'She sang to communicate...'

Slowly, going through the pile of news clippings and papers - entering some moments...

We were deeply humbled when local lawyers came forward to volunteer their services to defend our case ('Criminal trespass with intention to annoy') with court proceedings lasting several weeks (I kept copious notes!), in which time Angie and I were out on bail in the timber town of Miri.

While other news headlines had Prime Minister Mahathir calling us 'eco-terrorists' - 'declaring world war on Malaysia' - this was closer to reality. I climbed up with a guitar and an 'Earth' flag and spent the day singing.

 'She sang to communicate, activist tells court'

Borneo Bulletin Friday 9th August 1991

by Philip Q

Miri - The Swedish environmental activist Anja K. Licht told the magistrate's court here she sang to communicate to the onlookers at Kuala Baram during the demonstrations on 5 July to protest first in felling in Sarawak. 

"I took out my guitar and started to sing as it was my intention to positively and in an entertaining way bring forth the message about the destruction of forests and the planet itself," she said. 

Licht is jointly charged with Briton Angela Zelter with criminal trespass at Kuala Baram on that day. She described the tone of her music as gentle, pleading and entertaining. She said the onlookers waved to her and some asked for more while others looked confused. 

"They were smiling and waving:, she recalled. 

Anja also explained to the court that the flag she attached to the derrick on the barge at Kulal Baram on that day was called the "Earth Flag" which was given to her in Japan. 

"The picture of Earth in the centre was taken from space and its significance was to fortify our intention of coming here as global citizens and no different from anybody."

Her intention was to share equal responsibility for the world's environmental problems and global consequences which transcended political boundaries and short term economies, she noted. 

Replying during cross examination by prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector Jacob Wong, she denied that she went on board the barge before 8:30 am and her intention was to annoy the complainant who alleged in his testimony that she was there with Zelter by 7:15am.

Anja also told the court that she had been to Sarawak more than once.

Angela Zelter told the court that it was decided by the group of eight activists to demonstrate against logging when they met other members of the SOS Sarawak group at Batu Niah.

"We all decided that the demonstration should take place at 8:30am on 5th July in three separate places at Kuala Baram, which is the international loading centre for logs," she added.

'Green Idealists

- Jailed duo speak of concern for Sarawak.'

Borneo Bulletin

Sat/Sun 26/27 October 1991

By Philip Q

MIRI - The two foreign activists who were convicted for criminal trespass while staging an anti-loggia demonstration in Kuala Baram spoke of their experience in Sarawak.

Briton Angela Zelter said "we are a mixed bunch of rather idealistic environmentalists, with a fund of knowledge on many of the issues, who deeply care about the fate of all forms of life on this fragile planet. 

"We come from different industrialised countries from a variety of backgrounds to protest the login activities in Sarawak. We have never met before," she said. 

She blamed the industrialised countries and third world countries for the problem of the destruction of the fragile eco-system described as the best remaining in the world. 

"Our countries get rich on your resources and out multi-national companies don't care what happens to people, animals, land, water or air as long as the profit keeps rolling in ." she said. 

"Logging has done irreparable damage to the genetic pool in the proposed Baram district biosphere and Penans, probably, would not like to be confined to such a small area," she said.

She suggests alternatives:

Recognise customary land rights of natives; restrict login to certain secondary growth areas, away from primary forests and unsustainable forests; use the bulk of oil revenues in Sarawak and invest in village and town level bio-gas, solar energy production, infrastructure and diversify the economy. 

Admitting that industrialised countries had been responsible for the many major environmental problems of this era, she clarified that activists had also been very active in their respective countries in pressuring their governments and people to change their lifestyle. 

"Many of us had been imprisoned in our own countries for standing up against pollution, environment damage, nuclear weapons and others. And we have learnt that multinational companies moved around the globe," she said. 

"As we impose greater pollution control in our countries, they moved to the Third World countries where the people and governments are less vigilant and poorer to resist,"

"The knowledge we have gathered of birth defects, respiratory diseases, long term poisoning and damage to land and water are hidden from our brothers and sisters in other parts of the world," she said. 

Angela Zelter and Anja Licht expressed sadness at leaving Sarawak, after having been in the state twice since June. 

Licht composed a parting song of their experience with the Judiciary where the courthouse was described as a second home. It is entitled "We love you Justice Ong". 

