YOUR MAIL HAS PERHAPS TIPPED THE SCALE ? BUT IT'S NOR OVER YET :
(a Proact follow-up will be prepared)
UPDATE from MOSCOW
<...>
Campaign to Support Danube Biosphere Reserve
PELICANS AND SWANS "NESTED" NEAR UKRAINIAN EMBASSY IN MOSCOW
December 6, 2002 more than 60 people gathered in the centre of
Moscow, in front of the Ukrainian Embassy. The environmentalists and
students of Moscow universities have carried out the dramatized
action against the construction of a navigational canal between the
Danube - the Black Sea through the Danube Delta Biosphere reserve,
which is situated on the territory of Ukraine. Several students
dressed up as birds and constructed a large nest in front of the
embassy and laid symbolic 'eggs' there.
In spite of hard frost and biting wind, the "pelicans" and "swans",
driven away from the Danube Biosphere reserve, built their nest
right in the centre of Moscow, symbolically asking for asylum from
the representatives of the Ukraine authorities.
The "birds" were compelled to take this action, because in the case
of construction of a navigation canal through the Danube reserve
many birds listed in the Red Book, as well as other animals, will
lose their habitat, and nature an area of world importance; -
UNESCO's biosphere reserve would be destroyed.
About 20 minutes after the beginning of action, Igor Berezkin, the
First Secretary of the embassy of Ukraine came out of the embassy to
the participants of the action. The "birds" handed him over 1
thousand signatures gathered in Moscow in support of the Danube
Biosphere reserve. It is necessary to say that the officials of such
a rank very rarely (almost never) come out to the participants of
such pickets. Mr Berezkin asked which organizations were taking part
in the action. He said also that to date seven of eight variants of
the canal building were being discussed. He asked also why the
participants of the picket spoke out in support of the reserve,
which is situated on the territory of another country. The answer
was that the action has no hidden political motives, and the
environmental activists are anxious about observance of the law and
conservation of nature heritage, the value of which extends beyond
the state boundaries.
The action was organized by Nature Conservation brigade of the
Biology Department of Moscow State University (with support of the
Movement of Nature Conservation Brigades) and the International
Socio-ecological Union (ISEU). The activist from Kiev Ecological and
Cultural Centre (Ukraine) came to Moscow especially for
participation in the action.
Photos from the action are available on the website of the Campaign
of ISEU in support of the Danube Delta Biosphere reserve:
URL: http://www.seu.ru/projects/eng/dunay/piket.htm
***
THE FAX AND MAIL CAMPAIGN
Over the past ten days the public figures, scientists and
conservationists from Russia and other countries have sent emails,
letters and telegrams with expression of their protest against
construction of the canal through the Danube Biosphere reserve to
the President of Ukraine, the Parliament, the Government, the
Ministry of Transport of Ukraine, the municipal council of Vilkovo
town (where the administration of the reserve is situated) and other
state bodies. Such protests have been received from more that 25
countries. Under the influence of this public campaign President
Kuchma decided not to sign the decree on channel construction
immediately. He passed this issue to the National Safety Council,
which meets in January.
We thank everyone who has already sent the letters, emails and faxes
to the Ukrainian government. YOUR VOICES MADE A DIFFERENCE!!!!
Please to continue your support, because it is not over - the
Council is a form of faceless irresponsibility!
<...>
David
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