Topic: The Activists Are flowering Up

[Nichi]

I just couldn't believe my eyes. Next to the Hummingbird, no less.



http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/dec/10/peru-press-charges-greenpeace-nazca-lines-stunt

Greenpeace apologises to people of Peru over Nazca lines stunt

Greenpeace has apologised to the people of Peru after the government accused the environmentalists of damaging ancient earth markings in the country’s coastal desert by leaving footprints in the ground during a publicity stunt meant to send a message to the UN climate talks delegates in Lima.

A spokesman for Greenpeace said: “Without reservation Greenpeace apologises to the people of Peru for the offence caused by our recent activity laying a message of hope at the site of the historic Nazca lines. We are deeply sorry for this.

“Rather than relay an urgent message of hope and possibility to the leaders gathering at the Lima UN climate talks, we came across as careless and crass.”

Earlier Peru’s vice-minister for culture Luis Jaime Castillo had accused Greenpeace of “extreme environmentalism” and ignoring what the Peruvian people “consider to be sacred” after the protest at the world renowned Nazca lines, a Unesco world heritage site.

He said the government was seeking to prevent those responsible from leaving the country while it asked prosecutors to file charges of attacking archaeological monuments, a crime punishable by up to six years in prison.

The activists had entered a strictly prohibited area beside the figure of a hummingbird among the lines, the culture ministry said, and they had laid down big yellow cloth letters reading “Time for Change! The Future is Renewable” as the UN climate talks began in Peru’s capital.

“This has been done without any respect for our laws. It was done in the middle of the night. They went ahead and stepped on our hummingbird, and looking at the pictures we can see there’s very severe damage,” Castillo said. “Nobody can go on these lines without permission – not even the president of Peru!”

Peruvian authorities are also seeking the identity of the archaeologist who led the activists to the site and the plane from which the photos of the stunt were taken, he said. “It was thoughtless, insensitive, illegal, irresponsible and absolutely pre-meditated. Greenpeace has said it was planning this action for months.”
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Tina Loeffelbein, a Greenpeace spokeswoman at the summit, said she was not aware of any legal proceedings being brought against the group. She said Greenpeace was cooperating with the Peruvian authorities and seeking to clarify what took place.

In a statement Greenpeace said it was concerned that it could have caused “moral offence to the Peruvian people”.

The statement read: “Our history of more than 40 years of peaceful activism clearly shows that we have always been most respectful with people around the world and their diverse cultural legacies.”

Castillo responded: “Disrespecting humanity’s cultural heritage – I don’t think that’s the message this summit or Greenpeace is trying to spread to the world! Most of us in the cultural sector agree with the message. But the means don’t justify the ends.”

“We took every care we could to try and avoid any damage. We have 40 years of experience of doing peaceful protests,” Kyle Ash, Greenpeace spokesman, told the Guardian. “The surprise to us was that this resulted in some kind of moral offense. We definitely regret that and we want to figure out a way to resolve it. We are very remorseful for any offense that we’ve caused and we’re very remorseful for that.”

He said Greenpeace met on Wednesday with Peru’s minister of culture, Diana Alvarez. He said the organization hoped to maintain a dialogue with the Peruvian government. He added Greenpeace would take “total responsibility” if any permanent damage had been caused to the archaeological site.

“It’s not a matter of money. The destruction is irreparable,” Ana Maria Cogorno, President of the Maria Reiche Association named after the German archaeologist whose groundbreaking research on the Nazca Lines from 1940 onwards saw them gain recognition and protection, told the Guardian.

The hummingbird etching on which the Greenpeace stunt was laid was the “only one of the lines which was completely untouched and perfectly conserved”, she said. “It’s one of the symbols of Peru,” she added.

Last week Greenpeace projected a message promoting solar energy on to Huayna Picchu, the mountain that overlooks the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu, another protected archaeological site in Peru.

[Nichi]

An apology isn't enough. The defilement undermines everything in their message. Their message isn't about truth, it's about ego. My mind is blown that they couldn't comprehend the lack of respect beforehand. Who will listen to them now? Who should listen to them now?

It's difficult to take it with a sense of humor: oh well, they are human too. The Hummingbird is ruined! It was priceless and eternal.

[Nichi]

And 2 months ago, the same scenario in New South Wales:

http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/09/25/exclusive-climate-campaigners-desecrate-sacred-aboriginal-site

Climate change campaigners violated a sacred Aboriginal site when they committed the ultimate photo-bomb; hanging a banner from one of the Three Sisters in the Blue Mountains near Sydney.


By Tara Callinan
Source:NITV News
25 Sep 2014 - 4:45 PM  UPDATED 25 Sep 2014 - 6:08 PM

Ahead of this week's climate change summit in New York, activists rallied across the World calling for greater respect for the environment.

But in the New South Wales Blue Mountains, activists have disrespected a sacred Aboriginal place and world heritage listed site at Echo Point look-out.

"Nothing can explain the heartache that this has caused to Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people of the Blue Mountains," said Gundungurra elder Sharyn Halls.

"You’ve got to do your homework first and look at what you are doing, it’s just so disrespectful," said Member for the Blue Mountains Roza Sage.

The increasing deterioration of the Three Sisters led to the prohibition of climbing by NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 14 years ago.

"It's illegal, there are fines connected with it and it is against the national parks act to actually climb on the sisters," said Ms Halls.

Global Climate Activist Group 350.org co-ordinated the day of action, but told NITV News the banner posted on the culturally and environmentally sensitive site was not a sanctioned event.

"As far as I'm concerned the people who put that message up there were trying to put a message up there to do with climate action but they've created an environmental vandalism event themselves so I don't think they've thought through what they were doing properly," said Ms Halls.

"Irrespective of what their political persuasion or  ideology is, it is just not right as well as being illegal to put that up there on that area and hopefully it won't encourage others to do that same thing," added Ms Sage.

National Parks and Wildlife commissioned the sign to be removed by a climber 24 hours after the incident was reported.

But that was too late in the eyes of Ms Halls who is seeking a public apology from the campaigners.

"I'd like them to come forward and apologise to the Aboriginal community and the non-Aboriginal community and pay the fines of getting that banner down," she said.

The Office of Environment and Heritage is looking into the matter.

Blue Mountains MP Roza Sage says legal action will be pursued if enough substantial evidence is put forward.


Again, an apology is not enough.