Milieubeweging onder vuur
Het verzet tegen de activiteiten van de milieubeweging groeit.
Eerder schreef ik over de kritiek die van de Indiase autoriteiten op de milieubeweging, in het bijzonder Greenpeace.
In vervolg daarop heeft de Indiase regering nu besloten de buitenlandse financiële steun aan Greenpeace aan banden te leggen.
Onder de titel, 'Greenpeace funds hit Home barrier', schreef Varghese K. George daarover in 'The Hindu':
Greenpeace was specifically targeted because the IB report had charged it with orchestrating "massive efforts to take down Indias coal-fired power projects and mining activity."
Following an Intelligence Bureau (IB) report that alleged foreign-funded NGOs were creating obstacles to Indias economic growth, the Home Ministry has clamped down on Greenpeace, an international campaign group present in 40 countries.
In a letter dated 13th June, the Ministry has directed the Reserve Bank of India that all foreign contributions originating from Greenpeace International and Climate Works Foundation two principal international contributors to Greenpeace India Society must be kept on hold until individual clearances are obtained from the Ministry for each transaction.
The RBI has been asked to direct banks to this effect. The central bank has also been asked to report to the government if any government department or institution is receiving such funds.
Greenpeace was specifically targeted because the IB report had charged it with orchestrating massive efforts to take down Indias coal-fired power projects and mining activity.
Lees verder hier.
Hoewel begrijpelijk vanuit het gezichtspunt van de Indiase regering, schept deze beslissing toch een onwenselijk precedent. Met een soortgelijke redenering zouden landen buitenlandse hulpstromen voor bijvoorbeeld democratische bewegingen, steun aan politieke gevangenen, mensenrechtenactiviteiten en scholing voor meisjes kunnen blokkeren.
Maar niet alleen India ergert zich aan de activiteiten van de milieubeweging, ook de NAVO. In een recente voordacht in 'Chatham House' (het Britse 'Clingendael') beschuldigde NAVO SecretarisGeneraal Rasmussen Rusland van steun aan anti-'fracking'-acties van de milieubeweging.
Onder de titel, 'Putin has spy plot to halt fracking in UK, warns Nato chief: 'Agents are working with campaigners to make sure Europe still has to rely on Russian energy'', schreef John Stevens in 'The Daily Mail':
Russian agents are secretly working with environmental campaigners to halt fracking operations in the UK and the rest of Europe, the head of Nato warned yesterday.
Vladimir Putins government has engaged actively with green groups and protesters in a sophisticated operation aimed at maintaining Europes reliance on energy exports from Moscow, said Nato Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen.
He said the Russians had mounted a highly developed disinformation campaign to undermine attempts to exploit alternative energy sources such as shale gas.
Moves to start fracking in the UK have been disrupted following a sustained campaign by environmentalists that has created fears about its impact.
Speaking at the Chatham House foreign affairs think-tank in London, Mr Rasmussen said: I have met allies who can report that Russia, as part of their sophisticated information and disinformation operations, engaged actively with so-called non-governmental organisations environmental organisations working against shale gas to maintain European dependence on imported Russian gas.
He declined to give fuller details of the alleged plot, but said: That is my interpretation.
He would not say what form the Russians apparent engagement with the environmentalists took or whether groups concerned were aware that they were dealing with Moscows agents.
According to Mr Rasmussen, who supports the experimental fracking operations, improving energy security is of the utmost importance and requires European nations to develop more diverse sources of supply. ...
David Cameron has told opponents to embrace fracking as part of efforts to reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies.
Mr Rasmussens comments drew an angry response from Greenpeace, which saw a group of activists threatened with up to 15 years in jail last year after they staged an anti-drilling protest on a Russian off-shore oil platform.
A Greenpeace spokesman said: The idea were puppets of Putin is so preposterous that you have to wonder what theyre smoking over at Nato HQ.
Mr Rasmussen should spend less time dreaming up conspiracy theories and more time on the facts.
Lees verder hier.
Dit alles doet sterk denken aan beschuldigingen aan het adres van de antikernwapenbeweging, waarin MientJan Faber een belangrijke rol speelde, in een grijs verleden, Die hebben destijds acties gevoerd tegen de plaatsing van kruisraketten in Nederland. Zij zouden bij hun acties instructies en mogelijk geld van de Sovjets hebben ontvangen. Alhoewel er ongetwijfeld contacten zijn geweest, heb ik nooit de indruk gehad dat de invloed van de SovjetUnie een beslissende of zelfs een belangrijke rol heeft gespeeld. Dat was ook niet nodig want de autochtone krachten waren fanatiek genoeg.
Dat lijkt mij ook het geval waar het de protesten tegen 'fracking' betreft.
Voor mijn eerdere DDSbijdragen zie hier.
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