Peru Indians Hail 'Historic' Day
Indigenous groups in Peru have called off protests after two land laws which led to deadly fighting were revoked. 
Natives armed with spears set a roadblock at the entrance of the Amazonian town of Yurimaguas, northern Peru, on June 10, 2009. Peru's Congress on Thursday revoked two controversial decrees on land ownership in the Amazon river basin which triggered protests by indigenous groups that left at least 34 people dead in early June.(AFP/File/Ernesto Benavides)
Hailing victory, Amazonian Indian groups said it was an "historic day".
At least 34 people died during weeks of strikes against the legislation, which allowed foreign companies to exploit resources in the Amazon forest.
The violence provoked tension with Peru's neighbour, Bolivia, where Preisdent Evo Morales backed the Peruvian Indians' tribal rights.
"This is a historic day for indigenous people because it shows that our demands and our battles were just," said Daysi Zapata, vice president of the Amazon Indian confederation that led the protests.
She urged fellow activists to end their action by lifting blockades of jungle rivers and roads set up since April across six provinces in the Peruvian Amazon.
The controversial laws, passed to implement a free trade agreement with the US, were revoked by Peru's Congress by a margin of 82-12 after a five-hour debate.
Diplomatic dispute
The worst of the clashes occurred on 5 June when police tried to clear roadblocks set up by the groups at Bagua, 1,000km (600 miles) north of Lima.
The worst of the clashes occurred on 5 June when police tried to clear roadblocks set up by the groups at Bagua, 1,000km (600 miles) north of Lima.
At least 30 civilians died, according to Indian groups, as well as 23 police.
Peru's Prime Minister Yehude Simon said the reversal of policy would not put at risk Peru's free trade agreement with the US, but he has said he will step down once the dispute is settled.
The dispute led to a diplomatic row between Peru and Latin American neighbours Venezuela and Bolivia.
The dispute led to a diplomatic row between Peru and Latin American neighbours Venezuela and Bolivia.
Peru recalled its ambassador to Bolivia for consultation on Tuesday after Bolivian President Evo Morales described the deaths of the indigenous protesters as a genocide caused by free trade.
Peru's Foreign Minister Jose Antonia Garcia Belaunde called Mr Morales an "enemy of Peru".
BBC © MMIX
Peru's Foreign Minister Jose Antonia Garcia Belaunde called Mr Morales an "enemy of Peru".
BBC © MMIX
And, as this article shows, http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/06/24-4, it is widely recognized just how important these people's struggle is, and what is at stake. Naturally, you heard about it here at A.P.R. first! We will continue to follow this important story, and keep you apprised of any future developments.
Something to ponder though, this victory against the forces of greed and environmental destruction was not won by writing or calling politicians, or at the ballot box. But through direct action, by people risking everything, for something they believed in. Just as all struggles for peace, social/environmental/political justice, and civil/human rights have been, over the past few centuries.
Here in the U.S.A., another important struggle is occurring in Appalachia, being waged by mining corporations with support of state and federal governments, against the environment, and the people living in that region. This is the fight to continue the incredibly destructive and short-sighted practice called "MOUNTAIN-TOP REMOVAL". A method of removing shallow seams of coal by blasting aw
ay entire tops of hills and mountains to access the coal seams, and filling in adjacent valleys with the rubble. The pictures and stories of the devastation are incredible, all done to deliver just 7 percent of the U.S.'s yearly coal needs for power generation. Thousands of tons of dynamite and ammonium nitrate explosives are used daily, mainly in West Virginia, in this process. The article below comes from acclaimed climate scientist Dr. James Hansen, who was one of the first researchers to start highlighting the perils of increasing CO2 and methane atmospheric levels, due to fossil fuel combustion.
ay entire tops of hills and mountains to access the coal seams, and filling in adjacent valleys with the rubble. The pictures and stories of the devastation are incredible, all done to deliver just 7 percent of the U.S.'s yearly coal needs for power generation. Thousands of tons of dynamite and ammonium nitrate explosives are used daily, mainly in West Virginia, in this process. The article below comes from acclaimed climate scientist Dr. James Hansen, who was one of the first researchers to start highlighting the perils of increasing CO2 and methane atmospheric levels, due to fossil fuel combustion. 
