforts in the United States to “help overcome historic differences linked to painful episodes of the past,” possibly referencing the normalization of relations with Cuba. Pope Francis also applauded efforts to open up dialogue, saying they require “courage and daring” but are worth it for they open “new opportunities” for all. He encouraged lawmakers and others to “end the many armed conflicts throughout our world,” citing the damaging role of the weapons trade in these conflicts.
Death Penalty
Some of the Pope’s strongest remarks concerned abolishing the death penalty. He reminded us that the Catholic Church has for centuries believed in protecting life at all stages. Pope Francis even called on Congress to abolish the death penalty, stating “a just and necessary punishment must never exclude the dimension of hope and the goal of rehabilitation.”
After the speech, Pope Francis greeted tens of thousands of admirers on the West Lawn of the Capitol. He then skipped lunch with Congress, choosing instead to eat lunch with Washington, D.C.’s homeless. “I want to be very clear,” the pope said. “We can’t find any social or moral justification, no justification whatsoever, for lack of housing.”
BOTTOM LINE: Pope Francis’s speech today was a historic moment in America and solidified his role as a global moral force for Catholics and non-Catholics alike. His remarks on issues ranging from immigration to climate change to poverty have reached many this week. They represent a call to action that all should heed.
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