"COLOMBIAN ENVIRONMENTALIST CHALLENGES MULTINATIONAL PAPER COMPANY JEFFERSON SMURFIT GROUP"

Néstor Ocampo, a Colombian environmentalist from the department of Quindio and Director of FUNDACION ECOLOGICA COSMOS of Calarca, attended the International Assembly of Shareholders of the multinational company, Jefferson Smurfit Group (Smurfit Carton de Colombia - Reforestadora Andina) held in Dublin, Ireland, on May 4.

Face to face with Michael Smurfit, President and CEO of the company, and before the shareholders assembly, Néstor Ocampo's accusations questioned the ethics of the activities of Smurfit in Colombia, by referring to the damage caused by commercial pine and eucalyptus monocultures to nature and society: destruction of landscape and biological diversity, exhaustion of river flows, concentration of land property, displacement of indigenous and farming communities and disregard of elementary labour rights.

Seven years ago the Smurfit Group filed a claim in the Colombian criminal courts against the Director of FUNDACOSMOS for his public accusations about the activities of the group in the country. The court ruling favoured the environmentalists, who were able to prove the objectivity of their accusations before two Colombian judges.

The unusual participation of Ocampo in the International Shareholders Assembly of Smurfit was possible thanks to the support of BUND, a German environmental organisation, and the Latin American Solidarity Committee (LASC) of Ireland. This latter organization acquired one share of the company for Néstor Ocampo, who became a "shareholder" and had thus the right to attend the assembly.

The accusations of the Director of Cosmos were widely carried by the Irish press and television, In particular, he said to the assembly, "the shares you own in this company should burn in your hands and burden your consciences because the profits you are making are obtained at the expense of the future of humanity". Ocampo also asked: "Is it that human dignity and nature are less valuable in Colombia than in Ireland?".

Bu this was not the end of the affair. A few days later a new debate arose which involved the rock group U2 and its singer Bono, who are considered as almost "national heroes" in Ireland. The cause: a new accusation by Néstor Ocampo who found a two-page photo of Bono in concert in Smurfit's annual report 2000, delivered to the shareholders. The endorsement of Bono/U2 to the activities of Surmfit seemed strange, as they are well known for their support to international campaigns for Human Rigths and the condonation of the Foreign Debt of poor countries.

For this reason, the Director of FUNDACOSMOS addressed a public letter to Bono/U2 asking for an explanation. The reply of the U2 management agency, which was also made public, said "I can assure you, we, too, were very surprised to see page 4 of the Smurfit annual report for the year 2000 adorned with an image of Bono. Particularly since we had refused permission for an image of U2 to be included in this report last January. .. However, as its inclusion can clearly be interpreted as an endorsement by Bono/U2 of the Jefferson Smurfit group we have asked them to issue a statement to the contrary along with an apology." The U2 management agency then added: "Please be assured that Bono and U2 do not endorse any activities of the Jefferson Smurfit Group that have damaged the environment, displaced indigenous people or infringed Human Rights."

There is propably a new scandal on the way, now with the Irish Association of Writers, since in the same report there is also a photo of Samuel Beckett, which has also been denounced by Ocampo in the Conference he gave at the offices of this Association in Dublin.

This is the basic data. For corroboration or more information you may consult the issues of Irish newspapers of the days following the Assembly:

The Irish Times (with information on the Bono/U2 issue)
Irish Independent
Irish Examiner
The Sunday Business Post
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Tribune