阻深海石油探勘 綠色和平「泳士」游進紐西蘭海域 | 環境資訊中心
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阻深海石油探勘 綠色和平「泳士」游進紐西蘭海域

2011年04月22日
本文摘譯自2011年4月12日ENS紐西蘭,奧克蘭報導;張昕瑜編譯;蔡麗伶審校

綠色和平組織成員游在紐西蘭東海岸的地震探測船東方探險號前方。圖片來自:綠色和平組織。紐西蘭警方和軍方正密切注意綠色和平組織成員的行動,他們游入海域,以阻止巴西石油公司(Petrobras)在紐西蘭北島的東海岸進行深海鑽井作業。

這些「泳士」帶著寫有「停止探勘深海石油」的旗子,進入海域停在石油探勘船東方探險號前方,使船必須離開其在勞庫馬拉(Raukumara)盆地的路線。

因幾位綠色和平抗議者穿著救生衣游泳靠近巴西石油公司的船隻, 繼續探勘行動並不安全。探測船將其地震探測延後至星期天。

船隻的駕駛員說,他們擔心,當這些抗議者游過船頭時,他們無法及時避免撞到這些人。

紐西蘭空軍從空中監看抗議行動,並確認探測船可以繼續過去一週於海岸12至200海浬所進行的地震測試。

警察在海軍橡皮艇上嚇阻這些抗議者,若他們太接近探測船或是地震探測船海洋先峰號,將處以拘留和罰款。

警察向綠色和平抗議船的船長傳達通知,他們必須離船頭及船尾至少250公尺,並且遠離港口及探測船和支援船的右舷200公尺遠。

抗議者若違反這些命令,將可處1萬美元的罰金或是一年以上徒刑。

自去年六月授予巴西石油公司1.18億美元的五年許可以來,新加坡的東方探測號持續對這個地區進行第一個地震研究。

石油公司希望可在1.2萬平方公里的區域找到液化天然氣。紐西蘭政府同意巴西石油公司開鑿一口天然氣井。

3月27日,由20艘遊艇和小型船隻組成的支援船隊,護衛四艘快艇離開奧克蘭港前往參加當地毛利人te Whanau-a-Apanui部落的活動,以保衛海岸免於石油探勘。

這兩個團體聯合起來,於4月3日星期天開始行動。

綠色和平組織發言人Vaness Atkinson在距離東海岸35哩遠的抗議船上。圖片來自:綠色和平組織。綠色和平組織成員阿金生(Vanessa Atkinson)表示:「在這裡,我們要向巴西石油公司和政府傳達直接且不可忽視的訊息,那就是我們不希望對這片海域進行深海石油的探勘。保護我們的海岸、國際聲譽,以及防止氣候變遷,是更明智且更明確的選擇」

阿金生表示,這些示威者代表了所有反對深海石油探勘的紐西蘭人民的心聲,「這是一個具有風險又危險的行動。」

應該以去年春夏季,英國石油公司在墨西哥灣因深海油井探勘而導致大規模的漏油事件做為借鏡。她表示,紐西蘭人民反對這樣的漏油事件將有可能在他們海域發生。

綠色和平組織成員也提到,地震探測在鯨魚遷移的旺季中進行。而鯨魚的遷移路徑帶領他們直接環繞東海岸角。

東海岸的iwi Te Whanau a Apanui部落表示,巴西石油公司沒有權利在他們部落土地和財產的這片海域中進行任何行動,在沒有諮詢過他們部落的意見之前,探勘的許可不應該核發。

總理約翰基(John Key)表示,他在意的是抗議者停止了合法的探測作業。

代理能源及資源部長帕拉塔(Hekia Parata)於週日表示,她對於綠色和平組織示威者的行動感到失望,他們中斷了巴西石油公司的研究計畫。

帕拉塔表示:「已核發給巴西石油公司五年的探勘許可,將可探勘沿岸可能存在的的石油或天然氣。該公司才剛開始3年半研究計劃的第一階段,而這個計畫導入二維及三維的地震探測。石油及天然氣探測將可爲我國經濟帶來極大的助益。」

