Anteontem me ligou um jornalista querendo saber qual seria o impacto de um veículo militar de transporte de pessoal (Armoured Personnel Carriers - APC) nos recifes de corais em Díli. Ele disse que ia me mandar umas fotos e queria um comentário para uma nota a ser divulgada para a imprensa.
Primeiro fiquei pensando como seria um veículo de transporte de tropas, ams quando vi a foto fiz logo a associação com um tanque e acho que é isso mesmo que eles são. Falei pra ele que o impacto causado por veículo desse porte causaráim estragos nos recifes e também na cultura local. Os Timorenses possuem uma relação de direito de propriedade bastante tradicional. E que aquilo além de desrespeitar o o meio-ambiente, também desrespeitava as tradições do lugar.
Ai vai a o 'press release'. As fotos foram tiradas por Maria Vasconcelos, que estava nadando na praia quando viu a cena. Embaixo tem o que aconteceu depois.
Aussie Armoured Personnel Carriers damage Dili reef
Three Australian Defence Force armoured vehicles were driven out onto the reef at Dili’s Cristo Rei swimming spot last Sunday morning, provoking outrage from locals.
The attached photos were taken between 9.30 am and 10.15 am, on Sunday October 1, 2006.
Several soldiers are seen swimming and sunbaking, with their armoured vehicles parked on the reef.
Coral reefs in Timor-Leste are subjected to customary marine practices. Over generations of association the diverse linguistic coastal communities of Timor have developed specialised relationships to the coastal waters and beachfronts over which they maintain informal and largely invisible management responsibilities. This is the source of the local outrage.
Timorese reefs were damaged by blast fishing in the period of the Indonesian occupation.
Leo Dutra, a marine biologist at the University of New England, is a specialist in reef ecology, who has worked in Timor Leste. He is available for comment on the impact of the APCs being on the reef.
Timor Leste Democracy Support Network Contact: Peter Murphy 0418 312 301
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=149341
Army admits to damaging reef
Tuesday Oct 3 18:46 AEST
Australian soldiers in East Timor are facing disciplinary action
after driving several armoured personnel carriers (APC) into the sea
and crushing part of a coral reef.
The ABC reported that residents in Dili complained when they saw
three armoured personnel carriers drive into the sea over coral beds
at low tide, on Dili's main Christo Rei beach.
A spokesman for the defence department in Canberra said some coral
was damaged and disciplinary action would be taken against those in
command, most likely in the form of counselling.
The spokesman said three APCs had been immersed in water to test
their seals as part of routine operations.
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