The IB report claims that Greenpeace has negatively impacted the GDP growth up to 3% per annum.
The Joint Director SA Rizvi has accused Greenpeace of, "Changing the dynamics of India's energy mix" and the Bureau says Greenpeace, with its "superior network" of organizations all over India has planned and executed anti-nuclear and coal-power related agitations, apart from "targeting" India's IT sector over e-waste.
The use of such harsh terminology is consistent with the tales and well-spun words of those who would chase a profit, over securing a future for the earth. Big companies with deep pockets and vested interests are blinding the good sense of our policy makers and, as it seems, our Intelligence Bureau with pieces of paper to which they've assigned value. And the promise of more paper to be made.
In relation to this, I'd like to add that the IB report has completely glossed over the most important and integral underlying question.
Why?
Why is Greenpeace doing what it's doing?
Is it a terrorist organization which aims to achieve world domination through capitalism? By doing whatever it takes to turn a profit even if it means destroying the very world we live in? The very land we walk on, the very food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe?
No. Those are the corporations and entities that Greenpeace aims to protest against.
"Protest". Not fight. Peacefully. Unobtrusively. Among the crowd, while maintaining the peace and harmony of the environment.
Greenpeace, as an organization, stands to make no monetary gain from its campaigns, which are funded by the public. The public. Let that sink in. Almost every cent spent by Greenpeace in its activities, protests and campaigns comes from people like you, who are reading this. People who want to effect positive change in this world. People like me and you, who are educated, employed, contributing to the economy, paying our taxes, exercising our democratic rights and giving generously to organizations like Greenpeace who go beyond just saying fancy words and operating in the shadows. Greenpeace goes out there and, with the collective might of the people and excellent legal counsel, stands in the face of negative unsustainable development and fight the good fight.
The good fight which is being painted and reported as though it's some kind of terrible anti-developmental anarchist uprising.
Apart from the general harshness in the terminology used in the report, which paints Greenpeace in red, there also exist unfounded and baseless accusations against ex-Greenpeace employees and activists who allegedly helped a Lok Sabha candidate.
This candidate was an ex-Greenpeace consultant. Ex. Meaning former. Meaning not anymore. The constituency in which he was standing for elections is the same one that Greenpeace has been protecting from companies who wanted to destroy its natural beauty and disrupt the eco-system. The report makes it sound like he's doing something absolutely wrong and unnatural. Whereas everything he did was completely legal. He quit his job to stand for elections, he used his knowledge of the goings on in that area to save the area. Is that not what a government official is supposed to do? Take care of his people and the land upon which he stands? Of course it is, but not according to the companies funding the coal and nuclear power plants. To them, a government official or person in power is merely a pawn whose signature is needed on policies and petitions that they draft. To effect the change that they want. The change that will eventually destroy our ecosystem. The change that will destroy our world. The change that Greenpeace, along with other NGOs and open-minded activists are trying to fight in Mahan.
Activists. People. The people of this nation who say no to coal and nuclear power because they know the dangers that they bring. People who are free from the corporate reports and brainwashing that they are constantly exposed to. Open-minded and ready to act for what they believe in. Ready to effect change from the grassroots to the top. Right to the desks of the policy makers begging them to open their eyes and see which document to sign. The one that will ensure renewable power sources are used which have minimal negative impact on our world. Or the one that will doom us all.
I will not use veiled terminology to affect the underlying thought processes of the people and make them believe that Greenpeace is the enemy of progress. I am not a company, I am not a legal counsel, I am a face in the crowd, I am you.
I will say it outright. The only reason we have a negative 2-3% impact on our GDP is because we as a country are resistant to the change and alternatives that are being offered to us. Solar, hydro-electric and wind energy are low cost and low impact alternatives to the constant burning of limited fuels and gives us a way to end the power crisis. There is no money to be made with renewable energy, hence you won't see a company tainted by capitalist greed ever vouch for such alternatives. But the benefit is longer lasting resources, lesser impact on the environment and higher eventual GDP growth. We can see this development if we but see a bit further into the future, at both sides of this coin that's to be flipped.
If we embrace this change to alternative and renewable sources of energy, we, as a nation, will not only develop our GDP, but contribute to a greener, healthier world. A cleaner lifestyle. We can give our children's children a world upon which to stand proud and breathe oxygen and drink clean water.
A few excerpts from the online article (1), if I may,
1. "...accuses Greenpeace of contravening laws to "change the dynamics of India's energy mix".
2. "... Greenpeace's 'superior network' of numerous pan-India organisations has helped conduct anti-nuclear agitations and mounted 'massive efforts to take down India's coal-fired power plants and coal mining activity'."
3. "... It is assessed to be posing a potential threat to national economic security... growing exponentially in terms of reach, impact, volunteers and media influence," it notes. The efforts are focused on "ways to create obstacles in India's energy plans" and to "pressure India to use only renewable energy". "
What the report basically says, then, is that Greenpeace is doing their job, and doing it exceedingly well. They are acting upon what they believe in, in a non-violent and peaceful way, completely within the law.
Stand fast, stand proud. Stand as the vanguard of our Earth.
There is no economy on a dead planet.
Source:
1) http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/ib-report-to-pmo-greenpeace-is-a-threat-to-national-economic-security/
Hamza Chinoy is a volunteer with Greenpeace India.
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