Indigenous Peruvians Occupy Airport, Demand Accountability for Pollution

Hundreds of protesters from Peru’s indigenous community occupied a small airport in the country’s largest oil-producing territory on Monday night in response to unheeded demands that an oil producer clean up pollution that has been seeping into their drinking water, Reuters reports. 

Protesters took over the airport, which is situated in the Andoas district in the north of the country in the Amazon rainforest, in connection with a dispute between Argentinian energy company Pluspetrol and the Peruvian government over pollution and resource use.

Tedy Guerra, a protest leader and Chief of the Neuvo Andoas  community, told Reuters that the protest involves about 500 local natives, and that all flights in and out of the airport have been stopped. The airport services mostly planes used by Pluspetrol.

Guerra said that local police have not taken any action against the protesters.
Aurelio Chino, another representative of the protesters and the president of a local indigenous federation, said that the government’s classification of three Amazonian river basins as “environmental emergencies” due to dangerous levels of oil pollution has had little effect on cleanup efforts. “Neither the government nor the company are cleaning up the spills,” Chino told Reuters, adding that “these problems are building up.”

Pluspetrol operates oil block 1-AB, which produces about 15,000 to 17,000 barrels of oil a day, which comprises about a quarter of Peru’s modest output. The protesters are considering seizing wells and valves as well if the company does not agree to cleanup negotiations and compensation efforts.

Representatives of the company have said that they are “making every effort to reestablish a dialogue with the community,” and that they had already signed an agreement with indigenous leaders in September on the use of a local quarry.

Local indigenous communities have already used similar protest tactics in April of this year, taking control of production facilities for about a week. At that time, protesters had complained that Pluspetrol was not complying with a 2006 agreement to clean up decades-worth of pollution, which was causing sickness among the local population due oil seeping into their drinking water.

In the earlier protest, protest leader Carlos Sandi told the Guardian that his protesters weren’t “against oil exploitation or development,” but were only “calling for our rights to be respected in accordance with international laws.”
(RIA Novosti)
29/10/14
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Greenpeace sends new protest ship as first Russian Arctic oil arrives

Greenpeace said Monday it is sending a protest ship to meet a Russian tanker carrying the first oil drilled offshore in the environmentally fragile Arctic.
     
The ship called Rainbow Warrior is to be captained by Peter Willcox, who was among campaigners detained by Russian authorities last year after staging a high-profile protest against Arctic drilling.
     
The vessel is due to set sail from Rotterdam on Monday afternoon, and will seek to escort to harbour the Russian tanker Mikhail Ulyanov, which is delivering oil purchased by French energy giant Total.
     
The oil was drilled at the Prirazlomnaya platform, an offshore rig owned by Russian energy giant Gazprom and the site of Greenpeace's protest last September.
     
The protest, which saw two campaigners attempt to scale the rig, prompted Russian authorities to seize Greenpeace's Dutch-flagged Arctic Sunrise boat and detaining the 30 activists and journalists on board.
     
Greenpeace argues that the Gazprom rig is an environmental catastrophe waiting to happen that risks ruining the pristine Arctic ecology of the southern Barents Sea where the deposit is located.
     
The activists had faced lengthy prison terms before Moscow announced amnesties.
     
"We want to escort the ship into the harbour," at Rotterdam, Greenpeace activist Patric Salize told AFP by telephone from aboard the ship.
     
He declined to say what kind of protest action the group might have planned.
     
There are 23 people on board the vessel, which may meet the Russian tanker on Tuesday night, another campaigner Willem Wiskerke told AFP, also from aboard the Rainbow Warrior.
     
"We do not disclose in advance what we are going to do, but I can assure you we will send a clear message to the world that this oil is very dangerous," Wiskerke said.
     
Greenpeace has accused France's Total of hypocrisy for buying the Arctic oil, after its CEO Christophe de Margerie said in 2012 that his company would not drill in the fragile region.
     
A Total spokesman in Paris confirmed the controversial purchase but insisted the company would not itself be drilling in the Arctic...............http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/greenpeace-sends-new-protest-ship-as-first-russian-arctic-oil-arrives.aspx?pageID=238&nID=65657&NewsCatID=359
28/4/14
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• Russia’s Arctic oil rig to boost country’s role on world energy markets. - A total of 300,000 metric tons are planned to be exported to international markets

Massive protests in Italy due to arrival of toxic cargo from Syria

MV Cape Ray

Widespread protests have started in the south of Italy due to the upcoming shipment of a toxic cargo expected to arrive by sea from Syria in 10 days.