SOS Sarawak - 30 Years...time to share the story

Dear Friends, 

My friend Nitya called me recently to remind me that it's been almost 30 years since SOS Sarawak - a non-violent direct action to bring attention to the destruction of the rainforests in solidarity with indigenous peoples, exported to feed consumer appetites for cheap tropical timber. 8 of us 'global citizens' climbed cranes loading logs onto ships bound for Japan and ended up spending 2 months in jail in the Sarawak town of Miri.

It's a big story. A good story. A sad story. 

We were (are) right all along, we were speaking the truth - even as naive and idealistic were to hope that change would come.  Maybe it's still coming...Anyway, at the very least we thought it may be worth recording and  sharing this story with our children (especially when they ask us what we did to save the Earth). 

By some miracle, the termites didn't munch into the box of papers I had stashed away in the leaky caravan at the back of our land and I'm just starting to enter in some of the words again. 

Anja

SOS Sarawak, Mission Statement

29 June 1991

The biological and ecological value of tropical forests for the entire planet and the global consequences on deforestation transcend political boundaries and short term economies. 

We feel a responsibility as individuals that transcends our countries of origin to expand beyond our narrow perspectives of the current balance of power. This is not eco-colonialism; it is the recognition that all of us share an equal responsibility for the world's environmental problems, not only for our generation, but for all generations to come. 

We are by no means "against" Malaysia or Sarawak; we are for all life. 

The so-called 'developed' countries, whose own timber industries have laid waste to virtually all their own original forest cover, have since turned to the tropical regions for their timber supplies. In Thailand, the Philippines and even peninsular Malaysia and Sabah, the legacy of destructive logging is an obvious cause for alarm. Dry, eroded areas resembling deserts, degraded secondary  forests and exotic monocultures replace pristine, irreplaceable tropical forests. These degradations of the original forests can no longer sustain the original diversity of species, nor the survival of the native species. 

In pointing out the destruction in Sarawak, we by no means condone the logging of native forests elsewhere; we rahter acknowledge the role of Sarawak as a window to the global situation, It cannot be denied that, as the functions of native forests are global, the timber trade also extend far beyond the confines of the exporting nations.

In Sarawak and on an international scale the timber industry continues to perpetuate a number of myths which have been shown to be false:

* It is not the activities of native people (who clear small plots of land for farming, leaving the majority of the forest intact), who are responsible for destroying the forests in Sarawak. It is the timber industry itself which is responsible, carrying out the fastest rate of logging in the world. 

* The myth of 'sustainable' logging in Sarawak has been thoroughly exposed by high level international missions (eg, the 1989 ITTO study mission headed by Lord Cranbrook). The missions' recommendations were agreed to in principle by the Malaysian government. Although advised to reduce log exports to 9 million cubic metres per year, a recent announcement indicated that exports from Sarawak rose to 18 million cubic metres per year. The Minister for Primary Industries, Lim Keng Yaik, has since stated that this level can be sustained for the next three years before any export reduction in what he refers to as a "well managed timber industry". 

*The myth that the benefits of logging reach the entire population of Sarawak is a blatant attack on the traditional landowners. Most of these people have never agreed with indiscriminate logging on their land and have consistently indicated this, as they do now, by erecting blockades and lodging other forms of opposition to logging. 

Holders of logging concessions (often politicians and their relatives) and the timber companies themselves receive the majority of the profits from this exploitation. The bulk of the estimated 50 000 employees of the logging industry receive paltry wages and work in extremely dangerous conditions in an industry that may only be viable in its current state' "for another 5 years". It is clear to every visitor in Sarawak that basic services (such as adequate roads and social services) are in a shocking state - despite the huge profits being made in the timber industry and the oil industries alike. 

The hundred million year old forests that still exist in Sarawak cannot be valued merely in short term profits. We urge the timber industry not to be controlled bu the voracious appetites of importing countries for tropical timber, when it can be seen that this timber is used in extremely wasteful ways. In Japan, the largest importer of tropical timber from Sarawak, one of the main uses of this timber is in disposable concrete formwork panels. 

We support legitimate initiatives for value added timber and forest products, even to the extent of encouraging compensation for that which has already been wastefully destroyed. Although we point out that there has not been a single example of sustainable logging in tropical forests which provide greater benefits to the people (such as the use of small portable sawmills). 

We support the sustainable harvesting and marketing of alternative forest products, as wella s encouraging ecological tourism and medicinal research, provided that it is carried out under the direction of the local people and the benefits are fairly shared by all.

