KUCHING, Nov 14, 2014: Students and Professors at the
University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada, last Thursday witnessed
the launch of Money Logging: On The Trail of Asian Timber Mafia, authored by
Lukas Strausmann.
During an event hosted jointly by the UBC's Graduate
School of Journalism and its Forest Sciences Centre, Strausmann, who is also
BMF director, presented his new book.
The book is about logging activities in Sarawak,
involving businessmen and politicians.
Introductions were given by Professors Janette Bulkan,
David Rummel and Mutang Urud, a Kelabit campaigner from Sarawak.
Straumann told the attendees how his Swiss publisher,
Bergli Books, and Amazon had been urged by lawyer Mishcon de Reya to stop the distribution of
the book for alleged defamation.
He underlined that these were empty threats which were
not followed up by legal action.
He said the facts as exposed in the book are true and
will not dare to go to court.
"He said he would expose more misdeeds if he is
being sued.
"We do have the evidence and numerous witnesses on
our side," he said.
Straumann encouraged the students to investigate hard but
to keep their reports strictly fact-based. Apart from first-hand witness
statements, public records were also an important source of information for his
book.
After the event, Straumann met up with Canadian
campaigners to reinforce the Bruno Manser Fund's international ties. The Money
Logging North America tour will continue next week with author appearances in
Berkeley and Washington DC.
Picture: Students and professors of UBC listening to Lukas Strausmann
The book was launched in Kuching on Oct 29 and in Kuala
Lumpur the following day.
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