A Plea To President Obama: End Mountaintop Coal Mining
Tighter restrictions on mountaintop removal mining are simply not enough. Instead, a leading climate scientist argues, the Obama administration must prohibit this destructive practice, which is devastating vast stretches of Appalachia.
by James Hansen
President Obama speaks of “a planet in peril.” The president and the brilliant people he appointed in energy and science know that we must move rapidly to carbon-free energy to avoid handing our children a planet that has passed climate tipping points.The science is clear. Burning all fossil fuels will destroy the future of young people and the unborn. And the fossil fuel that we must stop burning is coal. Coal is the critical issue. Coal is the main cause of climate change. It is also the dirtiest fossil fuel — air pollution, arsenic, and mercury from coal have devastating effects on human health and cause birth defects.
We must make clear that we the people want a move toward a rapid phase-out of coal emissions now.
Recently, the administration unveiled its new position on mountaintop coal mining and set out a number of new restrictions on the practice in six Appalachian states. These new rules will require tougher environmental review before blowing up mountains. But it’s a minimal step.The Obama administration is being forced into a political compromise. It has sacrificed a strong position on mountaintop removal in order to ensure the support of coal-state legislators for a climate bill. The political pressures are very real. But this is an approach to coal that defeats the purpose of the administration’s larger efforts to fight climate change, a sad political bargain that will never get us the change we need on mountaintop removal, coal or the climate. Coal is the linchpin in mitigating global warming, and it’s senseless to allow cheap mountaintop-removal coal while the administration is simultaneously seeking policies to boost renewable energy.Mountaintop removal, which provides a mere 7 percent of the nation’s coal, is done by clear-cutting forests, blowing the tops off of mountains, and then dumping the debris into streambeds — an undeniably catastrophic way of mining.
This technique has buried more than 800 miles of Appalachian streams in mining debris and by 2012 will have serious damaged or destroyed an area larger than Delaware. Mountaintop removal also poisons water supplies and pollutes the air with coal and rock dust. Coal ash piles are so toxic and unstable that the Department of Homeland Security has declared that the location of the nation’s 44 most hazardous coal ash sites must be kept secret. They fear terrorists will find ways to spill the toxic substances. But storms and heavy rain can do the same. A recent collapse in Tennessee released 100 times more hazardous material than the Exxon-Valdez oil spill. If the Obama administration is unwilling or unable to stop the massive environmental destruction of historic mountain ranges and essential drinking water for a relatively tiny amount of coal, can we honestly believe they will be able to phase out coal emissions at the level necessary to stop climate change? The issue of mountaintop removal is so important that I and others concerned about this problem will engage in an act of civil disobedience on June 23rd at a mountaintop removal site in Coal River Valley, West Virginia. [Dr. Hansen was arrested there that day! eds.]
Experts agree that energy efficiency and carbon-free energies can satisfy our energy needs. Coal left in the ground is useful. It holds up the mountains, which, left intact, are an ideal site for wind energy. In contrast, mountaintop removal and strip mining of coal is a shameful abomination. Mining jobs have shrunk to a small fraction of past levels. With clean energy, there could be far more, green-energy jobs, and the government could support the retraining of miners, to a brighter, cleaner future.Politicians may have to make concessions on what is right for what is winnable. But as a scientist and a citizen, I believe the right course is very clear: The climate crisis demands a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants that do not capture and safely dispose of all emissions. And mountaintop removal, providing only a small fraction of our energy, should be permanently prohibited.
