Feature story - November 15, 2005
ZAMBALES, Philippines — One of our activists participating in a peaceful protest against a coal power plant outside Manila has been horrendously beaten by local plant security, who drew weapons and fired warning shots at people armed with nothing but a banner. Four other Greenpeace activists are also in hospital after having stones thrown at them.
German activist Jens Loewe, 36, being looked after by Filipino Pam Palma and New Zealander Debra Gay Pristor after being beaten by personnel of Masinloc coal power plant in the Philippines. The beating occurred during a peaceful protest against coal power plant that is fuelling global warming.
German volunteer Jens Loewe, 36, has been taken to a hospital
after being beaten with a metal pipe. Filipinos Janine Mercado,
Tomás Leonor, Pam Palma, and New Zealander Debra Gay Pristor have
also been taken to hospital after they were pelted with stones.
Read the full story at activist Pam's blog with hourly
updates and audio from the scene.
Unfortunately this is not the first violent reaction to a
peaceful Greenpeace protest in the Philippines. In 2002 during a
protest against the biggest coal-fired power station in the
Philippines a security guard fired a warning shot over the heads of
the activists.
"Greenpeace condemns this violent attack to a peaceful protest,"
said Greenpeace Southeast Asia Energy Campaigner Red Constantino.
"It is disproportionate to the nature of the protest which is a
peaceful, non violent protest.
"We're outraged that the Filipino plant personnel prefers to
protect the interests of a power plant that brings more harm than
good to people. Coal is the culprit here, not peaceful
protest."
Greenpeace activists were at the plant to draw attention to
Australian and Japanese backing of the expansion of climate
changing coal dependency in Asia. "The Masinloc power plant
displays the very worst excesses of the Philippine and Asian coal
industry," said Constantino at the plant site.
Burning coal is one of the primary causes of global warming.
Australia and Japan are underwriting global warming at a time when
the Philippines and Asia are facing the likelihood of devastating
social and economic instability from climate change precisely when
the country and the rest of Asia are least able to deal with its
impacts.
How can climate change criminals
pollute the planet with impunity while peaceful protestors get beaten
up and detained by police?