The 213° week of the vigil
in front of WHO
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Jeannine Naudinet - from 4th to 8th June 2007 Olivier Désire - from 11st to 15th June 2007 Anne-Marie Dupuis and Cécile Ziélinski - from 18th to 22nd June 2007 François Gillard and Rolande Coquard - from 25th to 29th June 2007 Michel Fernex, Wladimir Tcherkoff and Chris Busby - 27th June 2007 |
from 4th to 8th June 2007
So here I am…. back in Suresnes late afternoon on Saturday 5th.
It was a good visit, the weather was the way it usually is at this time of year, apart from a huge storm on the way back to Carole’s in the evening, two days before I left. Carole helped me for the first two days, because in spite of the good weather, it’s a bit of a pain on your own. Doing nothing, or not much! I had quite a few visitors and “interested parties” and “passers-by”, people from WHO, and others who agreed to take some of our pamphlets (press reviews) in English or French. Most of the people who came to see us were in favour of our action, apart from two men who were not in agreement, but the discussion remained calm and polite on both sides. I think our continued presence, silent and immoveable seems to unnerve people, particularly those from WHO: little comments like “Wow, you’re still here! Till when? I thought it was over?......” In my humble opinion, their comments, and their discomfort are good signs, at least we seem to be causing them some problems? ! People listening to us, and taking away our pamphlets (press reviews) in English or French is good for two reasons (to absorb the detail of our main arguments that we don’t have time to explain, and at the very least as a written reminder,); for that reason we should always have a good supply of them for when the need arises. So, without making too much of it, I feel quite pleased with my “mission” and wrote it up each day in the little book provided. That’s it……Bye…..and good luck to everyone, to the whole team, to the people who take my place, and of course we aren’t living in cloud cuckoo land, but we’re aiming for victory, when? It could take a long while? But there’s a lot at stake, it’s worth waiting for, don’t you think????.....That’s it!.....
Jeannine Naudinet
from 11st to 15th June 2007
I joined Olivier, who is doing the vigil in front of WHO the whole of this week. I live in Viuz in Salluz about 15 kilometres from Annemasse, just across the border from Geneva, and today the border did not stop the clouds passing over as they did with the Chernobyl cloud. I get here around 10am after car sharing, walking, tram and more walking. Olivier is glad to see me, he didn’t know he would have company. He thought the weather in Geneva would be as nice as it is in Forcalquier where he lives; he’s wearing shorts and trainers! But fortunately, like me , he has brought a big plastic waterproof mac. We get to know each other, swop life stories, our everyday lives, our various ecological commitments... We also note that 4 by 4’s, Mercedes, Audi etc are going to be part of our landscape today. The rain stops and Olivier takes out of his bag an artisan style bottom rest made from an old broom handle and a (comfortable) bicycle seat, which then changes ownership every fifteen minutes and eases our backs and legs! At meal times, we decide that our professional obligations require us to take it in turns. While Olivier is away, I use the time to read the press releases which I find very well put together (bravo). It helps me to see the reason for my presence here, and that I have become involved in what will be a lengthy action and we must keep at it for as long as possible. I am glad to be here, even if it’s raining and even if the people don’t seem to care, even if…… While I go and eat, Olivier has a visit from a young Ukrainian working at WHO I think, who wants information about our action. She seems interested and takes a press release for herself and for a friend. Fantastic! And another visit in the afternoon from another young person, working in the nutrition department, as far we can gather from our poor understanding of English. At about 5pm it starts to rain again and a long line of empty coaches obscures our view of the many cars leaving at this time: 10, 20, 30, 40 coaches, I wasn’t counting. One thing’s for sure, it doesn’t look like closing time at the factory! Given this enormous traffic jam and because I’m car sharing, I say goodbye to Olivier and set off to walk to the Place des Nations. On the pavements a growing crowd of Indian people who are making for the coaches. The Place des Nations is packed, red and yellow balloons brightening up the grey day. “My” Indians are Sri Lankans who have come to demonstrate in front of the UN, about…..? They’ve got their cause, we’ve got ours!
Françoise Chaffard, Viuz, 11th June 2007
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Anne-Marie Dupuis (Le Puy en Velay-France) and Cécile Ziélinski (Le Puy en Velay-France) from 18th to 22nd June 2007 |
| François Gillard (La Tourette-France) and Rolande Coquard (La Tourette-France) from 25th to 29th June 2007 |
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27th June 2007
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