No strangers to peril

JANUARY 11: Since 1971, the world’s best-known environmental activist group, Amsterdam-based Greenpeace International, has sacrificed at least three members and has had another permanently maimed at the altar of action. With a presence in 30 countries, the organisation has run umpteen "peaceful actions" in its quest for a clean earth free of toxic and nuclear waste and weapons. Most of the action, whether it involved saving the Antarctic from commercial exploitation or saving the whales or preventing nuclear testing or agitating against toxic wastes, though dubbed Gandhian and peaceful, often meant exposing the activists to high danger. Its foray into Asia — and into India in particular — was equally dangerous, despite attention to safety. Fernando Periera, a Portuguese national, was killed by the French navy as it attacked and sank the Rainbow Warrior, which was protesting against nuclear testing.

Mark Harding, an American, was run over by the Norwegians during an anti-whaling expedition. He suffered multiple fractures of a hand, legs and skull. He is still recovering from his injuries. Felix Chinh, a French Tahitian, ignored doctor’s orders and suffered a cardiac arrest during sea action and died. Daniel Nanoto of the Marshall Islands may not have known he had a bad heart. He suffered cardiac infarction in action and died. In the sea action off Alang in India, tragedy was just about averted. It was sheer good fortune that Greenpeace escaped with just the loss of a radio set.

The response to its first foray in India was not what Greenpeace had hoped for. No doubt the Supreme Court sat up and took notice of its agitation. But media attention could be described as little more than lukewarm.