Democracy under threat with German govt’s nuclear policy

The government is discussing using the military inside the country. Will tanks soon be rolling against peaceful squat blockades?

GLS Bank, Triodos Bank, Umwelt- und Ethikbank. These four banks explicitly reject nuclear funding.

German anti-nuclear movement’s 2010 de.indymedia.org (translated by Diet Simon) 06.01.2011 2010 was the year of the anti-nuclear movement in Germany. Not since the catastrophic Chernobyl meltdown 25 years ago were there as many people on German streets protesting against nuclear power production as in 2010.

More than 360,000 objected to the government’s extending the operating lives of atomic power stations. But they went ahead regardless against the will of a majority of the population. Clapped out reactors will be allowed to run for years more, while the nuclear waste mountain grows constantly with no solution in sight.
So have we lost? No. Because since the brutal suppression of dissent against a new underground railway station in Stuttgart, and another transport of waste to Gorleben for storage there’s another question in the air: democracy.

For how long can a government legitimise itself while consciously acting against its own people? For how long can state powers hold the line when police are pushed on to the defensive by mass protests? And finally even call into question their deployment in the service of those governing?

In Gorleben the limits were reached. And that can’t go well for long. The government cannot run this escalation course for much longer and is looking for ways out. Environment minister Röttgen travels to Gorleben and speaks of the “start of a dialogue”.

Extensions of nuclear running times are justified with the expansion of renewable energies – although they are contradictory. The government is discussing using the military inside the country. Will tanks soon be rolling against peaceful squat blockades?
And on the government benches: Despite high-sounding announcements before the election, the Conservatives and Liberals in government could not agree on an energy concept for months. Time and again the atomic power stations and inadequate safety were the focus of debate.

There were secret negotiations with the energy bosses and a presumed concept for a “reliable, economical and environment-compatible energy supply”. Chancellor Merkel put her foot down to end the debate in her own ranks. The operating times of the German nuclear power stations were extended in favour of the nuclear lobby.

Not even federal president Wulff is standing in the way any more. But there can be no talk of “frictionless” passage of the law to extend the times: profit for a few, while the majority protest…………
More nuclear waste containers are to be stored in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania in the spring. People are rebelling, with even their own state government opposing the plans of the federal government.

It was promised when the interim storage was built at Rubenow near Greifswald-Lubmin that it would take in only the scrap from the former East German power stations in Greifswald and Rheinsberg. But now one of the biggest depots for atomic waste from everywhere is coming into being there. And currently valid licences are irrelevant, with plans projected to 2080 instead of the original 2039……………..
the big banks also do business with nuclear technology or waste. For our money there are better solutions than Deutsche Bank or Commerzbank. Alternatives are GLS Bank, Triodos Bank, Umwelt- und Ethikbank. These four banks explicitly reject nuclear funding.
The contratom team wishes for nuclear power-free 2011 with as few accidents as possible and many shutdowns. May the last nuclear power proponents finally see sense!

de.indymedia.org | German anti-nuclear movement’s 2010