Part G. International Law

Section 1: Greenpeace and the Rainbow Warrior

Section 2: The Pinochet Case

Section 1: Greenpeace and the Rainbow Warrior

Text 1

'Greenpeace' is the name of an ecology group which is based in Britain. Its members are people of different nationalities who wish to protect the environment we live in. They do research, bring problems to the attention of the public and take non-violent direct action on many issues related to environmental protection and pollution. One of the issues which particularly concerns Greenpeace is the damage to the environmentcaused by the use of nuclear bombs in experimental tests. In July 1985 the French planned a series of nuclear tests in the Pacific Ocean. Members of Greenpeace decided to stop the tests if they could, and set off for the area in their boat - the Rainbow Warrior III.

When Greenpeace was preparing for action in the Pacific, French secret agents attacked the boat with explosives while it was moored in Auckland Harbour, New Zealand. Fernando Pereira, the Greenpeace photographer on the expedition, was killed by drowning in the attack and the Rainbow Warrior was sunk.

Vocabulary notes