| 'Micky, Minnie Mouse' Protest Against Disney's Role in Indonesia's Rainforest Destruction
May 19, 2011  Rainforest Action Network activists blocking the entrance to the Walt Disney Company's headquarters as two other activists unfurled a banner above. The group is protesting against the company's alleged use of wood from endangered Indonesian rainforests in Disney children's books. (Photo courtesy of RAN) Two environmental activists dressed as Mickey and Minnie Mouse have reportedly been arrested outside Walt Disney Studios in Los Angeles during a protest against the destruction of Indonesia's rainforests.
Another two Rainforest Action Network activists wearing Mickey Mouse hats were also taken into custody after climbing the gates of the studio in Burbank to hang a 35-foot banner that read: "Disney: Destroying Indonesia's Rainforests."
RAN forest campaigner Robin Averbeck, in a statement on the group's Web site, said the iconic company was "printing children's books with paper that is driving the destruction of Indonesia's rainforests."
"It is past time for Disney to catch up with its peers and adopt a policy that guarantees tiger extinction and deforestation will no longer be found in kids' books or in any products the company sells. Of all companies, Disney should not be harming the earth's real magic kingdoms."
According to a statement of the group's Web site, Disney is the largest publisher of children's books in the world, producing over 50 million books and 30 million magazines a year.
"However, Disney has remained an industry laggard when it comes to forest protection. RAN has found that its paper policy, released in March, fails to prevent controversial fiber and suppliers like Asian Pulp and Paper (APP) and APRIL (Indonesia's largest pulp and paper companies) from entering its products."
The statement said that though RAN had been in discussion with Disney for more than a year, the company remained behind industry leaders that had eliminated controversial fiber from their supply chains.
"Disney's paper buying practices are driving some of the world's most iconic rainforest creatures towards extinction, this is the dark side of Disney," said Lafcadio Cortesi, Rainforest Action Network's forest campaign director.
"In fact, the very creatures Disney features in its classic film 'The Jungle Book' are threatened by the paper Disney's children's books are printed on."
Last week, international news sources reported the release of footage from motion detector cameras showing 12 of the estimated 400 critically endangered Sumatran tigers, including mothers with their cubs, in Indonesian forests. These forests are under imminent threat of being cleared by the pulp and paper industry.
Indonesia's rainforests, home to unique species like the orangutan and the Sumatran tiger, are under severe threat from paper companies that rely on clearing natural rainforests and peatlands. The carbon emissions from this large-scale deforestation has made Indonesia the world's third largest greenhouse gas polluting country, behind only the U.S. and China.
Rainforest Action Network is asking The Walt Disney Company to eliminate its use of controversial Indonesian fiber and publicly sever all financial ties with APP and APRIL and their affiliates until key reforms are adopted. RAN is also asking Disney to implement a comprehensive company-wide paper policy and rigorous due diligence procedures that ensure it is rainforest safe.
Jakarta Globe |
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