Greenpeace Intercepts Russian Vessel, Tense Standoff Ensues
By Steve Kinsman, 28th Aug 2012 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutNewsEnvironment
In the Arctic, Greenpeace is taking heroic action to stop Russia from exploiting the environment.
A tense standoff
Yesterday, August 27, 2012, Greenpeace activists intercepted a Russian vessel ferrying workers to its oil drilling platform Prirazlomnaya, and attached their inflatable speedboat to the ship's anchor. The Russian vessel, the Anna Akhmatova, responded by trying to fight them off with powerful water cannons. One of the Greenpeace boats was "flipped by hoses," according to Greenpeace, sending some of the protesters into the water.
"These pristine waters"
Speaking for Greenpeace, its International Executive Director, Kumi Naidoo, tweeted "Two days ago we scaled this oil platform to draw the world's attention to this environmental crime before it becomes an environmental disaster zone. Today we're taking peaceful action in the heart of Arctic destruction to stop this platform from wrecking these pristine waters. Nearly two million people have already joined our campaign to protect this unique region and we will do all we can to keep it off-limits to reckless oil companies looking to profit from its exploitation."
Russia calls for reinforcements
The Prirazlomnaya has called in the Russian Coast Guard, who have arrived at the scene but have yet to intervene.
According to Greenpeace, "Despite extreme operating conditions, Gazprom has only released a summary of its oil spill response plan to the public. Yet even this document shows that the company would be completely unprepared to deal with an accident in the Far North, and would relay on sub-standard clean-up methods - such as shovels and buckets - that simply do not work in icy conditions."
Links:
Greenpeace, At the Front Lines of the War Against the Environment
Greenpeace Shutters 77 Shell Gas Stations in Europe
Photos from commondreams.org
Comments
29th Aug 2012 (#)
wonderful piece, great information and as I have said peviously you are a fantastic wayshower into the caring and loving of humanity and the environment...thank you so much
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29th Aug 2012 (#)
Thank you so much cnwriter.
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29th Aug 2012 (#)
Let better sense prevail! This is just a mad race to win at all costs, to get away with murder. Thanks Steve, for bringing this to our attention. And to think Russia has so much oil and gas to last generations, with improving technology to tap energy from sun, wind on the anvil! - siva
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29th Aug 2012 (#)
We have the technology right now to eliminate fossil fuel as an energy source and move to cheap renewables like, solar, wind, geothermal and tidal. Thanks for commenting Siva.
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31st Aug 2012 (#)
Ditto what Sivaji said. Good article, Steve. very informative
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31st Aug 2012 (#)
Thank you rama devi. I appreciate that.
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