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200 arrested as India tries to crush anti nuclear movement

Thousands of Anti-Nuclear Protesters Face Police in India, 200 Arrested Green signal for nuclear power ‘is a red signal for our lives’ Common Dreams , 21 March 12, 

After thousands gathered in Idinthikarai, Tamil Nadu, India on Monday to protest the vastly contested Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant there, police forces came out en masse to repress demonstrations. Over 200 protesters have been arrested including key anti-nuclear organizers.

Thousands of Koodankulam protesters have gathered in front of St Lourdes church (Photo: TEHELKA)Police initiated “operation Koodankulam” arresting protesters and blocking all entry points to the coastal villages surrounding the nuclear power plant….

Since the arrests, thousands have gathered on the grounds of St Lourdes Church in the area as several have begun a hunger strike. “We will continue our protest till we die,” said one protestor. http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2012/03/20-4

March 21, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Is the world aware of India’s repression of its peaceful anti nuclear protestors?

“There is no need for such massive deployment of police here. This is nothing short of state terrorism against a peaceful group of women, children and men fighting for the last seven months in a non-violent manner”

Tension simmers in Koodankulam http://www.asianage.com/chennai/tension-simmers-koodankulam-750 The Asian Age, Mar 21, 2012 – Pradeep Damodaran & Arul Oli | DC | Idinthakarai  Even as engineers and other workers drove in to resume work following the government’s green signal for the Koodankulam nuclear power project, the situation at Idinthakarai, which is less than 10 minutes drive from the nuke plant, is getting more tense by the minute as the ‘fast-to-death’ by the protesters’ leader S.P. Udayakumar and 14 others entered the second day on Tuesday. Continue reading →

March 21, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | 1 Comment

As Tamil Nadu govt turns against them, Koodankulam anti nuclear protestors plan fast till death

  PMANE leaders start fast Tamil Nadu IBN Live Mar 20, 2012 M Abdul Rabi  TIRUNELVELI: Seeking release of the nine arrested anti-Koodankulam plant protesters and revocation of the Cabinet resolution favouring the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Plant (KKNPP), PMANE (People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy) leaders S P Udayakumar and M Pushparayan began a fast-unto-death at Idinthakarai on Monday.

Speaking to Express, Udayakumar said: “It is very unfortunate that the
state government has changed its decision….. http://ibnlive.in.com/news/kpalnt-pmane-leaders-start-fast/240828-60-118.html

March 21, 2012 Posted by | India, opposition to nuclear | Leave a comment

Global competition for modern clean energy is under way

The Great Renewable Energy Race  (excellent interactive graphics)  http://go.bloomberg.com/multimedia/the-great-renewable-energy-race/ BLOOMBERG MARCH 18, 2012   Global investment in renewable energy climbed to a record $260 billion last year, and the race for clean power is just getting started.

We reported last week how new solar and wind technologies are approaching price parity with traditionally cheaper coal- and gas-burning power plants. Today, the world’s regions go head-to-head….

Where the Wind Blows

The wind energy market started in the U.S. in the 1980s, in a drive for greater energy independence. Investment shifted to Europe  in the 1990s, drawn by grants, incentives and so-called feed-in tariffs,  which encourage cost reductions by locking in long-term prices  at favorable rates.

Turbine installations moved to Asia in 2009. By 2011, China, the world’s biggest wind investor, was installing 20 gigawatts of wind power a year, three times as much as the U.S., the second biggest investor. Asia will remain the most active region for wind investment until 2019, according to BNEF estimates.

Where the Sun Shines

Japan dominated solar installations in the 1990s, when the market remained small. In 2004, European feed-in tariffs abruptly shifted the solar focus to Europe, where it remains today.

The decline in crystalline solar silicon prices has been dramatic. As the cost of producing solar approaches parity with retail electricity purchased from the grid, installations are expected to shift from utility-scale solar fields to smaller-scale rooftop projects. The biggest share will move to Asia next year, according to BNEF: China’s total solar capacity is expected to climb to 272 gigawatts in 2030 from less than 1 gigawatt today. http://go.bloomberg.com/multimedia/the-great-renewable-energy-race/

March 21, 2012 Posted by | renewable, Resources -audiovicual | Leave a comment

Israel to replace nuclear reactor with linear accelerator for nuclear medicine

Israel to phase out civilian atomic reactor by 2018     Particle accelerator to replace aging, fuel-short reactor By Dan Williams SOREQ, Israel, March 20 (Reuters) – Israel is phasing out a civilian nuclear reactor to which it has admitted foreign inspectors while keeping a second reactor, widely believed to have produced atom bombs, off-limits, officials said on Tuesday.