President Obama remains the best hope, perhaps the only hope, for real change. If the president uses his influence, his eloquence, and his bully pulpit, he could be the agent of real change. But he does need our help to overcome the political realities of compromise.We must make clear to Congress, to the EPA, and to the Obama administration that we the people want mountaintop removal abolished and we want a move toward a rapid phase-out of coal emissions now. The time for half measures and caving in to polluting industries is over. It is time for citizens to demand — yes, we can.
© 2009 Environment 360 (Yale)
© 2009 Environment 360 (Yale)
Dr. James Hansen is director of Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies and adjunct professor in the department of earth and environmental sciences at Columbia University. He was the first scientist to warn the US Congress of the dangers of climate change and writes here as a private citizen.
It goes without saying that we here at A.P.R. fully support the struggles of the people of Appalachia to save their land from destruction. Dr. Hansen, and actress Darryl Hannah, along with dozens of other people, were arrested in direct-action protests two days ago, while blockading a road near a new mountain-top removal site. We are right there with you! What will future generations think, when they see this kind of devastation?
Here in Fairbanks, Alaska, our local power company, Golden Valley Electrical Association (GVEA - a non-profit cooperative!), generates electricity by burning lignite coal (a relatively dirty, low-grade variety). Which comes from the Alaska Range foothills near Healy, 70 miles south of Fairbanks. We at A.P.R. think this is frankly disgusting, for numerous reasons.
One, coal burning is terribly polluting, heavy metals and contaminants in the ash rain out from the plumes, and get into the water supply, as well into people's lungs.
Two, the mining of it, whether through conventional strip-mining (as is done in Healy), or mountain-top removal, is incredibly destructive.
Three, Fairbanks sits in the very large Tanana River Valley, in the Alaska Interior. Colder air in the months from October through March settles into the valley, forming extremely strong, stable, temperature inversions. Which act as a lid, preventing the dispersion of pollutants, holding them in. The picture above shows a late October view from the University of Alaska, looking out over the valley. Two coal-fired power plant plumes are visible, one from the Univ. power station, the other from the larger GVEA plant. These are right in the middle of the population of Fairbanks! All the contaminants from this dirty coal are pumping into the airshed where 80,000 + people live. And when the temperature inversions ar
e very strong, as in November-March, when it is very cold, more coal is burned, to produce the electricity people need for heating, etc.. The emissions of which then settle in over the city, sometimes creating ice fog, as seen below, when temperatures drop to -30 F or lower.
e very strong, as in November-March, when it is very cold, more coal is burned, to produce the electricity people need for heating, etc.. The emissions of which then settle in over the city, sometimes creating ice fog, as seen below, when temperatures drop to -30 F or lower.Ice fog does make for some interesting and beautiful optical effects, and some of it is from the thousands of home furnaces and cars. But the coal-fired power plant components are surely the most dirty and dangerous.
This is primarily why our A.P.R. Chena Ridge Research Centre is located 500 feet above, and 10 km west of the city. To always be above this unhealthy brew, in the warmer (during winter), cleaner air.
Something Interesting at the Hot Springs
Chena Hot Springs is one of the favorite places for everyone living around Fairbanks to take visitors for a soak in the relaxing warm waters, especially in the winter. And, after a marathon, fast-pack, or long ski outing, nothing better than a visit out there to soak some tired muscles.
But something interesting is going on at Chena Hot Springs.
The owner, Bernie Karls, has for some years now, been engaged in serious efforts to develop the geothermal power potential there. Not just to make the resort self-sufficient, but to export power for use in Fairbanks, as well as even generate hydrogen gas. This provides great hope for the future for green energy production and use in Alaska.
However, the fossil fuel industries, oil, coal, and natural gas, are very powerful forces in Alaska politics. And so Mr. Karl's efforts have not been getting the full governmental support and assistance they should, to expedite his efforts to generate and export clean, geothermally-derived electricity. We'll look at the status of these efforts out at Chena Hot Springs, in a future article. Cheers.
