Mickey and Minnie Mouse arrested at Disney!!
 
Personally, I've never been a big fan of Mickey Mouse. I've always found him a bit too squeaky-clean and a bit of a pest. So, being more of a Bugs Bunny man, myself, imagine my delight when I saw the news that both Mickey and Minnie Mouse had been arrested OUTSIDE Disney's headquarters in the U.S.A.! Oh, what fun! When I read the online article, however, I was even happier to see what had really happened, and especially to see what these dressed-up protesters had been arrested for.

The four protesters were from Rainforest Action Network (RAN), an organisation set up to raise awareness of the destruction of the world's remaining rain forests. Their mission this time; to call for Disney to stop using paper in their children's books and other products, which they claim is produced from wood-fibre harvested from Indonesia's ever-decreasing rain forests. Two of the protesters locked themselves to the main gate of the massive studio and office complex in Burbank, California, whilst 2 others, in climbing gear, climbed up onto the gate to unfurl a 35 foot banner reading “Disney: Destroying Indonesia's Rainforests.” Police soon came to take the 4 into custody and it is said they are to be charged with trespassing; almost certainly they will be released with a warning.

Bravo! A good protest all round and a fitting message. The idea that Disney, who have thrilled us all with stories of beautiful, exciting wild animals and mysterious jungles, should be held responsible for contributing to the destruction of primary and secondary growth forests in Indonesia is unthinkable. What RAN claim, however, is that Disney buys its paper from Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), the largest, and  historically least sensitive, of paper producers, and that their practices are neither environmentally sound, efficient, nor morally acceptable. And with Disney purported to be the largest producer of children's books in the world, churning out over 50 million books and 30 million magazines per year, that's a huge amount of paper!

Not to mention a massive amount of money, of course, and that's where the problems start - APP, a Singaporean company, has never been perceived as a caring or ethical organisation. Started during the Suharto era by Eka Cipta Wijaja, a mega-wealthy businessman who had strong links to the ruling Suharto family at the time, APP and its many subsidiaries have been accused of destroying the forests of South-East Asia for their own financial gain, using both plantation wood and wood from established forests.

APP is alleged to be responsible for the destruction of habitat of many of Indonesia's most endangered creatures and fueling a market for wood fibre from both legal and illegal sources. It cannot be ignored that favourable links with the government may still exist and that special treatment is given to this company which allows it to continue its destructive business. In 2001, in fact, during the Asia Debt Crises, the company defaulted on a US$12 billion debt, which the government paid off using taxpayers' money. In recent years, following increasing pressure from international NGOs, corporate customers and environmental groups, APP have attempted to gain some credibility. They have been employing independent public relations and environmental strategy groups, including Greenspirit, founded by a Canadian, Dr. Patrick Moore, to write scientific propaganda. These papers support APP business and 'environ-ethical' practices based on a number of short visits to APP subsidiary paper mills, plantations and offices in Sumatra.

Clearly Mickey and Minnie haven't read these papers. The protesters state;
“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.”

This will be an ongoing battle, APP trying to convince environmentalists that they have changed, and the environmentalists mistrusting them, and the government's enforcement of the 'rules and regulations' for logging and plantation expansion. It will likely be a battle that APP wins financially, and the environmentalists win morally.

And as they fight, the trees will continue to be planted, to grow and to fall.

“And so, we are all connected, in the great circle of life.”