By Bernie Bell
Having read this item in TON https://theorkneynews.scot/2022/02/16/scapa-flow-and-north-orkney-designated-marine-special-protection-areas/, someone sent me an email telling of his own experience of the kind of intimidation which conservationists can encounter when faced with the Money Men of this world, and referring to the experiences of a conservation scientist who tried to raise the alarm about seabird deaths in the Falklands Islands and was subjected to all kinds of harassment, including false arrests and threats of imprisonment and deportation.
Here are links to the relevant stories ……..
http://falklands.net/InTheNewspapers.shtml
My correspondent is currently reading Mike Bingham’s book “The Falklands Regime” (Authorhouse, 2005) which tells the story of what happened to wildlife in the Falkland Islands and what happened to him when he was hired to investigate this, which would be unbelievable were it not that conservationists have repeatedly encountered this kind of intimidation all over the world.
Dr. Bingham has since had court judgments in his favour, and my correspondent feels that a case might be made for highlighting his story and saying, “This is not what we want to happen here.”
To be fair, I don’t see this kind of intimidation happening here in Orkney! But I agreed that it might be worth mentioning this kind of issue, considering the secrecy which surrounds so much of OIC’s decision making.
As my correspondent said – just a thought.
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