From: SV Rainbow Warrior http://www.greenpeace.org
At last the weather is fine enough to get a good day's work in
on deck. There is always plenty to attend to on a sailing ship,
especially one headaing for the jaws of the French military beast
at Moruroa! The inflatable boats have taken a bit of a beating
out on deck from the storm, but by the end of today things are
looking much more shipshape.
On the daily evening radio schedule we hear from the other boats
of the Peace Flotilla: boats converging on Moruroa from each side
of the Pacific. Most are makaing good progress; amongst the
crews of the other boats are some friends and acquaintances of
sailors on the Warrior. It is good to hear that all is well and
send the odd "hello". Most of these people of the flotilla have
gone to great personal risk and expense to register their
opposition to nuclear weapons tests: knowing that they have the
skills and equipment -- a boat -- to do so, they have gone to sea
not only to express their own feelings but also on behalf of all
those - countless - people who would love to do so if only they
could. For some the perils of the sea are matched by the
financial perils of the voyage: one skipper I spoke to in
Auckland needed money for a new radio, but the only way to get
it in the time available was to sell his car. Then he wouldn't
be able to rung around to do all the other things he needed to
do! Brave people, who recognise quite clearly that this
particular battle over nuclear weapons effortlessly transcends
the mundane realities of self-interest. This is nothing if not
a fight represnting a community of interest amongs the peoples
of the world. Already over 150 countries have officially said
"NON!" to President Chirac... This is one issue that is globally
unifying; an issue of true civilisation. And ultimately a issue
of survival.
More later,
Alice on board the Rainbow Warrior
News today is that the African National Congress has issued a
statement strongly condemning a resumption of nuclear testing in
the Pacific by France. "This action comes at a time when there
is emerging international consensus on the need to stop such
testing and to move towards the elimination of nuclear arms and
technology," the statement said. " Our new democratic government
has taken an important lead in the recent debates about the
non-proliferation treaty and has been applauded for the example
it has set by unilaterally taking a decision to dismantle South
Africa's nuclear capacity. The development of nuclear bombs and
the continuation of nuclear testing constitutes one of the most
serious threats to humanity and a healthy environment. The ANC
calls upon the French Government to immediately halt this nuclear
testing. The ANC expresses its support and solidarity with all
those organisations who have come out in protest against such
testing."
Meanwhile, a Greenpeace protest yesterday in Istanbul against
China's nuclear test earlier this week marked the arrival of the
Greenpeace ship "Altair" in Turkey. Forty activists were held
and interrogated, but later released, by the Turkish police
outside the Chinese embassy in Istanbul. The Altair is on an
anti-nuclear tour in the Mediterranean Sea. The tour will
continue until mid-November, visiting Israel, Cyprus, Lebanon,
Greece, Italy, Tunisia, France and Malta to mobilise public
opinion against nuclear testing and in favour of nuclear
disarmament.
More from the Rainbow Warrior later,
Stephanie Mills, Greepeace Anti-nuclear Campaigner
Date: SUN 20-AUG-95 09:21:21 GMT
Subject: Internet updatesAlice Leney, August 19
Update from Stephanie