DIRECT ACTION WORKS! International Oil drilling company Petrobas seismic testing vessel halts operations on Sunday 10 April 2011!

11 April 2011

Message from Greepeace!

GOOD WORK PEOPLE!

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Dear Penny,

Two weeks ago, the flotilla opposing deep sea oil exploration gathered in Auckland, and received a rousing send off.

One week ago, it arrived at the East Cape to an incredible reception from several hundred representatives of local iwi, te Whānau ā Apanui.

Over the past few days, in the tradition of “bearing witness”, the Stop Deep Sea Oil Flotilla has been off the East Coast observing and demonstrating its opposition to the oil exploration.

Yesterday we established radio contact with the seismic testing vessel sent by the international oil company, Petrobras, and again asked the Captain to cease operations.

With te Whānau ā Apanui and members of the Nuclear Free Flotilla we peacefully, but directly, placed ourselves in the path of the seismic testing vessel to prevent deep sea oil exploration continuing.

They have received our message loud and clear, and at 2pm Sunday stated to media that they had halted their operations.

Now is the time for action. We cannot allow deep sea oil drilling to put New Zealand’s unique and fragile environment and economy at risk.

When other means have failed, Greenpeace and our allies will intervene directly to stop environmental harm, as we have done for the past forty years.

You can see some of the latest footage here, and you can send a message of support to the flotilla here.

Direct action and peaceful protest helped to keep New Zealand nuclear free, and helped stop nuclear testing in the Pacific.

Now it will help protect us from the harms of deep sea oil exploration and drilling.

Please send messages of support to the activists at sea here.

Thank you again for your support.

Steve Abel
Climate Campaigner
Greenpeace Aotearoa New Zealand