A family with child: Bidin, Ida and son Agung

Dec 22, 2011

Return to Indonesia – full of worry about what happens now

For two weeks, the rainforest defenders from Sumatra and Borneo have travelled Germany. They have specified to members of the parliament why sustainable palm oil is a lie. In Hamburg, their demonstration in front of the Unilever headquarter building has triggered big media coverage. But the company refused to acknowledge the demands of the activists and the indigenous people. “My heart is full of concern for our family”, Bidin says before his departure.

Dec 19, 2011

Partial success in Peru: Government lifts state of emergency in Cajamarca

The Peruvian government has lifted the state of emergency in four provinces in the region of Cajamarca in northern Peru. Thus, the government has responded to the numerous national and international protests criticising the declaration of the state of emergency and the suspension of fundamental rights associated with it.

Feris protests against Wilmar

Dec 18, 2011

Floating protest against Wilmar

The company that cuts down the Indonesian rainforest, destroys villages and supplies Unilever with palm oil, runs a palm oil refinery near Bremen.

Protestschild

Dec 14, 2011

The rainforest defenders besiege Unilever

Unilever’s palm oil supplier Wilmar has robbed them of their forest and destroyed their homes and lives. Now, they want their land back – and they are going to stay.

Dec 13, 2011

Interview: Eyewitness account by the Indonesian rainforest defenders

Daily news about the visit of the Indonesians:Bidin belongs to the indigenous tribe of the Suku Anak Dalam; his family is one of 41 families living in Sungai Buayan. The village is located in the middle of a palm oil plantation – its surrounding forest has been cut down in favour of monocultures. For nine years now, the natives are making efforts to reclaim their common land; Bidin leads the negotiations. Click here and watch the full interview:

Dec 10, 2011

Daily news about the visit of the Indonesians: “Palm oil makes us poor!“

Muhammad Rusdi, Mayor of Karang Mendapo on the island of Sumatra, has studied economics. He dispels the myth that the Indonesian economy needs to grow further for the improvement of the common good.

Dec 8, 2011

Daily news about the visit of the Indonesians: The Indonesians in Germany

Our visitors finally arrive at the airport in Hamburg one hour behind schedule. Even though they are tired after the long journey, they are pleased to see our welcome sign: Selamat Datang teman-teman dari Indonesia! Welcome, dear friends from Indonesia! Meanwhile, the members of Ida’s and Bidin’s family who stayed behind in the devastated village are still massively under threat. Read the full story:

Dec 6, 2011

On the backgrounds

For many generations, the indigenous people of Sumatra have been living in the rainforest. They have made use of it, benefited from it, and they preserved it in order to secure their children’s future. But then, the trees were cut down, a plantation was built and oil palms were planted – all for the sake of palm oil that is contained in our candles, our packet soups and our detergents.

Dec 6, 2011

The Indonesian delegation

Nov 28, 2011

The Silence of Pandas – What the WWF Isn't Saying

Sri Lankan elephants drinking in a water hole

Nov 10, 2011

Partial success in Sri Lanka: Dole withdraws from National Park

The Dole corporation, well known for bananas and other tropical fruit, has responded to the protests of international environmental organizations against building new plantations in a tropical forest area and elephant habitat in Sri Lanka.

Protesters hanging up a banner: forest for people, not for sale

Nov 2, 2011

Indonesia: Success Story of Our Partner Organisation

Indians on a protest march with flags in their hands walking up a gravel road

Oct 28, 2011

Bolivia stops construction of road through National Park

Archipelago in the sea

Oct 7, 2011

Columbia: No Petroleum Extraction in Insular Paradise

“I want everybody to know you may rest assured there will be no petroleum extraction in our archipelago whatsoever”, Columbian President Juan Manuel Santos officially announced in his speech on 01 October 2011 on the Island of San Andrés. “In agreement with the Ministry of Environment we have decided against this kind of raw material extraction”, the President further explained, and instead promised the introduction of a conservation plan for protecting marine ecosystems.

Illegally logged wood near the Masoala National Park in Madagascar.

Sep 30, 2011

Success: Madagascar and Panama restrict trade in ebony and rosewood

Man standing between two huge trees in the Korup rainforest

Sep 29, 2011

Cameroon: Court stops deforestation

A recent judicial degree by a Cameroon court declared the planned deforestation of 30.000 hectares of rainforest close to the Korup National Park illegal. The judges stopped the activities of US investor Herakles Capital and followed the arguments of an environmetal lawyer.

