A-Infos (en) Russia, radical-ecological protest camp 2005 in Otradniy

Cultural centre Duplo and Rainbow Keepers* of Samara present:
INTERNATIONAL RADICAL-ECOLOGICAL PROTEST CAMP 2005 IN OTRADNIY To take
place in July and August of 2005 in Samara Region of Russia, against a
dangerous workshop for processing aluminum waste in the city of
Otradniy, which has caused suffering of hundreds of local people.
Background of the problem
Since 2002 a workshop for processing aluminum waste has functioned in the
industrial region of the city of Otradniy, which is located 75 kilometers
from Samara. Since then local inhabitants have struggled against the
enterprise, which pollutes surrounding environment with a thick dark smoke.

Workshop is located in one of the buildings of an abandoned, ruinous
factory, and is dangerously close to apartment blocks - only 500-600
meters to closest homes. Workshop is operated by company OOO TD
"Remetall-C", and it was opened without legal permissions.

At first, workshop was working daytime, but due to continuous complaints
from workers of the neighboring enterprises and local inhabitants, working
hours were changed to evening and night.

These concerned people visited city government, they wrote letters to
Putin, to prosecutor responsible for protection of environment, to
administration of the city, to sanitary center for prevention of epidemia
and to prosecutor's office. As a result, officials organized various
checks, and discovered several violations. At first, company was ordered
to change its practices, later director of Remetall-C was fined twice,
with fines of approximately 170 and 130 dollars. Local press gave coverage
to problem.

But these checks had always a routine character, they took place in daytime
when workshop was not active.

Lately these checks have not resulted any sanctions against the company.

Recently prosecutor wrote that it has not recognized any surpassing of
limits of concentration of harmful emissions in the air, and thus there
is no basis for a criminal case. Although to every inhabitant of the
city it is obvious,  that Remetall-C is emitting harmful smoke,
and although workers of the neighboring companies have developed
asthma and strange allergies, and although inhabitants of the closest
buildings may not even open their windows, officials do not recognize
any smoke.

All local inhabitants are against the company, but officials see no evil.
Workshop is running on mazut, not gas, and filter which company bought to
curb emissions is broken and is currently not in use - this according to
information from former employees of Remetall-C.

As all usual means of struggle have been exhausted, local inhabitants
contacted radical ecologists in order to organize a protest campaign.

Who are we and how to contact us?

Radical ecologists are not only known for their protest camps, but also
due to other ecological actions, and actions against fascists and war.
Protest camps usually go on for several weeks or even months, until some
positive solutions of the problems have been reached.

During camp, ecologists organize various actions, performances, concerts and
seminars in cities and villages surrounding the camp.

If you want to participate to protest camp or help campaign with other
means, you may write to ekolager@yandex.ru. Until a special site for the
camp has been created, you may read additional information and updates
from www.duplo.narod.ru. Address of the site of the city of Otradniy
is http://www.otrada.narod.ru/, it has a map and other useful information
in Russian language (you do not have to know Russian to make it there
though!).

Beginning of the camp

You should take cutlery with you, and taking your own tent, sleeping bag and
mattress would not bother either. 1st - 3rd of July camp will organize an
info stall in the famous, huge festival of bard music of Grushin, close
to Samara. The camp itself will launch in Monday 4th of July, a common
transport from festival to Otradniy will be organized this day. Camp will
last until final victory, or at least until end of August.

Camp will be alcohol- and drug free.
=====================================
* Rainbow Keepers are anarchists


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