Blogging Reykjavik

Tonight people gathered in down town Reykjavik and a few other places around Iceland to protest the Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Dam in the highlands of Iceland. The power plant is supposed to produce power for a new aluminium smelting plant that (to gether with other planned aluminium smelts and or other heavy industry) is supposed to save Icelands economy.
The reason for this protest is that the reservoir of the dam will be 57 km² (22 square mile’s) and therefor drown large portion of untouched wilderness land. The former Minister for the Enviroment (now Minister for Health and Social Security) said she din’t see the problem it was only sand and gravel that’s beeing drowned (that seems to sum up the governments opinion). The environmentalists don’t agree and say this is invaluable nature that’s going under.
Some might say the protest is to little to late since the filling of the reservoir will start next Thursday and the dam is in final stages of completion


Protesters getting redy for the walk


Protesters getting redy for the walk

Signs read "SOS the higlands are calling" "The history will not forgive"and "democracy is not for sale"

Sign reads "I love Iceland-Iceland Loves me"

Ómar Ragnarsson ( reporter, producer and a comedian) spokesman for this protest gave a speech

And the protesters listened
-Kitty all right reserved-

More on this subject can be found at:

Wikipedia.org the short version of the story and links

Pictures by Christopher Lund of the land going under

Slideshow with music from photograper Christoper Lund (hig quality 80mb)

The same slidshow fom Cristopher on You Tube (lower quality)

The slideshow from Christopher was shown on a large screen down town while the protesters were gathering in front of the house of Parliament.