Tamil Nadu govt agrees to release prisoners, so anti nuclear activists cease hunger strike

Nuclear activists end fast, but say they will continue their protest TNN | Mar 28, 2012, anti-nuclear activist S P Udayakumar, who is spearheading the protest against the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, and others on Tuesday ended their fast unto death following assurances by the state government.

The protesters said the government had agreed to their demand of dropping cases and releasing the arrested activists. Udayakumar, convenor of the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE), and 14 others, including seven women, withdrew their fast around 7pm after Tirunelveli district collector R Selvaraj held several rounds of talks with their representatives.

However, Udayakumar said the protest against the nuclear plant would continue. “We have decided to withdraw the fast respecting the request of Tuticorin bishop Yvonne Ambrose and a number of our well-wishers. But our protest will continue. Villagers will not venture into the sea, shops in Idinthakarai and adjoining villages will remain shut and children will not go to school until the arrested people are released,” Udayakumar told villagers gathered in front of St Lourde’s Church in Idinthakarai village.

“The next course of our protest would be decided after consultations with protesters arrested by the police once they are released,” he said. The activists said they would withdraw their protest if their seven demands were fulfilled by the government. …..

The protesters placed a charter of seven demands, including release of arrested protestors, conduct of safety and evacuation drill in a 30 sq km radius around the nuclear plant and release of the Indo-Russian agreement on compensation to victims in the event of a nuclear mishap. They also wanted details of the plant’s waste disposal plan.

“We demanded that the state government withdraw all cases registered against the protesters besides immediate release of more than 200 villagers who have been detained. The officials listened to our demands patiently and assured us that they will take appropriate measures. We will withdraw the protest if these demands are met,” Arimavalavan said.

The talks were held in afternoon and the activists briefed villagers at Idinthakkarai about what transpired at the meeting in the evening. Moments later, Udayakumar announced that they were ending their fast. “Though we will continue to protest, there will not be any violence. Ours has been a peaceful struggle all these days. It will continue in the same manner,” he said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chennai/Nuclear-activists-end-fast-but-say-they-will-continue-their-protest/articleshow/12435007.cms

March 28, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | India, opposition to nuclear

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