Fernando de Freitas
Members of the Northern Rivers’ growing Brazilian community marched through the main streets of Byron Bay on Sunday as fires continue to rage across the Amazon Rainforest.
The march and subsequent vigil coincided with similar events across Australia and worldwide aimed at sending a message to right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro’s administration.
President Bolsonaro recently declared the Amazon open for business, leading to massive burning of vegetation to clear land for farming.
The president says the planned farmed goods will be exported to help Brazil’s economy.
Last week, Mr Bolsonaro said environmentalists at non-governmental organisations were starting fires in the Amazon in order to damage his government’s image after he cut their funding.
Greenpeace Brazil called the claim a ‘sick statement’ and a ‘smokescreen’.
Byron Bay resident Gabriela Reis organised the Byron Bay rally where several hundred people joined a march through Jonson Street to a vigil on Main Beach in Byron.
‘It was really beautiful to see people gather for a higher purpose,’ she told Bay FM reporter Fernando de Freitas, ‘to protect and to fight for nature, to fight for the indigenous, to fight for what is right’.
‘Everyone was very deeply touched and we are all together in this.’
Recently I read an article on the Internet about Gina Reinhart and Twiggy Forrest wanting to obtain mining leases in the Amazon rainforest. These leases were to extract copper, which will be used extensively in electric motor vehicles.
Did we ever find out who was organising doof parties in our national park areas ?
The amazon burning is a huge problem and so is the protection of our national parks
Maybe the Brazilians should be protesting on their homeland where they can mobilise their own people
Maybe anyone has the right to protest about anything and anywhere they see fit.
Maybe many of those are dual nationals, so Australians are also their “own people” as well.
Maybe you’re racist.
Thanks for your contributions Brian and Ken. It takes all sorts to make up this wonderful community of ours!
BTW Brazilians are protesting in Brazil, doesn’t mean Brazilians here can’t send a message to the world here arm in arm with all of us who care in Australia. Like Liv said the Amazon is the biggest rainforest in the world and is vital for the survival of our planet. This transcends small minded ‘national’ boundaries, and certainly doesn’t take away from these other important local environmental issues you mention. Wake up for goodness sake!
They could march to save Butler Street.