Whilst we freely admit and condemn the terrible conditions for the indigenous people of our own countries of origin, and pledge our support for their struggle for self-determination and land rights, we also recognise the extreme conditions of the natives of this land, particularly the conditions now faced by the Penan tribe. If the Malaysian government has condemned human rights violations of indigenous peoples of other countries, it does seem paramount that the Malaysian and Sarawak governments (???) and respect the rights of native peoples for habe looked after this land before the Malaysian and Sarawak governments ever came into existence. 

We call for an immediate moratorium of the rade of tropical timber from primary forests. In addition we demand: 

*That the family dipterocarps, unique to South-East Asia, should be protected under the convention of the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

* That the industrialised world must pay the cost of preserving the remaining forest (demarcation, compensation and native species regeneration). 

* That the basic human rights of the native peoples, such as the rights to land and their traditional lifestyles, are recognised in law and respected by the Malaysian and Sarawak governments.

Further we pledge that the international environmental and human rights activists will continue to campaign until native demands are met. 

Our purpose in this visit to Sarawak is a culmination of many years of the local and international outcry over the needless ongoing destruction and the resulting effects on the people and the forest. We mean to highlight a situation which, while perhaps already too late for many, we can no longer accept. 

Blessings to all for 2017

Dear Friends,

The New Year has begun and it's time for reflection of the past and visioning for the future.

Our family has had a wonderful year, learning, growing and connecting - even as so much of the world reflects devastation, violence and decay.

The depth of despair about the ecological crises, the unjust and growing inequality, the global economic death casino, the rise of entitled, chest beating ignorance, the near absolute manipulation of attitudes by mainstream media and resulting erosion of any semblance of democracy - is unending, and yet I look outside to gentle breeze wafting through the trees against the blue sky and feel grateful and alive. 

My personal battles have been in learning to be comfortable in a changing way of life, in different circumstances, as an older woman - and never has it felt more apparent that in our visit to Japan in the middle of last year. For the first time in 30 years, we travelled without a solidly fixed plan, or pre-prepared ‘campaign’’ and instead were graciously welcomed as friends and families in the homes and hearts of many old friends.  I am so grateful for the Sloth family, and the acceptance that all things change. I am grateful for the continuing connection with Ecuador - even as Pacha and Yani’s father Marcelo faces a health crisis, and the communities struggle to overcome devastating natural disasters and misguided government forced industrial exploitation.

I am no longer the same ‘activist’. 

Much of the environment movement is repellent to me right now - the blame, the aggressive language, the righteousness, the condescending superiority, the ‘us and them’…I have the utmost respect for those who are able to truly ‘walk their talk’ and I realise there are very, very few who are able to do this (including me and my family).  So, of course, we try, everyday to reconcile these contradictions.

Instead of campaigning, I have indulged in the great privilege of being present in my children and my mother’s life. And, although it seems (to myself especially) to have been so lazy - I look at my children and my mother and I see them thriving and doing so much good in the world…Pacha continuing with her surfing passion that has taken her around the world - this year alone to Portugal, France, Spain and Hawaii and her genuine interest and commitment in caring for the Earth. And kind, cool Yani, a rare soul that seems to be in balance with himself and the world and subsequently, unconsciously, heals those around him. My Mother is relentlessly busy thinking of and doing things for others and doing whatever she can to stay young and full of health!  

So, for me, it is another year of humble learning and acceptance - supporting those closest to me and being ready to accept/respond when the moment of inspiration comes.

Sending this out with so much love to all - with unending hope for peace, healing and harmony. 

Anja, Pacha and Yani
PS. You can see some of our 2016 adventures on Pacha's Video Logs here: https://youtu.be/QYpPmz9NB88

At the Byron Surf Festival with my friend Skye.

Vanlife surfari France/Spain/Portugal 2016

Tomorrow the kids and I are setting off on a vanlife, surfing, skating, musical road trip adventure through Spain and Portugal.

It is about experiencing, learning, discovering, connecting, sharing, growing - taking risks and going outside our comfort zones. It marks a transition in our family life - a gradual shift, a coming of age, learning to gradually let go and trust my children to make their own life choices. All I can give them now is experience, a view of the real world, an insight and interpretation of this time that will help shape them.

Pacha is the catalyst for the trip. Being part of the Australian team at the world junior surfing championships in Portugal motivated us to think about how we could make the most of a once in a lifetime opportunity. This led to a 5 week home stay with wonderful friends in Hossegor and gave rise to our idea of renting a camper van to explore the region to bring Pacha back home. This time we'll be bringing along our dear cousin Neroli too - making the most use of the four spaces available in the van!

