MediaVigil, Journal of Global Communications and Justice

New Evidence Confirm Star Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Lines Deceived German Authorities to Dispose of the Toxic Laden SS Norway to India Brussels; New Delhi; 30 June 2006: The NGO Platform on Shipbreaking, a global coalition of human rights and environmental groups working to uphold environmental justice, released a report today revealing new evidence that the third largest cruise operator in the world, Star Cruises Ltd and its subsidiary, Norwegian Cruise Lines, withheld vital information from German authorities, when they sought permission to allow their toxic waste laden vessel, the SS Norway, to depart from the Port of Bremerhaven on 25 May 2005 to Asia. The Report reveals that as early as December 2004, SCL and NCL formed the intent to dispose of the vessel, which they did not disclose to German authorities, and instead claimed that the SS Norway was going to Asia for repairs. The Report entitled, “Star Cruises Ltd and Norwegian Cruise Lines: Deceiving Germany and Violating In

SC marks Environment Day; Allows import of asbestos-laden ship In an ironical commemoration of the World Environment Day, the Indian Supreme Court on 5th June went against its own 1997 order and subsequent order of 14 th October 2003 prohibiting import of hazardous wastes by permitting SS Blue Lady, a ship containing 1240 MT of toxic asbestos, to enter Indian waters. Indian media failed to take note of the fact that the the court allowed anchoring of the ship on humanitarian grounds and not on legal grounds. The fact is that there is no legal ground for it to be allowed because its a case of illegal traffic of a toxic ship. The ship under tow left Malaysia on May 5, 2005 , after having fraudulently declared to port authorities there that it was destined for repairs in Dubai . The ship has made several attempts to reach scrap yards, including an aborted attempt late last year when the Bangladesh Government prohibited the toxic ship from entering the country on health and en

June 15 2006: Global Day of Solidarity with Iraq Journalists in the Frontline of the Deadliest Media War in History The International Federation of Journalists, joined by the Iraqi Syndicate of Journalists and the Kurdish Association of Journalists, today launched a global campaign to end the terrifying ordeal of journalists in Iraq where at least 128 media staff have been killed and hundreds more injured or disabled in what has become the deadliest media war in modern history. The General Secretary of the IFJ, Aidan White, speaking to journalists in Dubai, said the campaign was backed by journalists’ groups across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as throughout the IFJ’s international network. “Iraqi journalists are the real heroes of this war,” said White. “Every day they take risks and make sacrifices that must be recognised in the crucial fight for freedom and democracy in Iraq,” he said. On June 15th – Iraq’s National Day of the Press – there will be de