Local residents got angry with the situation as, according to them, secrecy surrounds the whole operation and no guarantees were given by the government.

"They are telling us that the material carried is not dangerous, but in fact nobody knows what is inside those containers," said one of the protesters.


The Mayor of Gioia Tauro, Renato Bellofiore, has threatened to close the port and called for another massive protest on February 1.

An estimated 60 containers with Syria's deadliest chemicals, including mustard gas and the ingredients for the nerve agents sarin, are due to be moved from a Danish ship to a US vessel using rolling cranes without "stocking on land", according to Italian transport Minister Mario Lupi's assurances.

However, when the port was chosen as a site of a transfer of Syrian chemical weapons, Mayor Renato Belfiore announced that he and the locals would "oppose this move by all legal means".

"They are putting my life at risk. If anything happens, people will come and get me with pitchforks," he said back then.

Earlier this month, a Danish cargo ship, the Ark Futura, took a first cargo of materials from Latakia and is now back in international waters, awaiting a return to pick up the remainder.

In Italy, the chemicals will be transferred onto the US ship MV Cape Ray, which will dispose of them at sea over a period of up to three months.

The entire Syrian chemical arsenal is expected to be decommissioned by June 30 in line with the UN plan.

UN Security Council resolution 2118 was approved after a massive chemical weapon attack that killed hundreds of people near Damascus in last August.

Voice of Russia, AFP, Euronews
http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_01_25/Massive-protests-in-Italy-due-to-arrival-of-toxic-cargo-from-Syria-5608/
25/1/14
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Related:
 

• ΥΠΕΞ: Ανακοίνωση Υπουργείου Εξωτερικών για το ζήτημα της καταστροφής των χημικών όπλων του συριακού οπλοστασίου

• Italian mayors want guarantees on Syrian chemical transfer

• First chemical materials removed from Syria by ship

• Danish, Norwegian ships leave Limassol port for Syrian seacoast

• Nordic ships on call for Syria chemical shipment...

• Vessels for Syrian Chemical Arms Removal Dock in Cyprus

• OPCW Executive Council adopts plan for the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons programme in the first half of 2014

ENI warns may stop gas exports from Libya to Italy. -Mellitah terminal has been attacked by protesters.

Protesters have blocked access to a major gas terminal in Libya, the head of Italian oil and gas giant ENI said Wednesday, warning it may be forced to stop exports to Italy altogether.

ENI is the biggest foreign oil company in Libya and runs a pipeline to Sicily from the Mellitah gas terminal in the troubled country.

"What we are worried about at the moment is the Mellitah terminal, which has been attacked by protesters, pushing us to stop exports towards Italy," Italian media quoted chief executive Paolo Scaroni as saying.


However, Scaroni said he did not forsee problems with gas supply to Italy.

Contacted by AFP, the ENI press office was unable to say whether the attackers were armed.

Last week, protesters from Libya's minority Amazigh Berber ethnic group held a sit-in at the Mellitah terminal to demand greater rights.

Berbers make up about 10 percent of Libya's population. They were persecuted under former dictator Moamer Kadhafi and feel marginalised under the new regime even though they played a key role in the 2011 uprising.

The company that manages the Mellitah terminal is owned jointly by ENI and Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC). It supplies Italy with 17 million cubic metres of gas a day.
 hurriyetdailynews.com
6/11/13
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Roumanie: une rivière peut faire capoter un projet de mine d'or canadien.

Rosia Montana, Photo:business.financialpost.com

AFP - Un projet canadien de mine d'or dans un village de Transylvanie risque de capoter en raison d'une rivière qui devrait être détournée, ce qu'interdit la législation européenne, a déclaré mardi la ministre roumaine de l'Environnement, Rovana Plumb.
"La directive européenne sur l'eau, transposée dans la législation roumaine, dit qu'on ne peut pas détourner un cours d'eau à moins que ce soit pour un projet d'intérêt public exceptionnel", a déclaré Mme Plumb devant une commission parlementaire chargée du dossier de mine d'or dans le village de Rosia Montana (nord-ouest).
"Nous ne pourrons donc pas continuer la procédure d'évaluation (de la mine, ndlr) en l'absence d'une loi qui dise clairement qu'il s'agit d'un projet d'intérêt public exceptionnel," a-t-elle renchéri.

