World Ecology

Environment / GMOs / Roads.

Rossport - Solitare leaves Irish waters with no pipeline laid!

On Friday the 20th September, the pipe laying ship, the Solitaire, finally left Irish waters. During the ship's time in Ireland, Shell failed to lay any part of the offshore pipe line. The departure of the Solitaire is a massive victory for the Shell to Sea campaign. Resistance in the past six weeks has taken many different forms: fishermen preventing the ship's access to the bay by refusing to move from her path, site invasions by local people and the Rossport Solidarity Camp, numerous waterborne actions to prevent work by supporters from other parts of Ireland and further afield, national and international solidarity actions and finally, an 11 day hunger strike by local campaigner Maura Harrington, that continued until the ship left Irish waters. The events of the last 6 weeks have inspired not only those involved, but also many who witnessed them from afar, new links and friendships have been forged and many lessons learned. In the aftermath, the Shell to Sea campaign can clearly be seen to have been revitalized, both locally and nationally. It is unclear when the ship will attempt to return to Broadhaven Bay. It is possible it could still be this year if repairs are quick and a suitable weather window appears, or it may not be until next spring. However, while it may be uncertain exactly when the ship will return, what is certain, is that it will meet even greater opposition upon its next arrival. Come and be part of it! The Rossport community is calling on people everywhere to put pressure on Shell, Allseas (the company that owns the Solitaire) and Irish embassies to demand that the Solitaire leaves Irish waters immediately.

Newswire: rossport solidarity action at irish consulate | The Solitaire leaves the Bayr | Rooftop occupation of Shells offices in Belmullet | Update from 11th of September | Daughter of Shell to Sea hunger striker paddles out to Solitaire | Rossport Solidarity Action in London | Rossport Solidarity Demo in London on Monday!! | Son of Shell to Sea hunger striker assaulted and arrested |Support Maura Harrington on hunger strike | Irish Embassy targetted for Rossport in Berlin | Rossport: Solidarity Action in Brighton | Rossport: The Time is Now | Rossport update | Urgent Call Out: Mayo Needs You! Now Is The Time

Previous features: Rossport: Another Season of Resistance | Shell to Sea campaign intensifies as work on refinery begins | Community under siege in Mayo

Video: Video interview with Maura Harrington | Locals resist Shell’s occupation of Glengad | Paddle Attack

Links: Shell to Sea | Rossport Solidarity camp | Indymedia Ireland Mayo page | Indymedia UK Rossport Solidarity page

Rossport: The Time is Now

21-08-2008 18:45 | Rossport Solidarity | Ecology | Social Struggles | World

The week ending 31st August saw Rossport Solidarity camp reborn and the week of action against offshore pipeline work extended.

The week of action was called in anticipation of the arrival of the world’s largest pipeline ship, the Solitaire. However, due to bad weather conditions the ship’s arrival was delayed. Nonetheless, actions took place throughout the week against preparatory pipeline work, including disruption of dredging work designed to create the trench for the pipe, site invasions into Shell’s compound, and a visit by Shell to Sea kayakers to the Solitaire.

Friday the 29th of August saw better weather conditions and the arrival of the winching rig and cable and the return of the dredging machine into the bay.

The Navy also arrived (the first time the Navy has ever been used in an operation against a civil demonstration).

If the good weather holds, Shell will attempt to complete the near shore part of the pipeline in the next few days.

Believed to be booked up for the next 2 years, the Solitaire has a very short time frame to complete its part in the pipeline construction. Resistance now is crucial and the Rossport community have made a call out for people to come to the area to support the campaign. Check out feature additions and comments for regular updates.

Reports: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

The rest of the article outlines some of the recent history of the campaign...

Murder, Corruption and Illegal Logging in Oaxaca

The murder of two radio activists in Oaxaca has brought the repression suffered by indigenous Mexicans into sharp focus. Oaxaca has the biggest percentage of indigenous people who speak many different languages and suffering serious discrimination including the theft of their natural resources.

One such example is the village of San Isidro Aloapam who have been fighting the destruction of their local forest by commercial loggers who are bending the law to justify their activity. Attempts by the villagers to protect the forest have been met with extreme violence leaving many villagers injured and imprisoned. The village is represented politically by indigenous action group CIPO-RFM who have organized a series of media and international solidarity events to highlight the struggle. CIPO-RFM activists Miguel Cruz Moreno and Pedro Bautista Rojas were recently interviewed by IMC UK about the struggle.

There will be a prisoner support benefit gig in London on Wednesday April 16th.

