From: Greenpeace via Jym Dyer <jym@mica.berkeley.edu>
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism,talk.environment
Subject: NEWS: French Military Seize Greenpeace Ship (7-Nov)
Followup-To: talk.environment
Date: 12 Nov 1992 17:11:22 GMT
Organization: The Naughty Peahen Party Line
NNTP-Posting-Host: remarque.berkeley.edu

[Greenpeace Press Release from Environet -- Redistribute Freely]

"It is clear that plutonium and democracy do not mix."

 GREENPEACE SHIP SEIZED BY FRENCH MILITARY IN PLUTONIUM PROTEST

CHERBOURG, France, November 7, 1992 (GP) Despite massive
international condemnation, the Japanese plutonium freighter
"Akatsuki Maru" has arrived in Cherbourg and is loading 1.7
tonnes of plutonium in preparation for a 17,000 mile voyage to
Japan.

Just ahead of the freighter's arrival, at 5:00 local time, the
Greenpeace ship, "Moby Dick" was boarded by French marines and
seized. Commandos kicked down the Moby Dick's doors, smashed
windows, and threw crew members and several journalists on board
to the ground. Guns were pointed at the heads of a number of
crew members.

The Moby Dick was towed to the military port and remains in the
hands of the French military.  Meanwhile, 200 local protesters
who had chained themselves in front of the road transport of
plutonium near the gate of the military port, were arrested by
riot police.

"The ferociousness of the military here shows that legitimate
protest is unacceptable in a plutonium state," said Greenpeace's
Damon Moglen. "It is clear that plutonium and democracy do not
mix."

The Akatsuki Maru entered the Cherbourg naval Arsenal under the
escort of four large naval vessels and large numbers of
inflatables with commandos aboard. The town of Cherbourg
resembled an invasion zone with thousands of military and police
personnel moving around in trucks, riot buses and jeeps.

The ship arrived in the Arsenal at the same time as the 1.7
tonnes of plutonium were transported along the 20 kilometre road
between the La Hague plutonium factory and Cherbourg.  The road
transport of 15 trucks was surrounded by a heavy military
convoy.  "Rather than disclose details of their safety and
security measures, Japan and France are trying to launch this
deadly cargo under a veil of darkness and secrecy," said Damon
Moglen.

"It is appropriate that this ship's name, "Akatsuki Maru", means
"Dawn Ship".  Unless the international community stops this
madness, as the sun rises, this shipment will inaugurate global
commerce in nuclear weapons materials."

The loading of the plutonium freighter is expected to take
nearly one day.  The plutonium has been packed in 'casks' which
are in turn placed inside of standardized packing containers.
Each packing container is supposed to enclose as many as 10
casks.  Additional 'dummy' or empty packing containers may well
be included in the cargo to confuse those who might try to seize
the cargo.

The shipment is seen as a trial run for future shipments of
plutonium from the Sellafield nuclear plant in the UK to Japan,
starting as early as 1993. If the new reprocessing facility,
called THORP, that British Nuclear Fuels wishes to open at
Sellafield is allowed to begin operation, as many as 20 similar
shipments could leave from the UK alone.

Although at least 100 countries or territories are potentially
threatened by the Akatsuki Maru's shipment, Japan and France
have repeatedly refused to disclose details about the transport
route and emergency preparations for the plutonium shipment.
"These countries are being forced to accept a massive risk
without having the opportunity to choose for themselves about
how best to protect their environment and public health."

In order to warn countries of the threat posed by the shipment,
Greenpeace intends to follow the Akatsuki Maru on its hazardous
voyage from France to Japan.
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive,alt.activism,soc.culture.latin-america