Press release - November 5, 2003
MUMBAI, India — SV Rainbow Warrior, the icon of the environmental pressure group Greenpeace fleet, docked at Mumbai’s Ferry Wharf this morning for a month-long tour of the sub-continent to strengthen Greenpeace India’s campaign for Corporate Accountability.
The ship was given a warm welcome by the sailing community of
Mumbai who turned up in their sail boats and yachts at Dolphin
point to receive her. The tour is seen as part of a global movement
to change the climate of opinion against irresponsible corporations
and dirty industrial practices and to turn the tide in favour of
fundamental human rights to clean water, health and
environment.
Rainbow Warrior's maiden voyage to India in 1999, as part of the
Toxic Free Asia Tour, with the message of "No More Bhopals"
focussed on the ongoing chemical disaster in Bhopal as well as 'The
Thousand Bhopals' around the country. For four years since then
Greenpeace has been campaigning in India and around the world to
make people aware of risks to their health and the environment from
toxic chemicals and rampant dumping of obsolete and hazardous
technologies in the developing countries.
"Besides exposing industries and corporations that continue to
poison our bodies and planet with toxic chemicals, this tour will
revisit shipbreaking yards in the country to expose European
ship-owners who continue to dump ships-for-scrap and toxic wastes
on our shores in clear violation of Basel Convention and Indian
Supreme Court directives." said G. Ananthpadmanabhan, Executive
Director of Greenpeace India. "Greenpeace is calling for an
international convention on corporate accountability to firmly put
in place systems to ensure corporate liability, polluter pays and
precautionary principles," he added.
"For the crew of the Rainbow Warrior, this tour is also a
well-timed follow up to the 1999 Toxic Free Asia Tour. Greenpeace
has traditionally used its marine fleet to focus international
attention on crimes against the environment, the people or entire
eco-systems of a particular region. In India, we'll be focusing on
crimes related to Toxic pollution, and of course, putting out the
message that the world must Remember Bhopal!" Cosmo Wassenaan,
Captain of the Rainbow Warrior
For more details contact : Namrata Chowdhary, Media Officer,
Greenpeace India
- Tel - 022 31520697/ (0)9810850092
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