Sacred Nazca Lines Damaged by Greenpeace
Greenpeace Activists damaged the sacred Nazca Lines, huge markings in the landscape known as geoglyphs. On December 8, 2014, the activists put large cloth letters among the images, the closest of which was the hummingbird figure. The vehicles which were driven out into the Nazca Lines caused irreparable damage to the surface of the land, which is why it is prohibited to drive or hike there.
The Peruvian Minister of Culture, Diana Alvarez, vowed to prosecute the Greenpeace Activists for damaging an ancient sacred site, a crime which is punishable with 6 years in prison. Louis Jaime Castillo, vice minister of Culture of Peru, said Greenpeace ignored what the Peruvian people consider to be sacred.
This is compounded by another Greenpeace action taken last week when the projected a message promoting solar energy on Huayna Picchu, one of the sacred mountains overlooking Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
These two acts of vandalism come under the category of, “What Were they Thinking.” The problem is, that they were not thinking and they will be held accountable for their actions.
Peruvian prosecutor, Patricia Bagazo, has begun an investigation of Argentine activist Mauro Fernandez who heads the Greenpeace Andean Climate and Energy Campaign. It is believed that his Greenpeace division was behind the stunt. Charges that will be brought against those responsible fall under the Peruvian Law “against attacking archaeological monuments.” If Fernandez is convicted, he could face up to six years in prison.
See more on the story at the Guardian website. A companion article, also by the Guardian is recommended.
–This item was submitted by Sacred Sites International Site Saver, John Palmer.
Urgent-Action Letter-Writing Campaign
Please write polite letters to the following individuals expressing your feelings about what happened. Please ask Peruvian authorities to prosecute Greenpeace and their “activists” to the full extent of the law for “attacking archaeological monuments.”
Ask the Greenpeace Director, Kumi Naidoo, to hand over the names of individuals who were responsible and make reparations to the Peruvian government to cover the damage. Also, mention the inappropriateness of their disrespectful stunt at Machu Picchu, another sacred site.
You May write to the following Decision-Makers:
Ministerio Diana Alvarez, Gobiero de Peru, Ministerio de Cultura, Av. Javier Prado Este 2465, San Borja, Lima 41, PERU
Vice Ministerio Luise Jaime Castillo, Gobiero de Peru, Ministerio de Cultura, Av. Javier Prado Este 2465, San Borja, Lima 41, PERU
Congressman Alejandro Aguinaga, AAGUINAGA@CONGRESSO.GOB.PE
Greenpeace International, Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director, Ottho Heldringstraat 5, 1066 AZ Amsterdam, THE NETHERLANDS