Reykjavík Grapevine - 05.08.2005, Blaðsíða 10

Little Change in Party Support
According to the latest Gallup poll results, support for the different parties
has changed little since the last poll a month ago. 38% of respondents said
that they support the Independence Party, while the Alliance Party received
32%. The Leftist-Green Party went up a point to 16%. The Progressive Party
hangs onto 9%, while the Liberal Party remains steady with 5%. Oddly, while
50% said they are happy with the ruling coalition, support for both parties
in the coalition - the Independence Party and the Progressive Party - is at a
combined total of 47%.
Australian Environmental Minister
Condemns Icelandic Whaling
Ian Campbell, the Australian Minister for the Environment, has harshly
criticized Iceland’s scientific whaling policy, saying that the scientific
reasons are “dubious” and the process inhumane. As Whale and Dolphin
Conservation Society campaigner Philippa Brakes also pointed out, “The
difference between whaling and killing livestock on land is that with whaling,
you are taking it on knowing that a percentage of animals are not going to be
killed cleanly. By definition, this can never be a humane kill.”
Minister of Fisheries Árni Mathiesen dismissed the comments outright,
saying the Australian minister doesn’t understand the facts of the case.
Highlands Animals in Flux
The wildlife in the Highlands is going through changes, some not for the
better. According to RÚV, reindeer have started changing their migratory
path, moving closer to Fljótsdalsheiði and away from Vesturöræfi where they
used to be - an area close to the Kárahnjúkar work site. Pink-footed geese
have also dropped dramatically in number, from 13,000 in 1991 to 4,000
today.
MPs Rated in “Hot or Not”
Every member of the Icelandic parliament has had their photos posted on
the popular website Hotornot.com, wherein people post their photos to be
judged for their general attractiveness. According to the results at the time of
this writing, the “hottest” member of parliament is Progressive Party MP Siv
Friðleifsdóttir, who is averaging 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
The Independence Party is currently the hottest party, taking four of the
ten top seats. Prime Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson is rated 11th, averaging as
an 8.4, while Foreign Minister Davíð Oddsson is rated 27th, averaging as a
7.7. The website includes an image of a mid-twenties male with dreadlocks
dubbed “Heldriver.” The Grapevine has no doubt that “Heldriver” is not a
member of the Icelandic parliament.
Magnússon New Radio Director
Páll Magnússon, formerly the news director for television channel Stöð 2, has
been chosen by Minister of Education Þórgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir to be
the new radio director of state-run Ríkisútvarpið. Speaking to Morgunblaðið,
Magnússon said in part, “I am grateful for being shown the trust to direct this
respectable and important institution, and I look forward to taking charge of
this project.” Magnússon will start his new position on 1 September.
Phone Company Sold
The formerly nationalized phone company Síminn has been sold at last for
67 billion ISK (a little over 1 billion USD) to a multitude of investors. By
government accounts, the proceeds will be able to pay off 28% of the national
debt. Many have proposed using the money to build a new hospital or to
develop Sundabraut.
Surtsey Considered a Potential Tourist
Destination
The island of Surtsey, which was born from a volcanic eruption in 1973, is
being considered a possible tourist destination after being closed to all but
geological experts since its creation. Progressive MP Hjálmar Árnason told
Vísir that he believes Surtsey could be opened to the public, but only “under
the strict supervision of experts.”
The Icelandic Nation Optimistic
According to the latest Gallup poll, Icelanders are very optimistic and positive
about life in general at the moment. The nation is, in fact, more positive than
ever before since the poll was started in 2001. The views of the Icelandic
people are 11% more optimistic than last month, and 15% higher than last
year at the same time, having grown by 13% during the past 12 months.
31 Refugees Coming to Reykjavík
31 refugees, 24 from Colombia and 7 from Kosovo, will be arriving in
Reykjavík shortly. According to Vísir, the Red Cross has been making
preparations for the new arrivals, with the hope that everything will be ready
before primary school begins on 22 August. This is the first time in nearly 25
years that refugees have come directly to Reykjavík.
Three protestors from the campsite near the Kárahnjúkar
work area were arrested around midnight on the night
of 26 July. After chaining themselves to a few vehicles,
they later unchained themselves voluntarily at the request
of the police, but were then arrested. According to
Morgunblaðið, a few protestors also went to the worksite
and damaged property by spray-painting signs and
equipment. Later that night, two men on bikes went to
the protest site and spray painted their tents and their
welcome sign. All parties involved were assumed to be
adults.
The next day, in a statement received by the
Grapevine from one of the spokespeople for the group of
protestors near the Kárahnjúkar work site, the protestors
accused the police of sexually assaulting a female
protestor.
The statement said in part, “The protest was peaceful
and the relations with the workers were friendly until
the police arrived at about 3 AM. The police ordered the
drivers of the vehicles that [protestors] were locked on to,
to start their engines. The police sexually assaulted one
woman while another protestor was assaulted by security
personal while being held by police. Three people are
being held on fabricated assault charges.”
The police have contended that the protestors resisted
arrest. One policeman, who did not want to be identified,
told the Grapevine that he had heard about the charge
of sexual assault. Helgi Jensson, assistant chief of police
in Egilsstaðir, told the Grapevine that the sexual assault
charge was “rubbish,” adding, “These protestors were
fighting the police with all their force.” The protestors’
permit to be in the tent camp has since been revoked
following the alleged incident and were told to move by
noon the following day.
According to Morgunblaðið, the new camp is at the
farm Vaði in Skriðdal, just south of Egilsstaðir. This is
the same farm owned by Guðmundur Ármannsson, the
farmer who refused to sell his land to Landsvirkjun to
make way for roads to power lines, a story the Reykjavík
Grapevine reported on last year.
According to Vísir, the protestors face charges of
destruction of property and in one instance assault,
from Impregilo. Sigurður Arnalds, spokesperson for
Kárahnjúkar, said that Landsvirkjun is considering
Kárahnjúkar
Protests:
The Drama
Continues
By Paul F Nikolov
NEWS IN BRIEF
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