27/10/2005
- Greenpeace JAGUARS activists on motorbikes patrol the
clearcut area in the native forest region of North Argentina
and stop bulldozers from destroying the forest to expand
genetic engineered soya monoculture.
International — It took the intervention of some home-grown
celebrities to finally tip the balance in favour of protecting
the forests of northern Argentina after a long fight by
Greenpeace and the indigenous Wichi people.
The Pizarro reserve in northern Argentina, where the Great
American Chaco Forest meets the Yungas Forest was a haven
for wildlife and the Wichi people who depended on the forest
for their livelihoods. A haven
that is until February 2004, when the state government
decided to put the reserve on the auction block, sold
to the highest bidder to be ripped up and converted into
soy plantations.
We responded immediately with actions
in the forest and cyberactions from those who couldn't
be there in person. The voices of activists from countries
near and far were being heard by the government of Argentina
and the message was clear, stop the destruction.
Only a few weeks ago the battle to
save the forest was still raging with bulldozers being
stopped in the act of clearing more of the reserve by
activists riding motorbikes and flying in helicopters
painted like Jaguars.
In the middle of all the activities
to save Pizarro, we asked prominent Argentinean actor
Ricardo Darin to help out. Not only did he support the
campaign but he also asked one of Argentina's favourite
sons, football legend Diego Maradona to 'put his hand
up' for the forest as well, and he did.
Maradona, on his own top rating TV
talk show, appealed directly to the president to save
the reserve from the bulldozers and the soy plantations.
A week later, we met with the Argentinean President Néstor
Kirchner along with a group of artists and indigenous
activists and Pizarro was saved.
Veteran Greenpeace activist Rex Weyler and author with
Greenpeace activists, dressed as jaguars, drive into a
field with motorbikes and two helicopters to stop the
forest destruction.
The 22,000 hectares that remained intact from the original
reserve will form a new national reserve with the indigenous
Wichi people having exclusive rights to use over 2,000
hectares of the new reserve. Gaining ownership over their
traditional land gives the Wichi people a chance to improve
the quality of their lives and continue their traditional
way of life in the forest.
Around 3,000 hectares of the original
reserve had already been destroyed by the time the bulldozers
were finally silenced so an area the same size neighbouring
the original reserve with similar habitat will be added
to once again make the reserve 25,000 hectares.
This just goes to show what a group
of committed activists, with a lot of energy, creativity
and help from some friends can achieve. Pizarro reserve
is saved! |
