Blog: Forests

It's been a long day and its not yet 4pm. Worse still its been violent and the fear is things could get much worse.

Today, shortly after dawn, we launched three inflatables from the Arctic Sunrise, raised the anchor and steamed over to Cargill's illegal export facility. Our intention, to peacefully shut down the complex for as long as possible and prevent the unloading of rainforest soya from farms complicit in illegal land grabbing and slavery.

The view of the Amazon from the air is spectacular. A broad river winding its way through dense jungle back to source, giant lily pads sit like stepping stones across its tributaries and above, white egrets floating in the breeze. Dotted along the riverside, people can be seen fishing in canoes or transporting produce down river.

On Saturday we finally made it into Santarém port, having persuaded the authorities that they had no legal grounds on which they could legitimately keep the Arctic Sunrise out.

Despite rumours that the soy farmers were planning a march, the atmosphere in the port was quiet - except, that is, for the loading of a cargo ship, ironically preparing to transport Amazonian timber to France. It seemed criminal to stand by and watch it load but on this occasion it was not our remit to intervene.

Deep in the forests of Papua New Guinea, part of the Paradise Forests that stretch across South East Asia, Greenpeace has established a Global Forest Rescue Station. It's purpose: to help the clans and tribes of the region to mark out their lands which are theirs by law but are at risk from the unscrupulous activities of logging companies.