From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: HONDURAS: REVELATIONS OF SECRET LOGGING DEAL WITH US FIRM
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 23:17:53 GMT

/** reg.honduras: 46.0 **/
** Topic: IPS: Revelations of Secret Logging **
** Written 10:46 am  Aug  9, 1992 by hrcoord in cdp:reg.honduras **
From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: IPS: Revelations of Secret Logging

/* Written 12:12 am  Aug  9, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: HONDURAS: REVELATIONS OF SECRET LOGGING DEAL WITH US FIRM

tegucigalpa, aug 6 (ips) -- the stone container corporation of
the united states appears poised to begin extensive logging
operations in the mosquitia forest on honduras' atlantic coast,
despite the government's cancellation of an earlier deal in the
face of mass public protests.

on thursday, ''radio america'' revealed that a secret
agreement had been signed between the government and stone
container, which will be presented to the legislative assembly
for approval in the coming weeks.

according to the report, the company's new plan is to exploit
more than one million hectares of the mosquitia forest over a
40-year period, with an additional option to exploit other forest
areas over a 20-year period.

mauricio torres, the producer of an environmental programme on
''radio america'', warned that the new deal is ''far more
damaging'' than the one presented by stone six months ago.

since august 1991, stone has unsuccessfully attempted to
obtain government permission to exploit the mosquitia forest,
which ecologists describe as the country's main ''environmental
lung''.

although the honduran government initially agreed to sign a
logging deal with stone, claming the us firm would promote
''sustainable development'', it was forced to back down in the
face of widespread popular protests and warnings by experts that
the plan would ''destroy'' the forests.

environmentalists warn that whereas stone's original plan was
to exploit the mosquitia forest, the new proposal contemplates
logging operations throughout honduran territory, which would
seriously damage the country's natural resources.

experts also stress that whereas stone originally agreed to
reforest the areas it exploitated, the new proposal makes no
mention of reforestation projects and bluntly states that its
function is to ''cut down'' trees.

stone has reportedly agreed to pay the government market
prices for the trees it cuts down, but has made no commitment to
carry out reforestation projects.

over the past 20 years, the country's forests have been
disappearing at an alarming rate, due to indiscriminate felling
and the lack of sustainable development policies.

at present, only 3.9 million hectares of forest remain,
covering 35 percent of honduras' 11,288 sqaure kilometre area.

the mosquitia region, with its exhuberant vegetation and some
700 species of animals, has already been declared a reserve area
by the government. this forest is also home to several indigenous
groups whose survival is threatened. (more/ips)
----


honduras: revelations (2)

stone representatives admit that their first attempt to obtain
logging permission failed due to public opposition, which
prevented design of ''a bold and innovative'' plan.

''impulsive elements within honduran and us environmental
groups tried to claim that we would turn the country into a
'banana republic', and therefore we were unable to demonstrate
our intentions,'' says a company document.

stone argues that its real intentions ''go far beyond what the
environmentalists imagine, because we want to halt the horrifying
destruction of forests in honduras.''

environmental groups reacted angrily to thursday's revelations
and warned that they would launch further campaigns to mobilise
public opinion against stone, in order to protect ''national
sovereignty and security.'' (ends/ips/trd/tm/sfi/cg/92)
----


** End of text from cdp:reg.honduras **
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