The small facility at Soreq, which began operations in 1960 with a one-time stock of uranium fuel from the United States, will be replaced by 2017 or 2018 by a particle accelerator fulfilling many of the same research and medical functions…..
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/20/israel-nuclear-idUSL6E8EK3AS20120320

March 21, 2012 Posted by | health, Israel | Leave a comment

An attack on Iran would cause them to develop nuclear weapons

Iran will produce nuclear weapons if attacked: Russia Google News By Dmitry Zaks (AFP) –21 March 12, MOSCOW — Russia warned Tuesday that Iran would have no option but to develop nuclear weapons if it came under attack from either the United States or Israel over its contested atomic programme.

“The CIA and other US officials admit they now have no information about the Iranian leadership taking the political decision to produce nuclear weapons,” Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Moscow’s Kommersant FM radio.
“But I am almost certain that such a decision will surely be taken
after (any) strikes on Iran,” Lavrov said…..
Lavrov argued that Russia was not defending an ally but trying to avert a broader conflict or possible nuclear arms race from breaking out in the region.

He added that Israel’s threats against Iran were only pushing other nations on poor terms with the West to consider pursuing their own nuclear weapon drives. “This happening… around Iran are forcing a lot of Third World countries to pause and realise that if you have a nuclear bomb, no one will really bother you. “You might get some light sanctions, but people will always coddle you, they will court you and try to convince you of things,” Lavrov
said…. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article ALeqM5i25pBIKzb20mmapAw75iuwAa8ucA?docId=CNG.886eb52df8eb9735aee24d498123d774.c1

March 21, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Non nuclear energy strategy would save Ontario $billions

Nuclear power too costly, Ontario Clean Air Alliance argues  The Star, John Spears Business Reporter, 20 March 12, Abandoning nuclear power in favour of imported electricity from Quebec and new, high-efficiency natural gas plants, would save Ontario billions, says the Ontario Clean Air Alliance. Continue reading →

March 21, 2012 Posted by | business and costs, Canada | Leave a comment

USA, Iran and the doctrine of pre-emptive strike

The Bush-Obama Pre-Emption Doctrine By MICHAEL CROWLEY |  TIME | March 20, 2012 Writing at CNN.com, former CIA Director Michael Hayden, an adviser to Mitt Romney, makes a provocative point. If Barack Obama’s threat of military action to stop Iran from developing a nuclear weapon is serious, doesn’t that amount to a policy of… pre-emption? Continue reading →

March 21, 2012 Posted by | USA, weapons and war | Leave a comment

“Radiation Stories part 3 – Koothamkulam” film on anti nuclear protest

Nuclear nuances THE HINDU, MARIANNE DE NAZARETH, 20 March 12,  It’s an old story, almost 20 years old, says filmmaker Amudhan.R.P, about the people’s movement against the Koodankulam nuclear plant.

People have become more aware of the problems of nuclear energy post Fukushima and this has helped the movement gain momentum, in and around Koodankulam and
Idinthakarai villages. In his film “ Radiation Stories part 3 – Koothamkulam” Amudhan has tried to capture the anti-nuclear movement.

Amudhan’s 80-minute film, in Tamil with English subtitles, was screened recently in Bangalore by Pedestrian Pictures. …… “Twenty years ago the police arrested us,” says one woman. “We were against it even then.” “We will give up our lives but we don’t want the reactor. Ninety percent of us don’t want it here as the radiation will affect
us all and kill our future generations.”….

.  “The entire middle class is trained to think that nuclear energy is the only way out for us in a power crisis. I want to counter that campaign and sensitise people on the true issue,” said Amudhan. http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/metroplus/article3016255.ece

March 21, 2012 Posted by | Resources -audiovicual | Leave a comment

Iowa democratic Senators on tour to oppose nuclear power

Democratic senators launch anti-nuclear tour Iowa Politics,  Mar 20, 2012 | by Jason Clayworth | A group of 10 Iowa Senate Democrats today launched an anti-nuclear tour.
“It’s an argument about why this is really bad policy for the state,” Continue reading →

March 21, 2012 Posted by | politics, USA | Leave a comment

Civil liberties gone, as Tamil Nadu government moves to crush anti nuclear protest

Civil society members warn of “nuclear Nandigram” THE HINDU, CHENNAI, March 21, 2012 Civil society members, including former judges, writers, scientists, academicians, filmmakers and lawyers, have condemned the Tamil Nadu government’s decision “to give the green signal to commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) and the massive deployment of police force to crush the peaceful agitation.” Continue reading →

March 21, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

Protestors, police gear up for Vermont Yankee’s probable new licensing

 Big protest planned at Entergy nuclear plant Bloomberg BRATTLEBORO, VT. 21 March 12 A new license term for Entergy Corp.’s Vermont Yankee nuclear plant is expected to be greeted this week with big protests.

