04
September 2002
Action
not Words!
This morning in Durban, Greenpeace activists
did what governments have failed to do at the Johannesburg
meeting and took action to demand "Clean Energy Now"
at a notorious oil refinery jointly operated by Shell and
BP.
Five activists climbed a thirty-meter bridge which spanned
oil pipes leading from the refinery, and dropped huge banners
over the pipes. The poorly maintained pipes run right through
the middle of the local communities. The plant and surroundings
are notorious for oil leaks and toxic air emissions, although
neither company has accepted any responsibility for the poor
health of local people.
This event follows a week of world wide actions protesting
the dominance of big business interests over the true benefits
of sustainable development. Demanding that governments at
the Earth Summit adopt a policy of new renewable energy, activists
kicked off the Summit by dropping "Nuclear Power - out
of Africa" banners from top of the nuclear reactor at
Koeberg, protesting its use of such an unsafe and polluting
medium. "Since the protest at Koeberg it has become apparent
that the Greenpeace activists are not the only people who
have broken the law. The total failure of the plant owners,
Eskom, to provide safety, security and evacuation plans should
be investigated by the authorities and is yet another reason
why this first nuclear facility in Africa should be the last,"
said Mike Townsley of Greenpeace.
In other actions, (Click here for pictures) Greenpeace was out in the streets,
the fields and the skies all over the world to try to communicate
that delegates are failing to meet the needs and expectations
of the people of the world. In Thailand, Greenpeace launched
a Stop Global Warming balloon over the Mae Moh coal plant
in Lampang. On the seas off Cape Town we tracked down a plutonium
ship carrying a deadly cargo and put them on the run. On the
streets of Manila we collected signatures to petition the
Philippine's Board of Investors not to invest in dirty fossil
fuels. In the political heart of Australia, climbers hung
huge banners from the nation's flagpole saying 'Stop climate
change'. In Chile we launched a balloon over the crude oil
refineries plant at Vina Del Mar. And outside the halls of
Sandton in Johannesburg, Greenpeace's youth delegation were
herded away by security for daring to make a stand about climate
change in front of BMW's exhibition space.
The longer governments fail to take action on poverty and
climate change, the more the international community will
rise up in protest and action of its own.
More: Full
Story / PressRelease
Highlights of the Esperanza's South African
WSSD tour so far...
02 September - Today we marched.
We piled into three vans and drove across Durban to join some
local groups in a protest march and rally outside the gates
of the Shell / BP oil refinery in South Durban.
 01
September - The MV Esperanza arrives in Durban and is
welcomed by local people, whales, police, navy, helicopters
and beautiful weather.
 26
August - We find out that the 6 crew members arrested
at Koeberg are not allowed to return to the ship.
 24
August - Greenpeace activists protest against nuclear
power at the Koeberg nuclear power plant near Cape Town. Everything
goes smoothly until the police arrive. Twelve Greenpeacers
are arrested and two boats from the Esperanza are confiscated.
 23
August - Archbishop Desmond Tutu visited us in Cape Town
and blesses the Esperanza wishing us well on our quest for
peace and a nuclear free world.
 19
August - The Esperanza intercepts the British Nuclear
Fuels plutonium shipment aboard the Pacific Pintail and stages
a high seas protest.
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