About 700 people participated despite sever frosts in the
rally for protection of Baikal in Irkutsk. Members of ecological
organisations, members and supporters of YABLOKO, residents
of Irkutsk and Baikalsk and CPRF members spoke against resuming
of functioning of the Baikal Pulp Plant.
The rally organised by the ecological organisation The Baikal
Wave and the Baikal movement was held under the slogans “To
close the Baikal Pulp Plant!”, “To provide alternative jobs
to the residents of Baikalsk!” and “Stop budget financing
of oligarch Deripaska!”
However, an hour earlier three parties – progovernmental
United Russia, Just Russia and LDPR by Zhirinovsky – conducted
an alternative rally in support of launching of the pulp plant.
This rally was held under the slogan “To stop the Baikal Pulp
Plan means to destroy Baikal!”
“IT is clear why United Russia has organised such a rally,
as it is a party of oligarchs and bureaucrats. LDPR and Just
Russia announce themselves in opposition, however only in
the issues of secondary importance. In the important issues
they block together with the United Russia,” Sergei Mitrokhin
noted in his speech.
YABLOKO’s activists from Buryatia despite the obstacles by
the police came to the rally for protection of Baikal. “We
started from Ulan-Ude at 6 a.m. and by the time we reached
Irkutsk we were fined seven times, for example, for the first
care kit. Each time the police checked all the passports and
wrote down our names. Consequently, we came to the place then
half of the rally was over,” said Natalya Tumureyeva from
the Green faction of the regional party branch.
An armoured troop carrier with armed special police forces
stationed by the place where the rally was held.
After the rally Sergei Mitrokhin participated in the round
table devoted to the problems of the Lake Baikal.
More photographs:
"Protect Baikal and save Baikalsk"
Sergei Mitrokhin
"Deripaska - out (Deripaska stinks)!"
"Deripaska, don't stink at Baikal!"
The "alternative" rally organised by the United
Russia (below):
See also:
The
authorities chose to support of oligarchs’ interests and reprisals
against public organisations rather than protection of the
Lake Baikal. Statement of the Bureau of the YABLOKO party,
February 1, 2010
YABLOKO
for Environmental Safety
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