Greenpeace activists set up blockade at Albian Sands site
September 15, 2009
ASHLEY CREWE
Fort McMurray Today staff
More than 25 Greenpeace activists have locked down part of the open pit mine at Shell Albian Sands hoping to send a message to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama and other international leaders.
Jessica Wilson, Greenpeace spokeswoman, said activists entered the site around 8 a.m. this morning and “effectively blocked and stopped production on a good part of the open pit mine.”
“They created a blockade and have locked down a number of the three-storey dump trucks,” said Wilson this morning. “Right now at this very moment, another team of activists are scaling a giant hydraulic shovel.”
Wilson said Greenpeace’s campaign on the tarsands “has definitely taken an international slant in our global leadup to Copenhagen — the most important climate negotiations of our time.”
Wilson explained the United Nations climate conference is being held in Copenhagen this December, adding that this is also a message for Harper and Obama, who are meeting for an hour in the Oval Office in Washington tomorrow.
“This is not just Canada’s problem,” said Wilson. “All the major oil companies from around the world are invested in this.”
Two massive banners, each 22 metres long and seven metres high, have been laid on the ground of the open pit mine at Shell Albian, reading “Tar Sands: Climate Crime.”
Paul Hagel, a Shell Albian spokesman in Calgary, confirmed that operations at the Muskeg River mine have been “temporarily suspended... to ensure the safety of these activists.”
“Clearly these activists are protesting against oilsands development,” he said. “I can tell you that so far the interactions between Shell spokespeople and the activists have been extremely courteous and respectful.”
Hagel said Shell Albian has even provided them with food, water and bug repellent.
“We think this is really important,” he said. “The activists — despite their misgivings — about the oilsands have been really respectful of our staff.”
Right now, Hagel said Shell Albian representatives are trying to establish what Greenpeace's demands are.
“We have extended an invitation to them to leave the mine site and come up to the administration building so we can sit down and have a meaningful dialogue about whatever it is they want to discuss.”
Wilson said Greenpeace activists intend to remain on site for as long as they can.
Greenpeace is supplying live video footage from inside the blockade as well as photos on their website www.greenpeace.org/stoptarsands.