Le projet soumis au gouvernement roumain par les Canadiens de Gabriel Resources prévoit le détournement de la rivière Corna dont le lit actuel devrait faire place à un gigantesque lac de décantation des déchets miniers.
"Si le projet de mine n'est pas déclaré d'intérêt public, la rivière ne pourra pas être déviée et donc le projet tel qu'il est prévu ne pourra pas se faire", a confirmé à l'AFP l'ex-ministre de l'Environnement Attila Korodi.

"La Corna peut bloquer définitivement le projet de mine", a-t-il martelé.
Après s'être déclaré opposé à cette gigantesque mine d'or pendant la campagne électorale, le gouvernement du Premier ministre Victor Ponta a adopté à la surprise générale en août un projet de loi lui octroyant le statut de "projet d'intérêt public national exceptionnel".
Cela autorise Gabriel Resources à procéder à des expropriations au nom de l'Etat et à bénéficier de dérogations à plusieurs lois.

Mais l'adoption de ce projet a suscité une vague de protestation sans précédent, avec des manifestations de rue réunissant des dizaines de milliers de Roumains depuis plus de trois semaines.
Une commission parlementaire doit rédiger un rapport sur ce projet qui sera soumis au Parlement en novembre.
Le résultat du vote est incertain alors qu'un parti clé de la majorité a annoncé qu'il voterait contre.
Mme Plumb avait déjà déclaré qu'en cas de rejet de ce texte, le projet de Rosia Montana sera enterré.
Gabriel Resources prévoit d'exploiter 300 tonnes d'or et 1.600 tonnes d'argent en utilisant 12.000 tonnes de cyanure par an.
La société promet des centaines d'emplois et des bénéfices économiques pour la Roumanie.

• Mais, selon experts et archéologues, cette mine à ciel ouvert va entraîner la destruction de quatre montagnes et de galeries minières de l'époque romaine.

http://www.france24.com/fr/20130924-roumanie-une-riviere-peut-faire-capoter-projet-mine-dor-canadien
24/9/13

Bohrinsel-Angriff: Greenpeace-Aktivisten in Russland unter Piraterie-Verdacht.

Nach dem gescheiterten „Angriff“ der Umweltorganisation Greenpeace auf eine russische Ölbohrinsel in der Barentssee droht den festgenommenen Aktivisten ein Verfahren wegen Piraterie.

Der Grenzschutz habe in dem Vorfall Anzeichen eines Verbrechens gesehen, das unter den Artikel „Piraterie“ falle, teilte das Ermittlungskomitee der Russischen Föderation am Freitag mit. Eine „prozessuale Überprüfung“ sei eingeleitet worden. Auf Seepiraterie stehen laut russischem Recht bis zu 15 Jahren Haft.

Am Mittwochabend hatten Greenpeace-Aktivisten versucht, die Bohrinsel „Priraslomnaja“ in der Petschora-See, einem Randmeer der arktischen Barentssee, zu erklimmen, um die Förderarbeiten zu stören. Das Personal der Bohrinsel löste Terroralarm aus.

Nach Angaben des russischen Küstenschutzes wurden die Aktivisten vom Eisbrecher „Arctic Sunrise“ abgesetzt und erreichten mit fünf Schnellbooten die Bohrinsel. Auf einem der Boote habe sich ein „nicht identifizierter und wie eine Bombe aussehender Gegenstand“ befunden. Weil die „Arctic Sunrise“ nicht auf Warnschüsse reagierte, musste das Schiff aufgebracht werden. Derzeit wird es zur Ermittlungen nach Murmansk abgeschleppt.

Zudem wurden zwei mit Bergsteigerausrüstung ausgestattete „Alpinisten“ festgenommen. Bei ihnen handelt es sich laut Greenpeace um die Finnin Sini Saarela und den Schweizer Marco Polo.

