DAILY DIARY
Thursday 16th May 1996

The MV Greenpeace and the Rainbow Warrior were released by French authorities in mid March, after being siezed at Mururoa Atoll last September. Six weeks of repairs later and the MV Greenpeace is looking like you would too if you had received a good dose of TLC{Tender Loving Care} and attention.

On Wednesday we left Auckland, heading for Sydney, Manila and then onto China where we will take a peaceful message on behalf of the millions of people around the world who are calling for an end to nuclear testing. Messages like the one we have been asked to deliver by young New Zealanders, Adam and Hannah Johnson, who wrote to the Chinese leaders: "Dear Sir, Please write to us. We want to know why you hurt our planet with your bombs. Please stop testing the bombs. Please don't make any more. Please make China nuclear free like N.Z. We are proud but you cannot be proud of what you are doing. Please answer us. Yours sincerely Adam and Hannah Johnson."

We hear reports that the Chinese are planning their 44th nuclear test soon and are blocking agreement of a CTBT, because they want a clause allowing `peaceful nuclear explosions'.

Nuclear weapons are designed to wipe out life and peaceful explosions cannot be justified as any better. Radiation knows no boundries or the difference between violent and peaceful.

As we steam on two engines heading for the Nth. Cape before heading west to Sydney, I stand on deck on a starry, calm evening and ponder how we will be received. So far the Chinese authorities have not granted us permission to visit.

Tanya Popp
Deckhand
MV Greenpeace