fuckyeahanarchistposters reblogged
Abolish All Nuclear Weapons
Abolish All Nuclear Weapons
DON’T DUMP ON SA (AUSTRALIA)
OCTOBER 15, 2016 marks 63 years since the first atomic bomb test at Emu Junction in South Australia.
South Australia faces the threat of becoming a nuclear waste dumping ground, again.
On October 15 we invite everyone, everywhere to take a stand and take part in this National Day of Action for South Australia. The Federal Government is pursuing plans to build a national waste dump in the Flinders Ranges, while a proposal for South Australia to take the world’s international high level nuclear waste continues to be progressed by the SA state government. Aboriginal custodians have said ‘NO’ and communities across the state are saying ‘we can do better than to take the world’s worst waste’.
October 15 will see actions across Australia opposing these proposals for South Australia to host nuclear waste dumps. We are calling on international movements, groups and individuals to show solidarity with South Australia on October 15 by organising an action in your hometown.
An international nuclear waste dump is an international issue, and the plight of Adnyamathanha custodians in the Flinders Ranges is one that is faced by many indigenous nations around the world struggling against the extractive industries and the imposition of toxic waste dumps on their lands.
Contact: [email protected]
Website: http://dontdumponsaoct15.org/
Aboriginal custodians are asking organisations all around the world to endorse the following statement:
Irati Wanti Declaration (‘The Poison – Leave It’)
A group of politicians and business-people are developing a plan to build an international high-level nuclear waste dump in South Australia. The plan is strongly opposed by many South Australians and by an overwhelming majority of Aboriginal people.
The Australian Nuclear Free Alliance, representing Aboriginal people from across Australia, calls on nuclear nations NOT to dump nuclear waste in Australia. The nuclear industry has a track record of Aboriginal dispossession and environmental pollution − from the atomic bomb tests to uranium mining to nuclear waste dump proposals.
We call on nuclear nations NOT to dump nuclear waste in Australia.
Endorsed by Australian Nuclear Free Alliance at its 2015 Annual Gathering on Nukunu Country, South Australia.
Please visit http://www.anfa.org.au/sign-the-declaration to endorse.
Background:
The Federal waste dump
The Federal government recently shortlisted only Wallerberdina Station in the Flinders Ranges for further consideration for a national nuclear waste dump. As with past attempts to impose waste dumps on Aboriginal communities, once again Adnyamathanha traditional owners were not consulted, not even the community living at Yappala Station next door. The proposed site is adjacent to the Yappala Indigenous Protected Area which has thousands of Aboriginal artefacts, and is prone to heavy flooding and regular earthquakes. The site is strongly opposed by the Adnyamathanha community. A 70km Aboriginal storyline runs right through the nominated site. The dump would not just house low level medical waste such as hospital gloves, but intermediate level waste from the Lucas Heights reactor.
The international waste dump
Despite the difficulties Australia continues to face in finding a solution for its own nuclear waste, a Royal Commission into the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, initiated by the South Australian government, recently recommended that South Australia host an international high level nuclear waste dump because it could be profitable for the state. The recommendation by the Royal Commission is based on one hypothetical business model by consultancy firms Jacobs Group and MCM. Various assumptions are employed to make the proposal profitable, notably the price countries are projected to pay South Australia to take their waste, which can only be guesswork given that there is no international market in nuclear waste. This is not to suggest that the risks involved in this proposal can be offset by any amount of money.
Nuclear industry links have discredited the entire process, from some members of the Royal Commission who also held positions in nuclear companies, to Jacobs Group and MCM. Jacobs have also been employed by BHP Billiton as a consultant for their expansion of the Olympic Dam copper and uranium mine in South Australia, and connections between MCM and Pangea Resources, the corporation driving an earlier proposal in the late 1990’s to build an international nuclear waste dump in Australia, have recently been revealed.
The proposal is for Australia to import 138 000 tonnes of high level nuclear waste which requires isolation for several hundred thousand years, and requires South Australia to first stockpile thousands of tonnes of this waste, in order to make the money to begin construction of a long term facility. There is currently no operating waste dump for high level waste anywhere in the world. If South Australia cannot do what no other country has yet managed to do, it will be left with a high level waste problem it does not currently have. A site is yet to be proposed.
So. There’s an anti-nuclear protest site at the west coast of Finland. And it’s holding an action week between 22th of April – 1st of May, 2016, while celebrating its first anniversary of existence. What’s all this about? To put it all in a simple nutshell:
Fennovoima is a Finnish nuclear power company established in 2007 by a consortium of Finnish power and industrial companies thinking it’s a mighty good idea to put up a nuke plant at Pyhäjoki, a small municipality at the west coast of Finland – by any means necessary. Fennovoima’s project nearly faced its much wished-for doom when German energy giant E.ON, the main investor of the project at that time, decided nuclear power is bad business and withdrew its money in 2012.
Rosatom is Russian state corporation: it’s the only vendor in the global markets that offers the nuclear industry’s entire range of products, both civil and weapons. It’s led in an authoritarian manner by a nine-person strong supervisory board, elected single-handedly by President Putin – and naturally, famous for projects riddled with mafia connections, massive delays and accidents.
Fennovoima-Rosatom was born when Rosatom marched in to save Fennovoima: after E.ON left, it was the only investor willing to participate. Fennovoima needed a financial saviour – and Rosatom aimed to polish its reputation with a project in the west. It’s all about the geopolitics, you know: it doesn’t hurt Russia to place a geopolitical footprint to a region close to Nato-favoured NEAT military test area in northern Sweden and of that much-talked about Arctic oil.
The Pyhäjoki protest camp saw daylight on April 2015, when first clear cuts started at Hanhikivi peninsula. While legally shady ”preparing works” advanced, the camp held its ground at the very construction site for five months, blocking the works, causing the local police complaining they haven’t got the resources anymore to deal with the protestors. At the same time newspapers were filled with news of sabotage and general mischief. In September 2015 the eviction of the camp took place, taking a full eight days to get the last climber out. After the eviction the camp relocated to a site offered by a local land owner, roughly 4 km outside the construction site. Direct action and general mischief – still in program.
We know its a bit of a madhouse here, as you get to face with one go the whole current Russian administration, Nato-West, a nuclear energy giant, private security firms and the Ministry of Employment and the Economy of Finland. But hey, ho told not to aim high? On April 2016 the camp holds its first anniversary – and it’s time to pump up the gear. To be mad enough to bring the concept of mass civil disobedience to Finland in this scale. The goal is simple: to flood the construction site with people – and hold it as long as possible. May the nearby regions also be filled with all sorts of anti-nuclear, anti-capitalism, pro-all-things-good actions. We tip our hats to diversity of tactics – and summon all of you ecofreaks, antimilitarists and others to join us.
Schedules and infobits: 22th of April – 1th of May: the action week. Pyhäjoki is accessible by public transportation, hitch-hiking and cars: check the map or contact us for details. We cook vegan. Accommodation mainly in big heatable army tents – but if you have a tent on you, bring it in! Remember to dress warm. Solidarity is a verb: we encourage folks to drop in a voluntarily donation for food and such. Yes, you’ll be able to wash: but it’ll be chilly. Before arriving we’d love you to drop as a post beforehand of when, how many, with or without tents etc. you’re coming. Questions will be answered at: stopfennovoima [at] protonmail.com
22-23th of April: Opening party! Music! People! Fun!
26th of April: Chernobyl memorial day – and the big action day. Along the week other activities possible.
1st of May: You get the drift. We bet you do.
For the whole week there will be workshops, lectures and skill sharing stuff to keep you busy.
More information in English