12-2-02
This protest group was viciously assaulted soon after this photo was taken. All their equipment including first aid kit, medication and cameras were confiscated.
Protester shows bruising from the assault
PRESS RELEASE 12/2/02
PROTESTERS TORTURED BY POLICE AND VICTORIAN STATE GOVERNMENT OFFICERS. GREENS SAY GOVERNMENT OFFICERS OUT OF CONTROL!
HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS GREENS BRUISED BUT UNBOWED - VOW TO CONTINUE PROTESTS TO STOP THE DESTRUCTION OF OLD GROWTH FORESTS OF EAST GIPPSLAND
STEVE BRACKS WOODCHIP WARLORD
EXPORT WOODCHIPS NOW AT RECORD LEVELS IN VICTORIA UNDER BRACKS
VIDEO AND AUDIO FOOTAGE AVAILABLE
Last week at Survey Rd, Errinundra, DNRE took away water, food, medicine including first aid kits way from paramedics. They they tried to physically restrain people from bringing supplies and food into the group. Environmentalists' lives were endangered, including one individual having asthma medicine denied and having a serious asthma attack later that day.
Attack on protesters: Police and DNRE officers deliberately employed pain and injury on people who were in a helpless situation. When the protesters screamed for mercy, the police continued torture tactics including neck twisting, knees thrusted into the backs, ribs and collarbones. These attacks were led by DNRE officers!
Environmentalists are now exploring legal recourse similar to that used by the infamous 'Pressure Point' action of 1994. People had their heads grabbed by police with heads pulled back and twisted threatening life - similar to police applying pressure point holds. Police are accused of deliberately causing injury. The majority of people had not been arrested when police employed these tactics.
5-2-02
Latest news from EG The Survey rd. blockade lasted three days until the cops and NRE came in in large quantities with all sorts of gear (crane, search and rescue, welding specialists etc.) and got us out of there. All the same it was pretty successful and ABC were there for a day and have since got some more footage from all of us there with cameras and will be putting on an expose of logging either this coming Friday or the one after on Stateline, so keep an eye out for it. There is a great group of about 20 down at gippy at the moment and I think they were preparing to go back into survey rd., a 40 HA coupe of gorgeous old growth, very soon, so if anyone is up for a bit of fun then get down there.
30-1-02
Violence has occured yet again in the Otways... more crew are needed at halls ridge road please.
locals are currently holding the coupe.
today two of them were assaulted by a logger. they have been taken to the apollo bay hospital and are making reports to the police.
> >about halls ridge: >halls ridge road is a beautiful 22 hectare coupe south-east of ciancio. it has old-growth mountain ash in it - which as you all know is rare for the otways, and slender tree ferns which are also rare.
this coupe is listed on oren's contentious coupe list, which contains forty coupes detailed as unavailable for logging this season due to high-conservation, water-catchment and other values.
nre has really rocked the boat here, bucking ongoing negotiations with all stakeholders. they have gone into another contentious coupe as well, egans track south (which has been brought forward on the w.u.p.) and word has it that they are intending to go into more.
24-1-02
Police and DNRE raided the Central Highlands blockade this morning.
16-1-02
It is all on again! Survey road is being logged, this is no joke. Jamerson and his boy's are in there now. Last year at almost the same time a powerful and rocking group of people blockaded roading operations on Survey rd, now the road is finished and the big boy and their big toy's are F#%King it. We need crew this is a real mustard cutting RED ALERT. Survey road is cool temperate mixed forest with stands of pure rain forest; sassafras black olive berries and massive old eucalypts nearly all of which barely fit on a log truck. This area is also home for the eastern tiger quoll and powerful owl which are on the endangered list. This really is prime old growth and we need to stop the insanity on the Erinunderra plateau. There have been indaquate surveys done in the area and we are also in short suply of qualivied surveyers and equipment. If you can't come there are many things you can do; Write letters to your local "pollies," papers, call all the radio stations you can think of, talk back radio is a good start. Get people down here, get on the email, shot some one. There are many thing to be done on all levels but at this point in time we really need people to help in the office I mean look at the quality of this e-mail. For more information call GECO on 03 ) 5154 0156