Help the indigenous peoples of the Congo to be heard above the sound of the chai

[Guest guest]

Help the indigenous peoples of the Congo to be heard above the sound

of the chainsaws

 

We are asking people around the world to sign an online petition

asking the World Bank to immediately halt plans for the expansion of

industrial logging in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Read on to

find out more, and don't forget to forward this to friends and

colleagues, as we need as many signatures as possible.

 

http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/s-Petition%20the%20World%20Bank%

20on%20Congo%20Forests

 

Logging the Congo rainforests will cut down more than just trees!

 

The rainforests of the Congo - which are the second largest on Earth

after those of the Amazon - are imminently threatened. New laws being

introduced under the guidance of the World Bank, as well as

a 'zoning' of the country's forests, will potentially see an area the

size of France handed out to logging companies.

 

35 million people (75% of Congo's national population) live in and

around the forests, and depend on it for food, shelter, and natural

medicines. The forests are also home to thousands of plant and animal

species, including the lowland Gorilla, chimpanzees, forest

elephants, and the rare okapi. So far, the rainforests have largely

been spared widespread destruction.

 

However, the new laws, which are due to come into effect this year,

will encourage a massive expansion of the timber industry, including

a 60-fold increase in industrial logging.

 

This could be the start of the first major environmental and

humanitarian catastrophe of the 21st century.

 

The Rainforest Foundation, along with dozens of environmental and

human rights groups from the Democratic Republic of Congo is calling

on the World Bank to immediately halt plans for the expansion of

industrial logging of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to ensure

that the rights of people living in the forest are respected.

 

Please spare two minutes to sign the online World Bank petition and

forward this email on to your friends and colleagues?

 

http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/s-Petition%20the%20World%20Bank%

20on%20Congo%20Forests

 

Yours sincerely

 

The Rainforest Foundation

 

Read more about the carve up of Congos forests -

 

http://www.rainforestfoundationuk.org/s-Stop%20the%20carve%20up%20of%

20the%20Congo%20forests

 

 

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The Rainforest Foundation is a registered charity (801436) working to

support indigenous people and traditional populations of the world's

rainforests to protect their environment and fulfil their rights to

land and livelihood.