The Rainbow Warrior sailed out of Ashdod port heading towards the Ashkelon Coal Plant. The Captain sailed thru different security zones and finally we were contacted by the Israeli Navy and asked to turn back because we were in a zone "where other things were happening". We responded with saying that we have no intention of jeopardizing security, that we were on our way out, and were here for a non-violent peaceful action against coal power plants that is causing climate change. Nili, Greenpeace Mediterranean Campaigner against Climate Change, was communicating constantly in Hebrew, to calm them now and understand what we are doing. A high-speed navy boat approached us with a machine gun in front. Getting a radio signal the captain asked us all to clear the deck and get in for security. The press stayed on deck at their own risk. My eye caught the glimpse of a woman at the machine gun. After a few minutes I was up the bridge again. In communication with the media boat we met 2 miles away from the coal loading pier. As the media came, the woman at the gun went inside and the boat turned away and disappeared. As soon as they were gone, a police boat appeared. They boarded the ship without permission, and with their guns, although they were kindly asked to leave their guns behind. As they entered the bridge the media boat also approached us and journalists came on board. The police was was asked endless questions and they tried to appear cool, but what they did was get off board. Go to the media boat captain and threaten him with loosing his licence if he would not take them back to the harbour and not hang around us. As the police boat was escorting the media back ashore. The Greenpeace inflatables were being offloaded for an action. Activists jumped in and disappeared among the waves towards the gigantic coal ship "Cape Heron". Our on board press, a photographer and videographer were there to record everything. As two boats were finished painted our message in Hebrew "Coal Kills" and in English "Quit Coal" on the "Cape Heron". The police arrived and after getting really angry that we were playing chase in the water, their engines 3 times as powerful as ours caught up with us and they pulled our non-violent the activists and the engine keys out by force.
Back in the ship in constant communication, even when they were arrested, we knew their fate. They were pulled to a secure harbour were they were held in inflatables and questioned one by one. Our lawyer was there to defend them.
As we were waiting peacefully, and with some anxiety for our boats to return... The Israeli Navy asked kind enough for 'permission to board the ship.' Our captain granted this permission but they did not respect our no-arms policy. And put our captain under arrest and ordered him to take the ship to the Port of Ashdod. Our captain refused to take the ship with crew already arrested and away, and said that he was ready to take the ship to the harbour only if the police would take all the responsibility... I think that gave this policeman an understanding of what it means to be responsible for a whole ship and the people in it! Later on I caught up with this quite disrespectful man and talked to him about his two children and their future in Askhelon. We talked about respiratory diseases in the short term, rising sealevel and food security issues related to coal, the biggest contributor to climate change. We talked about Israel being a leader in solar technologies and how stupid it is to invest in coal power plants, sending their hard earned "shekels" outside for imported coal. And off the sun and desert in Israel that shines stronger everyday. We talked about the future and why Greenpeace was here...
As we entered the Port of Ashdod we heard that activists were released and on their way back. Our captains arrest was lifted and our activists came back on board. Once again we sent out the message to Israel and allthe world that we need to quit coal if we don't, it will kill our future and the planet...
Dr. Uygar Ozesmi - Greenpeace Mediterranean
Hiç yorum yok:
Yorum Gönder