Indians on a protest march with flags in their hands walking up a gravel road

Sep 28, 2011

Bolivia to halt construction on roadway

Protesters standing infront of "Terminal Tango" at Hamburg Airport

Sep 26, 2011

Unilever: Deforestation Award attracted a lot of attention

Mayor Rusdi: Man behind iron bars

Sep 25, 2011

Indonesia: Plantation Law contravenes constitution

This is a huge success for our cooperation partner in Indonesia: On September 19, 2011, the Indonesian Constitutional Court ruled that Articles 21 and 47 of the Plantation Law (Law Act No. 18) of 2004 contravene the Indonesian constitution.

Bolivian Indians walking their protest march with arrow and bow in their hands

Sep 1, 2011

Progress in Bolivia: Bolivian President agrees to meet local Indians

Since August 15, about 1,000 Bolivian Indians – women, men, children and elderly people – are on a protest march toward La Paz. In about one month they are hoping to complete their journey of about 400 miles from the rainforest to the Presidential Palace. Now the Bolivian president wants to personally receive the indigenous people as requested.

Completely cut clear hill, with residues of rainforest trees

Aug 26, 2011

Officeworks discontinues selling PaperOne

Officeworks has taken our concerns serious and decided to discontinue procurement of PaperOne as of August 24th 2011.

Jul 18, 2011

Lufthansa UPDATE: Effective demonstration against first biofuel flight

On July 15th, Rettet den Regenwald (Rainforest Rescue) and more than 20 supporters demonstrated against Lufthansa's first flight with so-called biofuels on Hamburg Airport.

Jun 21, 2011

Allianz Global Investors and palm oil

Rettet den Regenwald (Rainforest Rescue) has met Allianz Global Investors and has agreed upon a conjointly research regarding the palmoil industry.

May 18, 2011

Activists block Grangemouth docks port to stop Forth Energy’s mad biomass plans

Members of Action Against Agrofuels blocked the two sole access roads to Grangemouth docks yesterday, in protest over Forth Energy’s plans to build a biomass (wood) burning power station at the docks. The company, which is co-owned by Forth Ports, plans to build four large biomass power stations across Scotland [1]. Activists blocked off traffic to the entire port and fuel tankers were at a standstill. Seven protesters were arrested.

Apr 28, 2011

Rainforest Rescue on Facebook

Become a fan of our new Facebook page and get all the news updates! You can find us here:http://www.facebook.com/rainforest2rescue

People infront of the embassy in Berlin holding protest signs against the dam

Apr 25, 2011

A Reprieve For The Mekong: Xayaburi Dam Delayed

Apr 8, 2011

Victory! Destructive Titanium Mine Denied Permission to Move Forward

Apr 7, 2011

Remonstrative Letter to WWF by the „Deutscher Naturschutzring“ (DNR)

According to DNR, it is not acceptable to associate soy with "sustainability" and that the WWF "protects a failed system of agriculture.

Mar 31, 2011

What is behind the "responsible" soy label? Detective Pig finds out

In collaboration with environmental and social rights organisations, including Rainforest Rescue, Monkeybizniz launches an animation which shows Detective Pig investigate the realities of soy labelled 'responsible'. The soy industry is not what it seems. Deforestation and toxic chemicals are being used in South America to grow soy so European cattle can be fed.

Mar 25, 2011

DWS pulls out of the multinational palm oil company Wilmar

According to our colleagues from Robin Wood, DWS, the Deutsche Bank fund management company, has eliminated all stock from the palm oil conglomerate Wilmar. In doing so, DWS has finally reacted to the criticism from environmental organizations like Robin Wood and Rainforest Rescue, which had called on the financial services provider to stop investing in Wilmar.

Mar 11, 2011

Palawan Campaign: UNESCO express concern

We would like to share with all you the good news about UNESCO DG formally forwarding a letter of concern on the mining threats in Palawan to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the National Commission of the Philippines for UNESCO.

Palm oil plantation in Honduras

Feb 7, 2011

Massive UN-Supported African Palm Plantations Leading to Oppression, Kidnapping and Murder

The promise of carbon credits and free money from schemes like the U.N.-backed Clean Development Mechanism, appear to be among the causes of renewed violence.

Palm oil plantation in Honduras

Feb 7, 2011

Palm Oil in Honduras

Jan 24, 2011

Mining, indigenous rights and biodiversity - a rolling case in the Philippines

In spite of the growing outpour of international support and solidarity, it appears to be no end to the attempts of some government institutions to transform the Philippines “Last Frontier” (Palawan Island) into one of the most popular mining destinations infringing the rights of indigenous peopleand the the rules and regulations governing protected area management. Watch a video.

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