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Solidariteitsacties in NL met Rossport anti-Shell kamp
Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp - 12.06.2009 12:19
In Rossport, Ierland woedt er al jaren een strijd van de plaatselijke bevolking tegen fossiele brandstoffen-gigant Shell en de Ierse overheid. Shell wil een gaspijpleiding door een kwetsbaar natuurgebied trekken en daarvoor moeten natuurlijk ook de lokale bewoners wijken. De campagne Shell to Sea en het Rossport Solidarity Camp verzetten zich met hand en tand tegen de aanleg. Ze sturen deze (nood)oproep tot solidariteitsacties tegen de betrokken Nederlandse bedrijven. Voor iedereen die zich aangesproken voelt.
Please could you forward this information to anyone you think would be interested and prepared to take action in the Netherlands... Yesterday a local fisherman's boat was boarded by 4 masked men (almost certainly Shell security) while he was fishing at sea in mayo. the 2 fishermen, who are very active in the campaign against Shell, were held at gunpoint for 90 minutes and then their boat was sunk. They were able to use their life boat and were later rescued by someone who responded to their mayday call (see press release below).
This is the latest escalation in events in Ireland. The situation is getting increasingly serious. The reason i'm writing to you is because at the moment one of the weakest links in the Shell operation is a dredging company from Holland called Van Oord. This is the first time they have participated in the Corrib gas project and we are hoping that if pressure is placed on them here, and internationally, they may pull out. Their work will only be ongoing for approximately the next month so it is vital that pressure is applied now. Below are details of the company and their offices.. there are a number offices in Holland and addresses can be found at  http://www.vanoord.com/gb-en/our_company/branch_office_selector/index.php . If you can do any solidarity actions, or simply translate the email below into Dutch and get people to write to Van Oord, it would be super appreciated....
This is a request for people to put pressure on Van Oord to help force them from Broadhaven Bay.Van Oord is the company contracted by Shell to carry out dredging work for the off-shore gas pipeline. Today (5/06/09), when activists from the Solidarity Camp occupied one of Van Oord’s two dredging machines, the “Razende Bol”, they were met by severe violence from Shell security aboard the ships. One protester was thrown overboard by two security guards. (See: http://www.indymedia.ie/article/92596 or youtube video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC7xrRQHQ6k ). Following this incident the Van Oord ships stopped working and left the area. Despite official statements from Van Oord claiming that they left due to bad weather, a Shell security guard told people that their departure was due to protester action and that Van Oord were unwilling to work with the reckless Shell security endangering protesters and compromising workers safety.
Van Oord pride themselves on having high health and safety standards (see below); they have stated that they do not want to work in the area if there is “trouble”. It seems likely that placing pressure on the company may help persuade them to halt their work in the bay completely. Below are contact details for Van Oord. Please get in touch with them letting them know that people are aware of their actions in Broadhaven Bay, both their complicity with Shell security violence on their ships and their role in the destruction of Broadhaven Bay SAC (Special Area of Conservation).
Head office
PO Box 85743009 AN Rotterdam The Netherlands
Visiting address: Watermanweg 643067 GG Rotterdam The Netherlands
Phone 31 10 4478444
Email:  info@vanoord.com
Van Oord UK Ltd
Lockside Place, Mill Lane, Newbury RG14 5QS Berks United Kingdom
Visiting address: Lockside Place, Mill Lane, Newbury RG14 5QS Berks U.K.
Phone: +44 1635 529101
Email: infogb@vanoord.com
This is a contact for their 'newsroom', i.e. Media and PR:
A.G.M. (Bert) Groothuizen
Manager Marketing & Public Relations
Telephone: 31 10 4478234
Fax: 31 10 4478100
Email: info@vanoord.com
Van Oord Website statement on their safety protocols:
“Safety is a key indicator of our success.” Their QHSE (Quality, Health, Safety and Environment Department) “also records accidents, incidents and near-misses, monitors corrective actions and conducts inspections on all health and safety matters”. (It might be good to ask to be put through to this department when calling).
Also, “Every year Van Oord presents two safety awards. One for a project team and one for the crew of the vessel. Both have demonstrated their desire to invest in a safer future.”
 Website: http://www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com
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| aanvullingen | | press release | Shell to Sea / Rossport Solidarity Camp - 12.06.2009 12:26
PRESS RELEASE: THURSDAY 11TH JUNE
Local Fisherman's boat sunk by masked men in battle against Shell, Co.Mayo, Ireland.
Early this morning at 2am two fisherman, Pat O'Donnell and Martin McDonnell, were at sea on their boat the 'Iona Isle' when it was boarded by four masked men and sunk. Both men are currently in hospital after having to be rescued from Broadhaven Bay. They are highly respected members of the Erris community, neither of whom are able to swim. This is a sinister move in the battle between Shell & the local community in this remote area of Co.Mayo, Ireland. (1)
This mercenary style attack on local men is a grave escalation of the situation, and should not be taken lightly. The private security firm IRMS is an outside force hired by Shell. Individual employees of IRMS have links with fascist groups in Eastern Europe and the firm has consistently suppressed, intimidated and hospitalised the local community. Despite this, people continue to resist the project with protestors boarding dredging boats twice in the last week. This morning 6 people were arrested in the bay whilst 14 kayakers attempted to disrupt work. (2)
This attack comes in the week when Shell made an unprecedented pay out of $15 million to relatives of the Ogoni 9 for malpractices in the Niger Delta in the early 1990's. Shell have not learnt their lesson. Violence against the Erris community is being used to force through this project just as violence was used against the people of the Niger Delta.
Maura Harrington, spokesperson for Shell to Sea said " Will Shell stop at nothing to stamp down on the protest here on Mayo? This attack on Pat and Martin and their boat is nothing short of disgusting & could esily have been even more dangerous as neither man can swim.Those opposing the project are now in fear of thier lives."
(1) Shell is attempting to build a raw gas pipeline from a well head in the Atlantic to a terminal at bellanaboy, Erris. They are currently trying to build the offshore section of the pipe which runs through Broadhaven bay; a special area of conservation. This is a designated protected area under EU legislation as it is a breeding ground for whales & dolphins & has significant bird populations including wintering Brent Geese.
(2) Tuesday 1st June kayaking protestors paddled out to the dredging boats in Broadhaven bay & two people boarded the boat, occupying the crane on board for 10 hours.
On Friday 4th June one man managed to board the dredger again & made his escape after 3 hours by diving off the boat & swimming away. He decided to leave the vessel after fearing for his safety from IRMS security.
(3) for more information see www.indymedia.ie; www.shelltosea.com;www.rossportsolidaritycamp.110mb.com
(4) Contact: Phone: Maura Harrington 00353879591474.
Email: rossportsolidaritycamp@gmail.com
Website: http://www.shelltosea.com
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