Secrets of the Sepik
World's second Amazon threatened by logging
Some environmentalists call it the second Amazon; the Sepik River Basin in Papua New Guinea is a natural wonder few outsiders get to see. But like the Amazon, this remote region is being plagued by logging, land grabs and violence.
Rainforest as far as the eye can see, species of animals not found anywhere else on earth, and 50,000 years worth of living culture; yet in the rainforest of the Upper Sepik a community is divided. PNG is the world's largest exporter of tropical round logs and it's big business in the Sepik. A proposed massive mine and hydro-dam site bring hope of economic prosperity for some, but others fear development of the land by international companies means environmental destruction with little benefit. "If they won't stop we'll burn it down!" shouts one local. Some landowners say the logging is happening without proper consent and there are consequences for those who stand in the way. "The company and police abuse human rights of the landowners", says local activist Luke. "We're fighting a giant". One landowner reports being threatened with guns by police and locked in a shipping container, before being forced to sign documents. With a long history of mistrust of big corporations and the promises they make, many of the locals are angry and ready to do whatever it takes to preserve some of the most unspoilt rainforests and waterways on the planet.
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