Beirut, 12 October 1999 - Greenpeace today declared that the aggressive treatment that the organisation's activists and the media received yesterday, during their peaceful protest at the Lebanese Chemical Company (LCC) in Selaata, should not divert attention from the ecological crimes being committed by the company. Greenpeace also accused experts from the Ministry of Environment of misleading the public in attempting to minimise the dangers to public health resulting from toxic pollution.
Zeina al-Hajj, Lebanon Campaigner for Greenpeace Mediterranean said: "Yesterday's events have shown the world the ecological crimes being committed by the Lebanese Chemical Company. Action must be taken to stop this company's polluting activities immediately. The Ministry of Environment has a duty to perform in safeguarding the environment and public health."