Day 284 - 22 Oct 96 - Page 24
1 I have now dealt with quite a bit of the stuff I was going
2 to deal with.
3
4 Going on to McDonald's and Burger King are two of the many
5 US corporations using lethal poisons to destroy vast areas
6 of Central American rainforest, first of all, it does not
7 mean to say that each of them use vast areas; it means that
8 the many US corporations collectively destroy vast areas
9 and it clearly situates a collective responsibility.
10
11 Now, regarding the lethal poisons which, in any event, we
12 have adduced evidence about, for example in Dr. Nations'
13 statement, it has been referred to in the hoof print in the
14 forest book and so on, and it has not been challenged that
15 that is one of the methods of -- I think even Sue Branford
16 mentioned it, I cannot remember now, but that is another
17 matter.
18
19 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Do you have a reference for where Dr. Nations
20 mentions lethal poisons as a case for destruction
21 generally?
22
23 MR. MORRIS: It is in his article where he verifies -- I have
24 got it here. (Pause)
25
26 MR. JUSTICE BELL: What I suggest you do is keep going and check
27 that at some time and give it to me.
28
29 MR. MORRIS: Yes. He actually specifically mentions, I think,
30 agent orange.
31
32 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Very well. That is one of the things you
33 spoke about this morning where I am putting a marker down,
34 I would like to be told in due course and I can add it to
35 my note.
36
37 MR. MORRIS: But one could argue it is neither here nor there,
38 but the important thing is whether the forest is cut down,
39 not the exact method that is used, whether it is by
40 burning, slashing or poison.
41
42 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Adopt my suggestion. You see, all you need
43 to do, and if we are going slowly on these things it is in
44 the hope that when the same situation crops up in another
45 context you will know what to do. I have made a marginal
46 note. All I need to do, someone to do at some stage, is
47 say the hoof prints in the forest reference to lethal
48 poisons is, and give it to me, I put it in my notebook and
49 that is all that need be done. You do not need to look at
50 it.
51
52 MR. MORRIS: Yes, okay, thank you. We would argue that the
53 important thing is that the forests are being cut down and
54 that it matters not greatly, it is very marginal which
55 particular lethal poison or whether it was burned or cut,
56 slashed with machetes or even chain saws.
57
58 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Yes.
59
60 MR. MORRIS: It is defamatory enough that forests are being cut
