by Lorie Ann A. Cascaro
Manned by 15 crew members from 12 different nations, the Rainbow Warrior—flagship of Greenpeace, an international environmental organization, docked at the Makar Wharf in General Santos City last November 19. Led by Captain Mike Fincken, it has made port calls in Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines for the “Turn the Tide”—the Rainbow Warrior’s Southeast Asia tour.
“The Rainbow Warrior is the symbol of positive change and represents people’s struggle for a cleaner, greener and peaceful future. We are honored to be part of the movement in the Philippines that aims to make green development a reality,” Fincken said.
Greenpeace communications officer Lea Guerrero said the organization supports the community of Maasim, Sarangani in its struggle against the plan of putting up a coal plant within the area.
“Greenpeace believes that clean, renewable energy is crucial for genuine development. Our message is clear: sustainability and economic development go hand in hand. Destructive, carbon intensive fossil-based fuel systems have given rise to the most urgent environmental threats that our country and the world face today,” said Mark Dia, Greenpeace Southeast Asia Philippines country representative.
Challenging the Aquino administration’s political will, Dia said that now is the time to intervene before more coal plants are built on the island. “Mindanao, with a renewable energy scenario, opens doors to a green development pathway for the island, and less conflict with equal access to, and sovereignty of, energy for all,” he added.
The organization is advocating for an Energy Revolution that lets the community quit coal in favor of wind power and solar energy as well as the protection of forests.
Inspired by a North American Indian prophecy which foretells a time when human greed will make the Earth sick, and a mythical band of warriors will descend from a rainbow to save it, the original Rainbow Warrior (I) was bombed in 1985 by French government secret agents in an attempt to foil protests against their nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific.
Sailing for the past 21 years against whaling, war, climate change and other environmental crimes, the 55-year old Rainbow Warrior (II) will retire in Amsterdam, The Netherlands where it will be converted into a museum right after its visit to Gensan, making this its first and last stop in Mindanao.
