A call for solidarity actions with Belarusian antinuclear movement on
February 19-21
At the end of 2008 the government of the Republic of Belarus made a
decision to build its own nuclear station. In consideration of the
political regime of the country characterized by a 15-year rule of one
and the same person, it’s not surprising that the public opinion on this
issue had not been taken into account. The construction is to be
undertaken by a Russian corporation “Atomstroyexport”. It is to be held
in a seismically active zone, in a dozen kilometers away from Lake
Naroch, the largest lake in Belarus. The cost of the project is
estimated at $9 billion, but some scientists claim the total cost may
increase.
Such a decision is extremely important for every Belarusian citizen.
After the plans of the government became known, part of the citizens
chose to resist the realization of the project. Numerous actions and
awareness-raising campaigns were held, such as the annual “Charnobylski
Shliah”, illegal actions at the place of the prospective construction,
info-tour through Belarusian cities, brochures and leaflets distribution
aiming at informing the population about the danger of nuclear power.
The reaction of the authorities followed without delay: detentions of
the activists, printed matters confiscations, obstacles to public film
representations and other events, falsification of the public hearings,
prohibition and disregard of the critisism of the environmental impact
assessment, presented by environmentalists and scientists. Neighboring
countries and foreign environmental organizations directed their
censorious remarks to the station construction directorate and made
their solidarity actions with Belarusian activists. Despite public
protests, international criticism, the threat for Belarus to be excluded
from Aarhus Convention and Espoo Convention as well as financial
problems, the government never changed its decision.
Nuclear power engineering will not save humanity: it is fatally
dangerous, expensive, connected with proliferation of nuclear weapons
and hardly helps to avert climate changes. Moreover, the following
facts are indicative of the inexpediency of the nuclear power plant
construction (NPP) in Belarus:
- The place of the prospective construction is not only an
environmentally pristine zone but one of the most favorable places for
wind farms construction.
- A temporary nuclear waste repository is to be located on the
nuclear power plant territory
- Belarus lacks finance for NPP construction and fuel for it. If the
NPP is built on credit, taking into account the current external debt,
not one generation will have to pay out the credit.
- Financing, construction and fuel delivery will be undertaken by a
Russian party. Thus Russian gas dependency will be complemented by
Russian nuclear fuel dependency, which contradicts Belarusian nuclear
lobby statements.
We, “Antinuclear resistance”, an anarchist group, come out against
nuclear energetic s in general and against NPP construction on the
territory of Belarus in particular. Considering independent scientists
and ecologists’ recommendations, we come out for renewable energy
resources use, overall increase in energy efficiency of production and
energy conservation.
On January 22nd, 2010 deputy minister of energy of Belarus announced
that the agreement between Belarus and Russia concerning NPP
construction can be signed in February. That’s why we call upon all
concerned people to make solidarity actions with Belarusian antinuclear
resistance on 19-21 February 2010.
Decentralized actions of any form will help people to get to know about
our problem and stop impudent authorities.