Related links: IMC UK coverage of Oaxaca election 2007: ‘1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | IMC UK coverage of CIPO-RFM 2004/5: Intro | Assemblies | Protest camp | Raid | Repression | CIPO/Zapatistas feature | CIPO Speaking tour

Sea Shepherd activists injured as Japanese military open fire

07-03-2008 12:37 | Animal Liberation | Ecology | Ocean Defence | World

A clash between the crew of the Sea Shepherd vessel Steve Irwin, who is in the Southern Ocean to fight the ongoing Japanese whaling slaughter near the Antarctic, turned violent when the Japanese Coast Guard began to throw flash grenades at its crew. Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd ship was struck by a bullet in the chest. Fortunately, the bullet was stopped by his Kevlar vest.

Other injuries were sustained by crewmembers Australian Ashley Dunn and Ralph Lowe. Dunn suffered a hip injury as he tried to get out of the way of the exploding grenades. Lowe received bruises to his back when one of the flash grenades exploded behind him. Japan is denying that any bullets have been fired, saying "warning devices" were thrown after their ship was attacked. According to the Japanese foreign ministry their coastguard on board on of the whaling ships had thrown a "baseball-sized device, which exploded near the activists' ship emitting a loud noise". However, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has posted a video on their website, clearly showing devices being thrown from the whaling ship exploding and a bullet being recovered from Paul Watson's jacket. One UK activist (from Nottingham) is also onboard the ship, but it has not been reported he suffered any injuries.

Video: Of the incident, made by the Sea Shepherd

On the newswire: Japanese Officials Caught Lying on Firearm Use against Sea Shepherd | Sea Shepherd: Japanese Scramble to Spin Shooting Story | Japanese Open Fire on Sea Shepherd Crew: Three Injured | Japanese Whaling Fleet Confronted By Sea Shepherd | Sea Shepherd Aussie Crew Prepared to Be Taken as Prisoners to Japan | Interview With Nottingham Activist In Southern Ocean On Board Sea Shepherd Ship | Sea Shepherd Receives Message From the Australian Government | Sea Shepherd Finds Japanese Whaling Fleet: They Are On the Run Again

Previous feature articles: Activists Held Hostage By Japanese Whalers In Southern Ocean | Japanese Whaling Ship rams Greenpeace vessel

Links: Sea Shepherd Convervation Society | Wikipedia on Japanese Whaling

Rossport: Another Season of Resistance

22-11-2007 10:09 | Rossport Solidarity | Ecology | World

Since 2000 the small rural community of Rossport, County Mayo, Ireland have been engaged in an epic battle trying to prevent Shell from building a potentially devastating onshore gas refinery and high pressure pipeline in their remote and environmentally sensitive region. Despite Shell’s status as one of the world’s largest multinationals and it’s enjoyment of the full support of the Irish state, the spirited and effective resistance of the local community means that four years after the refinery was intended to be fully operational, the project is still in its infancy.

For many different reasons the struggle is truly inspiring. The Shell to Sea campaign is fought on a multitude of levels, from the international political arena, to on the ground at the daily picket at the proposed refinery site. It has been an eventful seven years and this autumn has been no exception. Over the past few months direct action against the development has included national days of action attended by hundreds of people from around Ireland, community led direct action preventing preparatory pipeline work and regular blockading of trucks entering the refinery site by those attending the daily picket. Also during this period, campaigners were ordered to leave the two year old Rossport Solidarity Camp. Meanwhile the project has met renewed opposition from NGO’s, including the Irish National Trust, who recently spoke out publicly against the project and outlined their intention to challenge its legitimacy in the European courts.

And of course, where there is resistance, repression follows shortly after. The local court sessions have become increasingly dominated by Shell to Sea cases and protesters have been subject to dubious convictions and excessively harsh sentences, including one woman being sentenced to three months in prison for her part in a peaceful lock-on blockade. As winter sets in resistance continues. The rest of the article outlines the significant events of the last few months in more detail…

Recent Indymedia articles: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | IMC UK Rossport Solidarity Topic

Other links: Shell To Sea | Indymedia Irelend Mayo Features

Films: Policing The Pollution: "Don't Mention The Water." | Stopping Shell from drilling the SAC | Rossport Shell site storming | Shell gas refinery blockade at bellanaboy

Shell to Sea campaign intensifies as work on refinery begins

26-07-2007 02:17 | Rossport Solidarity | Ecology | Social Struggles | World

This summer has seen the Shell to Sea campaign gain increasing momentum as construction of the proposed onshore gas refinery in County Mayo, Ireland, begins. The planned refinery and the high pressure pipeline, which would supply it with unprocessed gas from the offshore Corrib gas field, have been bitterly opposed by local residents and their many national and international supporters, since it was first proposed in 2000. Shell and their partners Statoil and Marathon had hoped to have the facility in operation by 2003, but massive local resistance has meant that four years on, the development is still in its infancy.

