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Greenpeace activists arrested at
Edison Mission Energy headquarters
Irvine, US, 4 April 2002:
– Two Greenpeace activists were arrested today during the second
day of protests against Edison Mission Energy’s plans to build
a coal-fired power plant in Thailand. The protest, which began Wednesday
morning in Irvine, CA and continued through the night, escalated
this morning when Greenpeace activists moved a school bus transformed
into a massive, smoking coal power plant to block a portion of the
employee parking lot on Edison’s corporate campus.
 "We
will be here until Edison executives come down to tell us that they
will divest from this project in Thailand and re-invest in renewable
energy instead," explained Danny Kennedy, Coordinator of the
Clean Energy Now! Campaign.
The coal plant
bus continues to spew “pollution” from its smokestacks
as activists convey their message directly to Edison staff coming
in and out of the building. A morning greeting to company executives
on the 17th floor was painted atop the bus reading “Divest
NOW!” along with a photo of CEO Willie Heller.
The struggle
over the proposed power plant is one of the most controversial political
issues in Thailand. Over the last eight years, the people of Bo
Nok, Thailand have told Edison and its partners that they don’t
want the power plant. The community of Bo Nok believes it is time
for Edison to respect their rights and withdraw from the proposed
power plant.
The Prime Minister
of Thailand recently visited the site of the proposed coal-fired
power plant in January and was met by 20,000 protestors. Under pressure,
he has promised to decide once and for all whether or not to cancel
the plants and will announce his decision by the April 13th –
the Thai new year. Members of the Los Angeles’ area Thai community
and Greenpeace supporters came out to today’s demonstration
to show solidarity with communities in Thailand fighting Edison.
Details of
the many environmental, social and climate impacts of the project
can be found in the Greenpeace report Edison Out: The Struggle to
Stop Coal Fired Power Plants in Bo Nok and Ban Krut, Thailand.
For more information
and updates, see the Greenpeace US Clean
Energy Now site
Media Contacts:
Alisa Arnett, Greenpeace media (415) 407-9293 (mobile)
Danny Kennedy, Clean Energy NOW! Campaigner (510) 912-3949
Penrapee Noporumpa, Climate/Energy Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast
Asia (662) 2727100-2 ext. 19
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