Anti-nuclear activists say hundreds are expected for an event at midday Thursday in which protesters will march from the town common in Brattleboro to the local corporate offices of Entergy. Organizers say they’re planning for some of the participants to be arrested. Brattleboro Police Chief Eugene Wrinn says his force is coordinating with the Vermont State Police and Windham County sheriff’s office in preparing for the event…. http://www.businessweek.com/ap/2012-03/D9TJL2M80.htm

Citizens groups to hold retirement party for Entergy’s Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant Vt Digger, On Wed, March 21, 2012 several organizations that have been working to replace Vermont Yankee upon its scheduled retirement will hold a retirement reception in Room 10 at the Vermont Statehouse at 5 pm.
Activists and legislative dignitaries will meet to recognize the end of Vermont Yankee’s service to the Vermont electrical grid. After 40 years, the state’s original Certificate of Public Good will expire. Decisions regarding the continued operation of the plant have yet to
be determined….. .  http://vtdigger.org/2012/03/20/citizens-groups-to-hold-retirement-party-for-entergys-vermont-yankee-nuclear-power-plant/

March 21, 2012 Posted by | general | Leave a comment

Enormous costs of the global fraud that is nuclear power

The world has since lost over $1,000 billion in subsidies, cash losses, abandoned projects and other damage from nuclear power. Decontaminating Fukushima alone is estimated to cost $623 billion, not counting treatment costs for thousands of likely cancers.

The end of the nuclear illusion,   The Daily Star, Praful Bidwai, 20 March 12A year after the Fukushima nuclear catastrophe began in Japan, the world has a historic chance to end one of the biggest-ever frauds played on the public to promote a patently unsafe, accident-prone, expensive and centralised form of energy generation based upon
splitting the atom to boil water and spin a turbine. Candidly, that’s what nuclear power generation is all about. Continue reading →

March 20, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, business and costs, spinbuster | 1 Comment

India: the crackdown on protestors, the pro nuclear media ‘spin’

And Koodankulam is Being Hunted Down !  http://www.dianuke.org/and-koodankulam-is-being-hunted-down/ 6000 armed policemen, led by Tamil Nadu’s Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), 3 DIGs (Deputy Inspector Generals) and 20 SPs (Superintendents of Police) who are present themselves and are presiding over this operation that can turn up into a state-sanctioned carnage of its own civilians.

As drumbeats approached Idinthakarai, Tamil Nadu Chamber of Commerce and Industry hails the decision to start the Koodankulam reactor as it is necessary for the State’s “progress”.

A 5-page press statement from the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu ended the rituals of “engaging people”, “dialogue with the locals” and “allaying their fears” in the world’s largest democracy. Not surprisingly, the government crackdown on people’s movement waited for another mega-ritual to end: the elections in the neighbouring assembly constituency of Sankarankoil on March 18.

Since yesterday afternoon, the police squads have blocked every road leading to Koodankulam and Idinthikarai to prevent people from gathering there. Yet, more than 20,000 people have gathered at the gate of Koodankulam nuclear power project, with several hundreds getting detained on their way.

Learning from the democracies in the West, the corporate media here has also embedded itself to this ‘shock and awe’. Newspapers and TV channels are abuzz with the ‘green signal’ given to the nuclear project and the country’s progress. The titles say it all: …. http://www.dianuke.org/and-koodankulam-is-being-hunted-down/

March 20, 2012 Posted by | civil liberties, India | Leave a comment

Taipower poisons island with nuclear wastes, and islanders’ minds with money

“Taipower contaminates our island with nuclear waste and it also contaminates our minds with money,”  “They are trying to make us think that we cannot live without nuclear waste.”…

a lot of Taos depend on Taipower for jobs and are afraid of losing their jobs if they tell people what they really think.

Lanyu’s residents grudgingly accept nuclear storage Taipei Times, By Loa Iok-sin 19 March 12,  The Tao Aborigines of Lanyu (蘭嶼) — also known as Orchid Island — are once again taking to the streets to voice their opposition to a nuclear storage facility on their island, calling for its immediate removal.

While it may appear that the removal of nuclear waste is the only thing the Taos want, the
real situation is much more complicated, as Taiwan Power Co (Taipower) is exerting considerable effort on the resource-scarce island to minimize opposition. Continue reading →

March 20, 2012 Posted by | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Taiwan, wastes | Leave a comment

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