Two Activists Impersonating Al Gore and Oxy CEO Arrested for Disrupting Company-Sponsored "Environmental" Conference Gore Urged to Divest from Oxy | Amazon Watch
Amazon Watch

Two Activists Impersonating Al Gore and Oxy CEO Arrested for Disrupting Company-Sponsored "Environmental" Conference Gore Urged to Divest from Oxy

February 1, 2000 | For Immediate Release


AMAZON WATCH

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Santa Barbara, California – Two UC Santa Barbara students dressed as Vice President Al Gore and Occidental Petroleum CEO were arrested and hauled away by Santa Barbara Police today after disrupting the World Environment Center’ s conference where Oxy officials were showcasing the company’s environmental policies. Joined by some 75 protesters outside, the activists were protesting Oxy’s plans to drill for oil on the U’wa tribal lands in the Colombian cloud forest. Groups utilized colorful street theater depicting Al Gore in bed with Oxy to call on Vice President Al Gore to use his deep family and financial ties to Oxy to help save the U’wa.

According to Vice President Gore’s 1998 financial disclosure form filed with the Federal Election Commission (available on-line www.opensecrets.org), Gore is the owner of $500,000 in Oxy shares and has received substantial campaign contributions from the company.

The U’wa people who are the legal owners of the land where Occidental plans to drill, are so opposed to the project that they have repeatedly stated they are willing to die defending their land. A semi-nomadic indigenous group of approximately 5,000, the U’wa believe that oil is the blood of mother earth and its exploitation will bring violence and environmental destruction. Last week, at least 500 and as many as several thousand Colombian troops were sent to secure this area so that Occidental can begin drilling. Oxy has begun constructing an access road to the site. The Colombian Army forcibly evicted the U’wa from their land via helicopters.

“We are appalled that the company which brought us Love Canal and is now threatening the U’wa people in Colombia, is greenwashing its image by sponsoring a conference on the environment,” said Atossa Soltani of Amazon Watch who was escorted out after making an impromptu speech to conference participants.

“We want our so-called environmental Vice President to do the right thing: divest from Oxy immediately and help save the U’wa,” said Alex Pasternak, the 19-year old Gore impersonator who was arrested and later released. Today’s protest was organized by Amazon Watch, Increase the Peace – Rainforest Alliance, Action Resource Center, UCSB Environmental Affairs Board, Santa Barbara Citizens’ Alliance, Allies for Justice, and Santa Barbara Earth First. Groups say that “Al and Oxy” show will be staged again real soon. For more information about the U’wa struggle, see www.ran.org.

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