Resistance was stepped up following the jailing of three local fishermen accused of assaulting Gardai (Police) during a Shell to Sea picket last year. On Wednesday 11th July, two years on from the jailing of the Rossport 5, these men became County Mayo’s latest political prisoners. The judge’s verdict was met with disbelief by all involved in the campaign and has resulted in an upsurge of community resistance.

Related links : campaign website | recent update | eviction threat | more...

Activist Killed As Nazis Attack Anti-Nuclear Camp In Siberia

24-07-2007 23:00 | Ecology | Repression | World

In the early morning of 21st July, neo-nazi skinheads launched a vicious and unprovoked attack on an anti-nuclear protest camp in Angarsk, Siberia, Russia (see map). The nazis violently attacked activists in their sleeping bags and tents with iron rods, knives and air pressure guns. 21 year old Ilya Borodaenko from Nachodka suffered a head-fracture during the attack and later died in hospital from his injuries. At least nine others have been reported to be seriously injured, one of which has had both their legs broken. Tents were set on fire and several belongings were stolen.

Financial help and other forms of solidarity are urgently needed. See contact details in additions to this article.

Reports from solidarity vigils: Moskou | Angarsk | The Hague [1] [2] | London

Photos: The Camp before the attack | And after... | Articles in English: [1] | [2] | [3] | Articles in Russian: [1] | [2] | [3] | Translation-tool

Links: Indymedia Siberia | Russia Indymedia | Ecological Wave of Baikal | Announcement of the Camp

Two Days of Action Target Climate Criminals

Over the weekend of 3-4 Feb 2007, actions up and down the country and beyond targeted dangerous 'greenwash' being desperately pushed by corporations and politicians. The actions came in the wake of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report released on Friday, which warned of world temperature rises of over 6C by the end of the century. The report indicated that a 4 degree rise would mean a 10% loss in global food production due to draught, flooding, water shortages. While the world slowly wakes up to the magnitude of climate chaos, Shell and Exxon Mobil last week announced record breaking profits. With the figures laid out so clearly, the nauseating hypocrisy spouted by corporations and politicians has spurred action from Paris to Aberdeen.

Wendland, Germany: Resisting Castor Nuclear Transport

10-11-2006 00:22 | Ecology | World

From Friday 10th of November, around 20,000 German police were mobilised to guard the transportation of highly radioactive nuclear waste from France to Germany [Map] in containers called "Castor". The destination was Gorleben a village in northern Germany in a region called the Wendland. Protest actions took place throughout France and Germany, especially on Sunday along the last 50 kilometres of the route on rail, and on the early hours of Monday during the final 20 kilometres by road. For many activists this year's Castor transport was a prelude to the protests against the next G8 summit in Germany in June 2007, where many groups call for blockades motivated by past experiences in the Wendland.

Click here for daily Updates, further Reports and more Photos.

Reports in IMC-UK: Police endanger demonstration of high school students | Nuclear opponents delay waste transport | Attack on anti-castor camp thrown back | More nuclear waste reached Gorleben amid protests.
Photos in IMC Germany: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Photos at Umbruch Bildarchiv
Photo Galleries: "Village of Resistance Metzingen" (de)
Videos in IMC-Germany: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | Castor video gallery in kanalB.

Links: IMC-Germany | IMC Chiapas | IMC-UK Feature Castor Transport 2005

Community under siege in Mayo

Since late 2000 there has been an on-going attempt by multinationals and the Irish state to devastate a remote coastal area of county Mayo with a toxic refinery and a high pressure production gas pipeline. Since the summer of 2005 mass pickets shut down the refinery construction site after five residents were imprisoned for refusing to allow Shell’s sub-contractors access to their and their neighbours' small farms which the pipeline is to go through.

In August Shell announced that they intended to re-take the site in September, however during that month over a hundred people would gather at the gates when ever there was indications that such an attempt was to be made. Shell failed in September, but on the third of October a massive two hundred strong police unit forced a path for Shell. This week there have been sporadic sit down blockades of construction traffic and solidarity protests have taken place in locations across Britain and Ireland.

New: Rossport Solidarity action page

Reports from Mayo: Interview with Rossport Solidarity Camper | Rossport - Shell to Sea Video Report | S2S Oct 12 - 3 arrested in Mayo, Dempsey cornered in Galway | Bellanaboy, Community Under Siege - Day 11