Mitsubishi protest in Brisbane
BRISBANE - The Boycott Mitsubishi Campaign continued on Friday, October 1,
as the Rainforest Information Centre, Environmental Youth Alliance and other
rainforest activists gathered at Boondal Entertainment Centre for the
Mitsubishi-sponsored National Basketball League quarter final between the
Brisbane Bullets and the Newcastle Falcons.
About 35 activists were present distributing information on the Mitsubishi
Corporation's logging of tropical rainforests to basketball fans and
displaying four large banners inside the stadium in the last 30 seconds of
the third quarter, before being removed by security guards.
``The Mitsubishi Group is one of the largest destroyers of rainforest in the
world. We are urging everyone to boycott all Mitsubishi products, including
cars, trucks, TVs, VCRs and fax machines, Nikon cameras and Kirin beer until
the 29 corporations reconsider their trade in tropical timber'', said EYA
spokesperson Charles Thornhill-Cole.
``Not only is Mitsubishi helping to erode the planet's diversity of species
at an alarming rate, it is destroying cultures. The indigenous peoples of
Malaysia are being driven from their homes and traditional sources of food
and medicine. The logging tends to spread malaria and tuberculosis, and many
are being forced into impoverished urban areas. The situation has been
described as `cultural genocide'.''
Similar protests were staged on the night of September 25 at the Gold Coast
Rollerdrome and the Newcastle Entertainment Centre.
The Gold Coast game was picketed by more than 50 environmentalists who
distributed information leaflets and urged the public to boycott all
Mitsubishi products until Mitsubishi stops destroying the Earth's
rainforests.
At the end of the second quarter, a group of protesters inside the stadium
unfurled a six-metre banner proclaiming, ``Mitsubishi destroys rainforests,
boycott Mitsubishi'' in the middle of the stands.
In Newcastle environmentalists distributed leaflets to spectators and
displayed banners at the stadium entrance.
Coordinated by the San Francisco-based Rainforest Action Network (RAN), the
campaign is making an international impact. Due to recent drops in sales,
Mitsubishi Corporation executives have approached RAN for discussion.
For information on upcoming actions in Brisbane, contact Charles or Nikki at
EYA on (07) 358 4875.