Ali was charged with breach of suspended sentence. And also given a further 3 month sentence suspended for two years on condition of good behavior, for charges of trespass. Ali’s sentences are a result of his determined efforts to halt the destruction of Tasmania’s forest. He has no charges other than those that relate to such non-violent protest actions, Miranda says.
“I have known Ali for a long time,” she says. “He is a respectful, well-spoken and intelligent person who has dedicated his life to protecting Tasmania’s precious environment. The actions that Ali took that have resulted in today’s sentence included protests at Ta Ann. These actions have highlighted the company’s ongoing role in the destruction of Tasmania’s high conservation value forest. Ali also took action at the site of Gunns Ltd pulp mill, a project that has extremely strong community opposition.”
Until Tasmania’s precious native forests stop falling we will not be deterred by imprisonment, nor threats of violence towards us, nor letters from Lara Giddings, not threats from the Legislative Council to withhold passing environmental legislation if we don’t keep quiet, none of it will deter the people of Tasmania who have dedicated their lives to ensuring that the forests are protected for all of us. Because these forests are too precious, too unique, too irreplaceable for us to just walk away and let them be lost forever.
“We could be so close to seeing protection for Tasmania’s forests, yet they continue to fall as rapidly as ever. We need to be speaking up and speaking out. We need to make sure the government is accountable for their broken promises and Ta Ann is accountable for their lies and misleading marketing, No, we will not be deterred, because we have the whole world behind us, calling for these forest to be protected. Inspired by last weeks action that saw over 70 actions across 15 countries all calling for Tasmania’s forests to be protected, we will continue to speak up for these forests. And over the next six weeks, while Ali is held in a prison cell, we will continue to speak out even louder!
Please check out Miranda Gibson’s blog, Observer Tree.
