Dear friends and supporters

If you have been following the news in Portugal, you will have noticed that the government is hell bent on destroying our country as they pursue their dream of exploration for gas through fracking in Bajouca and Aljubarrota, and for lithium and other minerals using open-pit mining technology in many areas in Portugal. At last count (+-250 areas), means that most of Portugal will be impacted one way or another with very few areas escaping this concerted war on people and nature.

If you add to mining and oil & gas exploration threats, the massive increase in agricultural mono cultures, such as the biggest avocado plantation in Barão de São João, just outside Lagos in the Algarve, as well as many other major mono cultures in the Alentejo, you will understand as to why we are all feeling overwhelmed by the magnitude of destruction that the government is busy authorising left right and centre.

We are under no illusion and know that the negative impacts of planed operations for a country as small as Portugal is beyond belief. What all the above-mentioned projects have in common is a guarantee that our fresh water resources, our air, and our way of life will be directly negatively impacted.

At ASMAA we are being contacted daily with requests for assistance.

Many are calling for our active involvement in above projects as well as in many others. But our hands are tied at present … we still have massive legal debts hanging over our necks from fighting to safeguard the Algarve – a campaign lasting nearly 9 years - and there’s no way that we can get involved in any further legal fight until we cover all the legal and campaigning debt backlog.

Although we are deeply grateful to the handful of people that has kept on donating and has assisted us along the years, the reality is that it’s becoming harder and harder for us to do what we are good at.

This set of circumstances has had tremendous negative impacts on the health and well being of many in our team, while many of you just continued with your life without a worry, as after all ASMAA was looking after your personal interests :-( ...

If any of you is under the impression that it’s all over and that the Algarve is now safe, the reality is that once fracking goes ahead in the center of Portugal, it will be just a question of time before the Algarve will be under attack once again from oil exploration companies. In fact, we expect that international tenders will be going out shortly, either during the Christmas break or very early in the new year.

Even if we do not get involved in any further legal actions in the near future, and just want to keep you duly informed as so many of you are asking of us, the reality is that the demand for funds to cover the resources needed to research, and report is getting harder and harder to finance and run without having access to funds to cover just the basic running costs.

We, ourselves will no longer reach into our own pockets to keep on funding campaigns and to keep you duly informed, our investment has been enormous, not only in time resources that we have given freely, but also in hard cash, because its becoming clear to us with each passing day, that many appear to be just on a free ride - after all someone else has been carrying the cost of trying to protect their own personal interests. 

But if you really love Portugal, if you really want to protect your resources and your way of life, donate now.

The festive season is just around the corner … your donation will greatly help ASMAA to continue doing what we are good at - we have proven it, over and over - we are good at looking after everyone's interests, not selfishly, just ours. We worked hard, and we want to continue working to protect your future, as well as your kids and grand-kids future - as well as our own of course. But we can't do it without the necessary financial backing.

DONATE NOW 50€ | 100€ | 200€ | 500€ or any amount you can spare … TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN CARRY ON RUNNING OUR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS AND PROTECTION CAMPAIGNS

You can donate directly via PayPal (including credit card payments) using email info@asmaa-algarve.org

or directly to Paypal via our website: http://asmaa-algarve.org/en/donate

Or via Bank Transfer (EFT)
BANK: SANTANDER TOTTA
ASMAA Algarve Surf and Marine Activities Association
IBAN: PT50 0018 0008 02686698020 51

REF: LEGAL (if its to assist in reducing our current legal debt backlog)
REF: OIL & GAS (if its to assist in reducing our current campaign debt backlog)
REF: ASMAA (if its to assist us finance the necessary research and publications on our website, so as to keep you up to date on what is really happening in Portugal)

Time is off essence if we are to take positive action. The decision is now in your hands how we proceed in the future. The choice is yours to DONATE ...

We are all counting on you.

Thank you.

The ASMAA team