4 - Wednesday, March 22, 1989 - North Shore News Bos HUNTER BACK #N Vancouver after his latest adventure, Paul Wat- son tells me that he was called ‘‘nigger-lever’’ in Portuguese by Brazilian whites for travelling into the Amazon Basin to support the Kayapo Indians in their fight to save the rain forests. Along with a large Canadian contingent including David Suzuki and Gordon Lightfoot, Watson spent 10 days in the deepest Ama- zon, helping to provide a kind of human shield behind which the Kayapo could emerge from the jungle to confront the Brazilian government politically. Watson was impressed by Paulinho Paiakan, the charismatic Kayapo chieftan who visited Canada last year to appeal for help in the rain forest struggle. Paiakan succeeded in rallying opposition to a $1-billion World Bank loan to Brazil, which has since been sheiv- ed. There are only 500,000 Indians left in the Amazon out of an original population of five million. The Portuguese and Spanish impact has been genocidal. ’’ De The Joan was to start a gargan- tuan hydro project which would drown an area about half the size of Nova Scotia, wiping out the Kayapo’s ancient homeland. In Brazil, Watson saw Paiakan in action up close. The man is “the Pontiac of his time,’’ says Watson, referring to the great North Amer- ican chief who united his divided people. Not only has he united the former warring factions among the Kayapo but he has learned the tricks of communicating on a mass international basis. Paiakan is surrounded by body- guards ‘‘who can put an arrow through you faster than you can blink.’* Yet for every person in his entourage carrying a bow and ar- row, Paiakan has another carrying a portable video camera. “He doesn't trust the govern- ment at all,’’ Watson explains. “He has guys taping everything so that if anything happens, the world will know. They'll be able to see it.”’ In view of what happened to Brazil's other great rain forest champion, union leader Chico Mendez, who was assassinated, Paiakan’s precauticns make sense. Even so, Watson and Suzuki are hoping to raise money to beef up Paiakan’s security. There are only 500,000 Indians left in the Amazon out of an orig- inal population of five million. The Portuguese and Spanish im- Ardagh 986-4366 Personal Injury Hunter Barristers & Selicitors #300-1401 Lonsdaie Ave.. North Vancouver Free Initial Consuitation pact has been genocidal. The bitter reality is that nobody scolded Brazil over its shameful treatment of its Indians until now, when the survival of the rain forests and the survival of the In- dians have become intertwined. The fate of the Amazon Indians is now our fate. tf the rain forests are destroyed, the global greenhouse effect may become a runaway catastrophe for every ox- ygen-breathing creature on the planet. The danger, quite simply and horribly, is that the human race may soon — within a generation, say — literally suffocate. Canadians can take some pride in the odd fact that there were more Canadians in the group that went to the Amazon to bring donations and political support to the Kayapos than any other na- tionality. Of the Canadian Indian support groups, the Haida, Cree and Kwakiutl were represented. There were, for some reason, no Ameri- cans, and a lot of the big interna- tional environmental groups were conspicuous by their absence. The Brazilian government, which is bristling with outrage because foreigners are poking | their noses into internal affairs, isn’t too keen on starting a war with the Kayapo, whom Watson describes as being ‘‘as tough as the Haida a hundred years ago.’' Expert guer- rilla fighters, they are a formidable foe. Despite the tremendous wave of publicity generated by the emergence of the Kayapo from the rain forest to make their case, Watson is personally pessimistic. Apart from the very tangible risk of Paiakan being murdered, the big danger is that the Brazilian government, will push ahead with its scheme to build an interlocking chain of 136 dams. The battle of the rain forest has just begun. Speaking of forest battles, there is another, much closer to home, which nobody should ignore. I refer to the ongoing Stanley Park wars, with the aquarium and zoo trying to gobble up more land, and a handful of steadfast park-lovers trying to resist the empire-builders like Murray Newman. Undoubtedly the most tireless crusader in this struggle has been Peter Hamilton, head of an organization called Lifeforce. Hamilton has been doing excellent work on this issue. A com sionate, dedicated man, Hamilton nevertheless gets weary every once in a while, and low on funds to carry on the fight. He wants Stanley Park to be designated a national historical site to save it from further commercial development. He deserves all the help he can get. Somebody wanting to donate or join, write Lifeforce, Box 3117, Main Post Office, Vancouver, V6B 3X6 or call 299-2822 @ Turner REZONING NEEDED Firearms ‘castle’ proposed for NV RESIDENTS of the Lynmour area will soon have the chance to say whether they want a castle in the neighborhood. North Vancouver District Coun- cil has received an application from Tom Bongalis to rezone property at 1496 Rupert Street, at the northwest corner of Rupert and Mountain Highway, from RS4 BEER & WINE Contributing to Comprehensive Development and to establish a siting area for a firearms business. MAKING Make your own beer & wine from Wine-Art’s complete selection of supplies for the home brewer & winemaker PRACTICAL TIPS FROM SYLVAN ON RESPONDING TO POOR SCHOOL PERFORMANCE and child alike. But viewed as important signals, they can att action which may ac- improve your child’s learning skills for life. Here's what Sylvan advisors have to say. Poor grades will lower any student's self esteem. * Knowledgeable Staff * Quality Wine-Art Products *® Free Filter, Corker & Capper Use * Free Wine Evaluations Pee: grades can be disappointing to parent [What to do when your child | }comes home with poor grades.) “The problem may be physical or emotional, but in most cases, it goes back toa revious lesson — usual asic math or reading skill — that wasn't fully understood. This can be turned around with the right kind of help. “If you iS ow disappoint- ment, make _sure_ your child Sylvan Specializes in helping students reach their full potential. understands it’s out of con- cern for his education — not out of disappointment in him as a person” If you want your children to succeed, active participation in their education is vital. Parents of every generation have a common goal of a bet- ter life for their children. Your child can start to achieve suc- cess with a little assistance today. The business consists of the rental of firearms and accessories to the movie industry, the servicing and repair of this equipment as re- quired, and the retailing of firearms. The second floor will provide a family residence for se- Sae Public Page 5 926-1610 § # How Sylvan Learniag , Centres can help. We begin by pinpointing a student’s strengths an esses. Based on test results, we tailor an individual learning program designed to accommodate each student's own personal needs. His Sylvan teacher works closely with him every step of the way. With plenty of warm support and encouragement, and state-of-the-art materials, | your child's learning skills — | | and self-esteem — will im- prove dramatically. Sylvan specializes helpin students reach their full potential. Calf teday for mere information Help your child’s learning skills for life. At Sytvan we offer: © Reading * Algebra ° Math ® Study Skills ¢ Clear Writing Helping kids do better North Shore 985-6811 Richmond 273-3266 Coquitlam 941-9166