Green Parties 1st Global Conference Backs U.S. Oil Boycott

By Bob Burton

CANBERRA, Australia, April 17, 2001 (ENS) - A boycott of U.S. oil companies was endorsed at the first worldwide gathering of Green political parties and movements in Canberra on the weekend. International campaign networks were strengthened with the formal declaration of a Global Greens Network and a Green Shield program to protect Green politicians at risk of their lives.

Major campaigns were announced to boycott U.S. oil companies for the damage they are doing to the global climate, and to protect the coral reefs of New Caledonia. Greens pledged to extend co-ordination between Japanese and Australian groups to protect forests from logging companies and protect candidates and activists at risk behind a "Green Shield."

Pekka Haavisto, chair of the United Nations Environment Programme Balkans Task Force (All photos (c) Bob Burton except where noted)

"Okay, if the energy companies are pushing the Bush administration, why don't we boycott these companies. Why don't we have worldwide boycott on American oil companies on this issue?" Haavisto said. The conference endorsed a resolution backing a proposed boycott of U.S. oil companies.

The conference attracted 350 delegates from 70 countries and a further 400 from Australia. Participants enthusiastically endorsed proposals to establish a global network of Green parties to better co-ordinate specific campaigns and foster the development of new Green parties.

The rapid growth of Green parties has led to the development of regional federations in Europe, the Americas and more recently in Africa and the Asia Pacific. With over 1,000 members in parliaments around the world - including 250 in national parliaments - the conference agreed to the formal establishment of a Global Greens Network.

While much of the business of the conference was directed to refining the charter for Green parties, specific campaigns were launched as well. After visiting an area of forest in New South Wales being logged for the Japanese company Daishowa, Satoko Watanabe from the Rainbow and Greens of Japan, launched a campaign to pressure Japanese forestry companies over the logging of Australian native forests.

Satoko Watanabe, Rainbow and Greens of Japan

The conference also endorsed a global campaign to achieve World Heritage Listing for the coral reefs of New Caledonia which are threatened by land based activities and mining in particular. The coral reefs are the worlds second largest after Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

New Caledonian reefs currently face an uncertain future, with proposed nickel mines by Canadian companies Inco and Faulconbridge considering the disposal of mine wastes through ocean outfall pipelines.

"The transport of sediments into the ocean is a killer for reefs. The barrier reef we are talking about is still pristine. All of the coral reef scientists that I am aware of all acknowledge its ecological value and the absolute necessity top preserve it through world heritage listing," spokesperson for the Australian Greens, Drew Hutton, said.

"The reefs campaign will be fought in New Caledonia by the Greens and the Kanak people and in France by the French Greens who are coalition partners in the French government," the New Caledonian Greens spokesperson, Didier Baron said.

The traditional chiefs of New Caledonia, the Senat Coutumier who are responsible for the management of the reefs, formally gave responsibility for protecting the reefs to the Global Greens Network at the conference.

Ingrid Betancourt, Green Party Senator in Colombia (Photo (c) Snappy Tim)

While she spends her life surrounded by 10 bodyguards, travels in a bulletproof car and is separated from her family after death threats, she remains defiant.

"Today we have an opportunity, there is still time for stopping the system of self destruction that they want to impose on us. But this depends on our will - on our commitment and not on what they will grant us from their power," she said in a powerful presentation that drew a standing ovation.

In response to the threats against Betancourt and other Green activists present, the conference launched the Green Shield program with Green parliamentarians and activists from democratic countries volunteering to assist in the defense of Green activists under threat.

Australian Green Senator Bob Brown

"It is important for us to mobilize our Green constituency, we need to develop this power and use it more frequently. Had be able to be able to do so more effectively Chico Mendez and Ken Saro-Wiwa would still be alive," said Brown.

Wangari Maathi of Kenya said, "We will benefit greatly from the solidarity and network of Greens worldwide." Founder of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and a candidate in the forthcoming Presidential election, Maathi was recently imprisoned for opposing land clearing projects.

Launching the Green Shield program, Maathi said, "National policies that are used to instil fear in citizens so that they do not question when they are not governed justly, democratically, accountably - it is when you move into these areas that you threaten the status quo and that's when we get arrested."