Arianne Kassman, Climate Warrior from PNG flanked by two 350 PNG volunteers
“When did it become acceptable to move people away from their birth place, away from the land of their forefathers, away from the birth of their traditions and cultures, and away from the land that forms the basis of their identity?”
These are questions that 24 year old Climate Warrior from Papua New Guinea (PNG) Arianne Kassman, are asking Australia, and the larger fossil fuel industry, that continuously exports destruction onto her part of the Pacific.
Arianne, and 29 other Pacific Climate Warriors, have organised a flotilla of traditionally made canoes that will peacefully be used to stop coal ships coming out of the port of Newcastle, on the 17th of October.
Earlier this year, Arianne successfully set up a 350.org volunteer group in PNG. She did this in order to organize and mobilize more young people around the country to fight to keep their islands above water.
“The effects of climate change are all too real for PNG. Rising sea levels, inland flooding and landslides are occurring all over the country affecting the lives of the people.”
In an interview on Australia’s Prime 7 News, Arianne spoke about the impacts of climate change in PNG and what it meant for their cultures and traditions.
She fully believes in the role of young people in protecting their island homes. The group of climate warriors are standing up for the Pacific and demanding that the fossil fuel industry stop its dangerous plans for expansion.
“We are in Newcastle to highlight the impacts of climate change in the islands and also point out that Australia’s continued commitment to the expansion of the coal industry and increasing coal exports is worsening the impacts of climate change, not only in PNG, but across the Pacific region.”
Arianne Kassman, Climate Warrior from Papua New Guinea