石油業陳請者對紐西蘭政府提出警告,若抗議者不停止妨礙石油和天然氣的探勘,紐西蘭將會變成不具吸引力的石油開採地點,而危及上百萬美元潛在利潤。

New Zealand Threatens to Arrest Greenpeacers Blocking Oil Survey Ship
AUCKLAND, New Zealand, April 12, 2011 (ENS)

New Zealand police and the military officers are keeping a close eye on Greenpeace activists swimming in the water to block a deep sea drilling operation of Brazilian state oil company Petrobras off the East Cape of New Zealand's North Island.

Swimmers bearing flags with the message 'Stop Deep Sea Oil' are entering the water in front of the oil survey ship Orient Explorer and diverting the ship off its course in the Raukumara Basin.

The ship suspended its seismic survey Sunday after several Greenpeace protestors in survival suits swam close to the Petrobas vessel, making it unsafe to continue the survey.

Vessel operators said they fear not being able to stop in time to keep from hitting people who swim across their bow.

Today, a New Zealand Air Force plane is flying over to monitor the protest and to ensure that the survey ship can continue with the seismic testing it has been conducting between 12 and 200 nautical miles off the Cape for the past week.

Police officers in Navy inflatable boats today threatened the protesters with jail and fines if they get too close to the survey ship or seismic testing support vessel Ocean Pioneer.

Skippers of the four Greenpeace protest vessels were handed notices directing them to stay at least 250 meters from the bow and stern and 200 meters from the port and starboard sides of the survey ship and support vessel.

Protesters violating the orders could be fined $10,000 or imprisoned for up to a year.

The Singapore based Orient Explorer is conducting the first seismic study of the area since Petrobras was awarded an $118 million five-year permit last June.

The oil company is hoping to find liquefied natural gas in the 12,000 square kilometer area. The New Zealand government has granted Petrobras the right to drill one well.

On March 27, a support flotilla of 20 yachts and smaller boats escorted a group of four yachts out of Auckland harbor on their way to join the local Maori tribe te Whanau-a-Apanui in their campaign to defend the coast from deep sea oil exploration.

The two groups joined forces to begin the direct action on Sunday, April 3.

Greenpeacer Vanessa Atkinson says, "By simply being here we are sending a direct and unignorable message to Petrobras and the government that we do not want deep sea oil exploration in our waters, that smarter and cleaner options are needed to protect our coastline, international brand and to prevent climate change."

Atkinson says the demonstrators represent all New Zealanders who are opposed to deep sea oil drilling as "a risky and dangerous activity."

Referring to the massive BP oil spill from an exploratory deepwater well in the Gulf of Mexico last spring and summer, she says New Zealanders object to the possibility of such a oil spill in their waters.

The Greenpeacers also say this seismic survey is being conducted at the height of the whale migration season, and the whales' migration path takes them directly around the East Cape.

The East Cape iwi Te Whanau a Apanui says Petrobras has no right to be in the waters that lie east of their tribal lands and objects that the tribe was not consulted before the exploratory permit was issued.

Prime Minister John Key has said he is concerned that protesters are stopping legal exploration work.

Acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata Sunday expressed her disappointment at the action of Greenpeace protestors who disrupted the Petrobras research program.

"Petrobras has been awarded a five year permit to explore what, if any, oil or gas prospects exist off the coast," Parata said. "They have just started the first phase of a three and a half year research program which currently involves 2D and 3D seismic surveying. "Oil and gas exploration could contribute significantly to our economy."

Industry lobbyists have warned the New Zealand government that if protesters are not kept from interfering with oil and gas exploration, New Zealand will been seen as an unattractive location for petroleum development, jeopardizing millions of dollars of potential profits.

全文及圖片詳見:ENS報導

作者

蔡麗伶(LiLing Barricman)

In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.