RAINBOW KEEPERS AGAINST THE HIGH SPEED RAILROAD MAIN LINE MOSCOW - ST.PETERSBOURG

part 1

JANUARY 18 THE ACTION OF RADICAL ECOLOGICAL MOVEMENT "RAINBOW KEEPERS" AGAINST THE CONSTRUCTION OF HIGH SPEED RAILROAD MAIN LINE MOSCOW - ST.PETERSBOURG TOOK PLACE IN MOSCOW.

Action's goals were to hand the "open" letter to the Ecological Minister Danilov-Danilyen and to raise public attention to the problem of this construction.

The railway will cross-cut territory of Valdayskiy National Park through the middle of it, destroy large area of forest and intact natural territories. Railway threatens rare and endangered species of plants and animals. But our gavenment dasn't care about this. In other coutries they don't break roads like this through the teritorries of State concern.

The ecological impact of road will spread over ten and ten miles from the road itself. Economical benefit of the project is questionable. It cost over $ 8 millions and it will be built in 2015 and "never be compensated" (European Bank expert says). Environmentalists propose alternative method to solve the problem - cheaper and safe for nature - reconstruction of old railway "Moscow - St.Petersbourg".

At 11-00 AM "Rainbow Keepers" began to picket the Ministry of Environment. They carried posters: "Main line - the Death-road", "Here the place to sell nature". On the facade they placed over 180 feets poster: "Ministry of nature sale". Two participants of pickets asked the secretary to call the Minister to talk before TV cameras. After 30 minutes of expectation some persons were chained by handcuffs to entrance door-handle and blockaded gates of territory of Ministry. Facade of the building was pasted by leaflets. Indignant employees were forced to use spare entrance. It was absolutly impossible for cars to leave the territory of Ministry .

At 12-30 police asked to leave the entrance. "Rainbow Keepers" refused and repeated their demands. Then police applied force to arrest 14 persons. And now they are to be charged by article N 166-1 AK "Participation in non-sanctioned meetings, pickets, demonstrations...". January 25 will be the lawsuit.

Only after journalists left, vice-Minister came out and said that he would agree to receive letter only through ministry reception office.

Protest campaign keeps going now and it's being supported by Center for Wild Nature Conservation, Socio-Ecological Union and Center for Independent Ecological Projects.