nuclear-news

India’s democracy shrinking, as government tries to stifle anti nuclear voices

India Cancels Visa for Japanese Anti-Nuclear Activist, Voice of America, Kurt Achin | New Delhi, 10 March 12,  India’s government has revoked the visa of a Japanese anti-nuclear activist who was scheduled to visit during the one-year anniversary of the Fukushima disaster.

Nuclear energy opponents say the move fits a pattern of seeking to stifle criticism of India’s rapid push toward nuclear power…. Activists like Raina say the visa cancellation reflects a “shrinking democratic space” when it comes to discussing nuclear power in India.

Raina says the government has found itself caught off guard by popular resistance to massive nuclear projects, particularly at Kudamkulam in Tamil Nadu, where protests have delayed the scheduled operation of a reactor.

“It is such a spontaneous struggle and I think it is, just I mean they did not expect it to be such a huge resistance from people and now that it is, they cannot, they do not know how to handle that,” Raina added.

S.P. Udaykumar and his group, People’s Movement Against Nuclear
Energy, have taken a leading role in organizing the protests.  He says
ordinary Indians have serious concerns about nuclear safety.

“In a highly populated country like India, even a small incident will
have a catastrophic effect on large numbers of people,” said
Udaykumar.  “Of course, no Chernobyl or Fukushima has happened.  But
it does not mean they will never happen in India.  If you look at the
track record of our disaster management, it will speak for itself.”
Udaykumar denies recent comments by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh that anti-nuclear protests are driven by funds from foreign
nongovernmental organizations.  He says accusations like that, and the
Kobayashi visa denial, fit a pattern of paranoia about the nuclear
debate.

“This kind of intolerance is very un-Indian.  Right now we are
becoming intolerant.  We are becoming suspicious of foreigners,”
Udaykumar added.

Former U.S. National Security Council Advisor Michael Green says
Japan’s post-Fukushima policies on nuclear energy are likely to have a
serious impact on India and the United States.

“If the Japanese government cannot make the case for the safety and
security of nuclear power, and if civil society movements or local
politicians are empowered and seize the initiative, then that will do
the same in other democracies, where there are questions about nuclear
power and safety,” said Green….
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/south/India-Cancels-Visa-for-Japanese-Anti-Nuclear-Activist–142045983.html

March 10, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | civil liberties, India