It's all possible because we are immensely privileged - by living in this lucky country Australia, by the generosity of Pacha's sponsors, by family support, trust and love, by living simply enough to gather the resources we needed to be able to go.

Still, some people wonder how in the world we can afford to do this (ie. single mum with a minimal income). I think it's what we do without that makes this kind of adventure possible.  I don't buy coffee out (annual savings app. $1000 and saves throwaway cups and lids as a bonus!), rarely eat out (savings $5000), cut my own hair, don't get manicures, pedicures or massages (savings
$2000) and don't really buy anything new.

I'm not sharing this information to make people feel bad about their lifestyle choices, but somehow there is a perception out there that people who travel must be extremely rich. To me it's about personal priorities. We live simply and it gives us freedom. There are new terms emerging to name this way of life; 'frugal hedonism', 'slow Epicureanism', 'voluntary simplicity'...I started calling it Slohas (Slow Lifestyles of Happiness and Sustainability) many years ago.

And now we are about to take off! Starting in Lisbon we will collect a van from Soul Campers and drive the 9 hours to France to pick up Pacha  (who seems to be having the time of her life). In this modern techno world, it seems like she's been just down the street - being in contact everyday has been delightful!

Pacha talks about how strong the culture is in France - the appreciation for family and friends and food and celebration. She talks about how important study is for French kids and is reminded of her own freedom to make her own decisions on what she wants and needs to learn to be able to survive and help others in the future.

From France we plan to travel along the coast of Spain and Portugal, ticking off the famous surf spots as we go; Mundaka, Pantin, Peniche, Nazare, Super Tubos, Ericera, CasCais, Cadiz and Tenerife...It will be cold and the Atlantic waves will be big, maybe humungous!

We'll live out of the van - free camping and getting local market supplies to do some of our owncooking. We'll stop by skate parks and Eco-villages, busk in the streets, wander down cobblestones and climb mountain paths meeting friends and family along the way. And we'll be sharing the story through social media and video logs, hoping to encourage others to open their minds to new experiences, cultures and ways of life.

The contradictions are sometimes paralysing - we are, after all, burning a lot of jet fuel to get there and ticking off a 'carbon offset ' box just doesn't cut it. We can only hope the experience will deepen our commitment in this lifelong quest to protect life.


We will travel through landscapes ravaged by climate change droughts and fires, observe the reality of people struggling to survive the beginning of the collapse of the globalised economy, see the impact of those seeking refuge from resource wars - and balance this with the incredible beauty of landscapes, culture, food and resilient communities.

We know we are witnessing the collapse of the earth's life support systems, of any semblance of democracy, of the false perception of a benevolent global economy - and yet we are compelled, with eyes wide open, to keep discovering, experiencing and connecting on this quest for understanding, creativity and resilience.

With thanks to Gerry Nichols for the great shot at the Dust temple! 

Going with the flow...

 Abandoning to the flow...

How do I even begin share these thoughts after so much time has passed?

There is no real explanation - time just slips by and I allow myself to flow along in the current that is the easiest. No struggling against the tide, no effort in directing the course...the one that is more personal - not so public - where I have no real 'wisdom' to impart, no strong willed inspiration to be, or do, or struggle...but being this 'present' means I have neglected many people I love - especially in Japan and for this I apologise! Perhaps I finally found the definition of being truly 'Sloth'.

It was a wonderful journey to Japan in July, with warm and deep reconnections and the chance to freely explore new places with very little planning. I felt so privileged to have the gift of time to show Pacha and Yani some beautiful hidden places around Japan, and sad for the reality that most people in Japan have never had or taken this opportunity to explore. Renting a van and living freely made us realise how magical this country is, not just for the beautiful secret places around just about every corner, but how easy it is to stop just about anywhere and find safety and supplies.

The themes of our visit revolved around the great gift of play - truly, freely playing - which means falling over sometimes and making mistakes and not being so concerned about what other people will think - rather following what's true to your heart...Our play this time was mostly in the ocean - with surfing at the core. We hope it will encourage others to step outside their comfort zones and find simple joys and freedom.
Abandoning to the flow...

How do I even begin share these thoughts after so much time has passed?

There is no real explanation - time just slips by and I allow myself to flow along in the current that is the easiest. No struggling against the tide, no effort in directing the course...the one that is more personal - not so public - where I have no real 'wisdom' to impart, no strong willed inspiration to be, or do, or struggle...but being this 'present' means I have neglected many people I love - especially in Japan and for this I apologise! Perhaps I finally found the definition of being truly 'Sloth'.

