Panama Screams -- Trees, Gold, Copper, Canal

And more...

Imagine -- a great family of beautiful birds. A great flock who lives and nests in a great stand of beautiful trees. Gigantic jungle trees.

Near a beautiful waterfall. By a remote river. Your ancestors have been here since the edge of memory.

Many miles from the nearest human. Too far for your wings to fly. You have no idea about the other side of the mountain. Your special family never leaves this valley.

Your trees are very beautiful.

And then a road is built to your trees.

Your trees are very beautiful. Worth much silver and gold.

But you and the flock scream, "These trees are our trees! Go! Leave us in peace in our beautiful trees! We have a right to our trees!”

And your beautiful trees grow where pure gold glitters in the streams.

The birds scream! “Take the gold! Not our trees!”

But the road is already built. And the man says, "I have road, axe, and ship. This is jungle law!"

And he takes the gold, murders the trees. And the flock known only to this valley is gone forever.

Because the birds and trees were defenseless.

He uses gold, and trees, to make more ships.

More ships to take more gold and trees.

And then people screamed, “This is Our Canal!” And people with more gold and ships came.

Across the world, I hear the screams.