Greenpeace Fined for Damaging Coral Reef

Greenpeace, like all effective pressure groups, has its enemies. This week, those enemies were given cause to laugh. The group’s flagship, the Rainbow Warrior II, ran into a coral reef off the Philippines. Greenpeace will have to pay $7,000 in fines for damage to the world heritage site. It could have been worse. Greenpeace could have fought the case. Instead, it offered a lesson in how to bury bad news by leaving well enough alone.

The vessel was visiting the reef as part of a four-month cruise around the Sulu Sea (not named after George Takei’s character in “Star Trek”). During that time, it was going to visit not only the Philippines, but also Thailand, Australia and the People’s Republic of China. Its mission was to raise awareness about global warming and to promote renewable energy. Those were the messages,and any distraction was an unwanted one.

So, when the ship hit the coral reef at Tubbataha National Marine Park doing damage to about 100 square meters, Greenpeace could have tried to defend its actions. After all, Greenpeace says the maritime charts showed the vessel to be 1.5 miles from the reef when the horrid scraping sound came up from the briny deep. A statement by Red Constantino of Greenpeace Southeast Asia read, “This accident could have been avoided if the chart was accurate.”

A long and lovely legal battle might have exonerated Greenpeace and the Rainbow Warrior II. But it also would have kept the incident in the press for weeks, if not months. And Greenpeace, remember, doesn’t want to talk about how it damaged the reef. It wants to focus attention on global warming and renewable energy.

So instead, the statement from Mr. Constantino also noted, “We feel responsible, however, and this amount will be transferred Wednesday.” By the week-end, the story will be dead. And Greenpeace can get on with talking about its real concerns. That certainly seems to be worth $7,000. And no legal fees.



© Copyright 2005 by The Kensington Review, J. Myhre, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent.
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