French nuclear test (1)

I sympathize with the French ambassador when he protests against publicity stunts, "Your Letter", July 22, 1995. Publicity stunts, scare tactics and alarmist predictions based on dubious scientific claims are environmentalists' trademarks. They crave media attention. Their maneuver against dumping Shell's Brent Spar oil-storage buoy on the North Sea gave them extensive media exposure. In their latest, they invaded Mururoa's territorial waters with their boat packed with journalists. We cannot accuse those guys of not knowing how to put on a show.

It seems these cowboy-like attempts to show the peace loving versus the big boys may be good for fund raising. Greenpeace's income is predicted to rise from US$130 million to $142 million next year.

Could it be that, environmentalists' fights to save the planet seek media coverage, only going to "soft" targets which are open democratic countries? The Rainbow Warrior did not sail up the Yangtze when the Chinese exploded a device in May 15 this year. There are also the scare tactics and apocalyptic predictions of dubious scientific merit, that, I will leave for another opportunity.

OSVALDO COELHO

Bandung, West Java