We play tonight at the sold out concert, which highlights the destruction of Icelandic nature. We are not alone at the concert as Sigur Rós, Damon Albarn, Ego, Mugison, múm, Hjálmar, Ghostigital, Rass, Ham, Magga Stína and many more take to the stage to protest. The concert is well sold out, and the mood is exciting in Reykjavík.
The Concert will be available next week, for webviewing, but until then we have an active photoblog from the concert site www.damnation.tv which should carry photos from the event.
The Icelandic Highlands are in Danger.
In east Iceland, one of the last remaining wildernesses of Europe is now being destroyed for an Alcoa aluminum smelter. The Icelandic government is turning Iceland into a heavy industry zone, and seems willing to destroy a vast amount of Icelandic wilderness for that purpose. In September 2006, a series of huge dams will flood an area of highland vegetation, birdlife and reindeer, also causing hazard to seal breeding grounds on the coast. A series of 20 waterfalls will be dammed in a glacial river that falls from one cliff after another, a total of 600 kilometers running from Vatnajokull, the greatest glacier in Europe.
In south Iceland, Thjorsarver, an area that is fit for the Unesco World Heritage list and is the most valuable nesting grounds for pink-footed geese, is in danger. Langisjor, a favorite lake with nature photographers, said to be the bluest lake on earth, is on the National Power Company’s hit list.
In north and northwest Iceland, the river Skjalfandafljot and the Great Rivers of Skagafjordur, the most exciting rivers for rafting in Europe, are endangered.
Glacial water’s silt feeds the ocean but once it is dammed it will only cause land erosion, mud-filled reservoirs and valleys, diverted rivers and air pollution, all for the sake of smelting a few thousand tonnes of aluminum.
Large sums of money are at stake, not money for the future but for a government seeking a financial boost, a high for the economy. We have seen manipulation, corruption, violation of democratic procedures, and even threats to those that dare oppose. We have seen propaganda, boycotts of scientific research and violations of labour laws by a contractor known for corruption. Aluminum companies line up for the cheap energy the government has put on sale.
Nature is under massive attack here in Iceland. However it is not too late to stop this. Please look for more information in the following links.
this.is/nature is the organisers information site
• www.inca.is/show/
• www.inca.is
• www.natturuverndarsamtok.is/
• www.savingiceland.org/
• www.natturuvaktin.com/english.htm
• www.landvernd.is/
•this.is/augnablik/pix/undraverold_joklu/index.html
• Susan De Muth: Power Driven – article from The Guardian 29/11/03