• Bereits im August 2012 hatten sechs Greenpeace-„Alpinisten“ für 15 Stunden „Priraslomnaja“ besetzt. Die Bohrinsel wird vom russischen Staatsunternehmen Gazprom Neft Schelf betrieben.

http://de.rian.ru/society/20130920/266920966.html
20/9/13
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• Arctique: les garde-côtes russes arrêtent deux militants de Greenpeace...

• Νότα επιδόθηκε στον πρέσβη της Ολλανδίας στη Ρωσία...

• Επεισοδιακή διαμαρτυρία της Greenpeace στην Αρκτική...

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• Nave di Greenpeace cambia rotta dopo le minacce della Russia....

• Greenpeace Ship Sails to Arctic Kara Sea Despite Ban

• Greenpeace Ship ‘Banned’ From Arctic Route

• The Battle for the Arctic /Η αντιπαράθεση με το λιώσιμο των πάγων στην Αρκτικη

  • The Battle for the Arctic

• Rosneft gets access to $100bn gas and oil field in Alaska

Russische Küstenwache droht "Arctic Sunrise" mit Schusswaffengebrauch Behörde durchsucht Schiff gegen Willen der Besatzung

Beamte der russischen Küstenwache sind am Montag an Bord des Greenpeace-Schiffs "Arctic Sunrise" gekommen, um dort eine "Inspektion" durchzuführen. Zuvor hatten die Beamten mit dem Einsatz von Schusswaffen gedroht. Unter Protest ließen sich die Aktivisten daraufhin auf eine Durchsuchung ihres Schiffes ein.

Die russische Küstenwache eskortiert mit dem Schiff "Viktor Kingisepp" seit rund zwei Tagen die "Arctic Sunrise", die vor Ort friedlich gegen geplante Ölbohrungen von Rosneft und ExxonMobil protestieren will. Die "Arctic Sunrise" war von den russischen Behörden bereits in der letzten Woche die Fahrt durch die Nord-Ost-Passage untersagt worden, obwohl das Schiff die technischen Bedingungen erfüllt. Die Crew der Arctic Sunrise hatte sich hiernach dazu entschlossen, die Fahrt in arktische Gewässer trotz Durchfahrt-Verbots fortzusetzen.

Die Ölsuche der Konzerne in der Karasee erstreckt sich auch auf ein Gebiet, das mit einem russischen Arktis-Naturpark überlappt und verstößt damit gegen russisches Recht. Auch die Durchsuchungsaktion der russischen Küstenwache entspricht nicht internationalem Recht und wurde gegen den ausrücklichen Willen der Crew und unter Gewaltandrohung durchgeführt. Die russische Küstenwache hat außerdem eine Vier Seemeilen-Verbotszone um das Schiff verhängt, die ebenfalls nicht durch internationales Recht gedeckt ist.
Vier Beamte der Küstenwache haben die Arctic Sunrise betreten, nachdem einige Aktivisten mit Schlauchbooten und "Save The Arctic"-Bannern in die Nähe der "Geolog Dmitriy Nalivkin" gefahren waren, um gegen seismische Untersuchungen zu protestieren, mit deren Hilfe das Schiff im Auftrag von Rosneft und ExxonMobil das Ölvorkommen unter dem Meeresgrund überprüft. Die dabei ausgesendeten Schallwellen können bei Walen schwere Schäden zur Folge haben und schlimmstenfalls zum Tod führen.
"Jetzt muss die deutsche Bundesregierung ihren Einfluss geltend machen und Russland zum Schutz der Arktis auffordern", sagt Christoph von Lieven von Greenpeace Deutschland. "Beinahe ein Drittel des hier verbrauchten Öls kommt aus Russland, Deutschland ist mit Abstand der größte Abnehmer von russischem Öl und Gas."
http://www.greenpeace.de
26/8/13
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Zum Thema in eco R:

• Nave di Greenpeace cambia rotta dopo le minacce della Russia....

• Greenpeace Ship Sails to Arctic Kara Sea Despite Ban

• Greenpeace Ship ‘Banned’ From Arctic Route

• The Battle for the Arctic /Η αντιπαράθεση με το λιώσιμο των πάγων στην Αρκτικη

  • The Battle for the Arctic

• Rosneft gets access to $100bn gas and oil field in Alaska