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Netherlands: No logging for AWACS

EarthFirst! Nl/Be | 13.12.2005 20:26 | Anti-militarism | Ecology | World

On sunday December 4th GroenFront! Activists occupied the Schinveld (Netherlands) forest to protest agains the intended cutting of 6 hectares of the woods so the AWACS from the Geilenkirchen NATO base, just across the border in Germany, can take off with more kerosene in their fuel tanks. The AWACS are being used in the Iraq war.

Treehouse at Schinveld forest
Treehouse at Schinveld forest


For 25 years the inhabitants of Schinveld and Brunssum in Dutch Limburg are organising actions against the prensence of the AWACS, these tremendously noisy planes cause noise nuisance, pollution and health problems for the locals since they have been banned from flying in the United States for exactly those reasons.

On top of all this, NATO wants to destroy 20 hectares of forest. Because the town council refused to deliver the necessary license to cut down the forest, a NIMBY-procedure was set up to take away the councils decision making power. On august 3rd the minister of territorial infrastructure delivered an exemption so the ministry of defense can start cutting the trees. The council appealed that decision with the supreme court (Raad van Sate) but lost the appeal on december 2nd for the 6 hectares of forest that are the closest to the base. Thats why two days later the forest was occupied, the activists get an enourmous ammount of support from the locals.

Pictures: [1| 2| 3| 4| 5]

EarthFirst! Nl/Be
- e-mail: schinveld@groenfront.nl
- Homepage: http://groenfront.nl/

Comments

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20 hectares of forest.

13.12.2005 21:53

It is worth pointing out in the UK that 20 hectares of forest might seem tiny in UK terms but the Dutch have hardly any wooded areas and that they are terribly proud of the few natural areas that they have left. They are also one of the most over-crowded countries in the world and could really use the rare solitude of a walk in the woods.

A simple, mutually beneficial solution would be for Scotland to leave the 'union' with England and team up with the Nederlands instead. We have many similarities, we're both mean, we both call trousers breeks and churches kirks. The only difference is in Scotland we smoke more dope, and in the Nederlands you access to the money from your own North Sea oil.

Danny