It was a wonderful journey to Japan in July, with warm and deep reconnections and the chance to freely explore new places with very little planning. I felt so privileged to have the gift of time to show Pacha and Yani some beautiful hidden places around Japan, and sad for the reality that most people in Japan have never had or taken this opportunity to explore. Renting a van and living freely made us realise how magical this country is, not just for the beautiful secret places around just about every corner, but how easy it is to stop just about anywhere and find safety and supplies.

The themes of our visit revolved around the great gift of play - truly, freely playing - which means falling over sometimes and making mistakes and not being so concerned about what other people will think - rather following what's true to your heart...Our play this time was mostly in the ocean - with surfing at the core. We hope it will encourage others to step outside their comfort zones and find simple joys and freedom.

Since our visit to Japan, Pacha has been the man focus of our lives, travelling to Portugal for the World Junior Surfing championships. She is still in Europe, living with friends and soon Yani, my niece Neroli and I will be joining her to take another surfing roadtrip, this time through Spain and Portugal through November.

We will try to keep the story of this journey available through video diaries.
If you haven't already taken a look, here are the videos of our visit to Japan, created by Pacha!

Week 1: http://youtu.be/0HYPLdL0LXk
Week 2: http://youtu.be/SFHgUKZUC80
Week 3: http://youtu.be/GpGQV8TXM98
Week 4: http://youtu.be/EKkCfbMWDbw
Week 5:http://youtu.be/3qchLcdUIJk
Week 6: http://youtu.be/98_nIijgrNo
Final week: http://youtu.be/LCbDa-lJ5FU

RIP Don Fernando Luque…

Today we heard the sad, sad news that Pacha and Yani’s grandfather, Fernando Luque, has passed away in Ecuador. 

Just weeks before, he had been forced to escape from and then witness the destruction of his home - the home he had built and lived in for decades -  as the earth quake shook the seaside eco-city of Bahia De Caraquez to the core. 

It must have broken his heart...

And Fernando was a person with a big, big heart. He always opened his doors and arms to us whenever we came to visit - telling us stories of an amazing life spent helping others. As the head veterinarian of the state of Manabi in his younger years, he managed projects to help communities learn and improve the way they raised livestock. We were so grateful that we were able to visit him and the family in Bahia three years ago, walking slowly and sedately alongside him on the seaside promenade - his daily ritual.

He was a person held in extremely high regard and respect by the whole family and the entire community, but to Pacha and Yani and his many, many other grandchildren he was as soft and sweet as a marshmallow. 

So we shed tears here, far away in Australia; tears for Fernando and tears for Bahia, hit by a series of knocks over the past two decades - both natural and human made - but showing so much promise to chart a different, more sustainable course for the future. 

I’ve heard that there has been very little support coming in to Bahia and a huge need for basics like tents and tarps to provide shelter for the community - most of whom are now homeless. 

We hope we can find a way to support good projects on the ground helping to rebuild in the most ecological and resilient way possible - like the bamboo building workshops being set up by Nicola from Rio Muchacho. 

I have faith in the spirit of the people of Ecuador, in their resilience, in their cohesion as a community and in their optimism and energy…I imagine Fernando continue to watch on with a glint in his eye; so proud of his children and grandchildren following in his footsteps to chose  a life path to help others. 

5/10：Slow Surfari - just Pacha, Yani and Anja!

And then there were three…

We have some news. 

Our surfari fellow van lifer, Jonny, has had to cancel his trip - so it will just be Pacha, Yani and I, our surfboards and musical instruments on an adventure of a lifetime along the southern coastline of Japan from the 6th until the 28th of June.

This makes our lives more simple, and we are happy about having a little extra space in the van! We have fixed events in Kyushu (Itoshima and Miyazaki) from the 17th until the 27th June, but our plans are pretty loose and free from the 7th until the 17th June. 

We dream of exploring the coastline of Izu, Wakayama and Shikoku (surfing, exploring hot springs and music busking)- and if you are in these areas and would like to meet up (or organise a gathering), please let us know!

Our Sloth family are helping organise some events in the Tokyo area before and after the road trip, so please contact them to find our about events and come along - we would love to see you! 

We look so much forward to meeting our friends again, to sharing and being reignited by the spirit of Japan (and, Yani says: eating natto!) 

Looking forward to seeing our Sloth family again!

Be the Change - all ways...