Public invited to learn how to stop the mining bulldozers

Public invited to learn how to

stop the mining bulldozers

For immediate release [06:00am, 25 March 2010]

 Environmental activist group Save Happy Valley Coalition has today offered to assist other community groups and individuals who want to protect New Zealand’s precious areas from National Governments mining proposals. The Save Happy Valley Coalition was formed in 2004, and since then has helped to hold off a proposed coal mine from going ahead in a significant West Coast conservation area.

“The Save Happy Valley Coalitions' methods of non-violent direct action activities have including blockading coal trains, occupying Solid Energy’s offices, and a three-year occupation of the proposed mine site,” said Save Happy Valley spokesperson Claire Dann.

“Our campaign started because we wanted to stop a mine from destroying a precious area. What the National Government has proposed this week is mining precious areas all over New Zealand.  We’ve heard people from around the country promise to lie down in front of bulldozers if the Government so much as touches these precious places.  We wanted to give people an opportunity to train for doing this effectively.”

  “We have some experience at fending off a greedy government, and we’re happy to share our skills and experience in non-violent direct action,” Claire Dann said. “We encourage people to get involved in direct democracy, and do their part to protect our precious places. If we don’t our children and grandchildren won’t forgive us”

For more information regarding direct action workshops please contact occupation@savehappyvalley.org.nz

ENDS

Contact:
Claire Dann ph: 021 032 3335

 Further information:

http://www.savehappyvalley.org.nz
http://2precious2mine.org.nz/