Antinuclear activists walk out of hearing
Antinuclear activists walk out of hearing
JAKARTA (JP): Antinuclear campaigners yesterday walked out of
a Golkar-sponsored discussion after speakers talked down to them
about the positive usage of nuclear energy.
"This is not what we expected," Emmy Hafild of the Indonesian
Environmental Forum (Walhi) said of the gathering led by Awang
Faroek Ishak of the ruling Golkar faction of the House of
Representatives.
Emmy said the faction invited her and her colleagues to a
hearing, as the House is currently deliberating a government-
sponsored bill on nuclear energy.
"The invitation said it's a hearing. It turned out to be a
lecture," said Emmy whose organization is among the staunchest
campaigners against the bill and the government plan to build a
nuclear power plant in Central Java.
Emmy requested permission to leave the meeting. Other
activists, including those of the Anti-Nuclear Society and the
Indonesian Environmental Development Organization, immediately
followed her out.
Yesterday's meeting, opened by Golkar faction chairman
Moestahid Astari, featured nuclear experts from the Agency for
the Assessment and Application of Technology and the Bogor
Institute of Agriculture. It was also attended by pronuclear
activists from the Indonesian Nuclear Society who stayed until
the session ended.
Among the topics presented yesterday were the advantages of
nuclear technology in agriculture, husbandry, medical technology
and health, and industry. Moslem preacher Kosim Nurzeha discussed
how Islam views brought sophistication to technology.
"We were deceived," Emmy said, pointing out that the
invitation had aroused hope among antinuclear activists that they
would now have a chance to hold talks with pronuclear
campaigners.
"We thought that, finally, we were being given room to express
our views," she said, adding that the authorities have always
banned discussions on the bill that her organization sponsored.
"The police have never given us permits to hold such
discussions," she said.
The bill on nuclear energy was presented by Minister of
Research and Technology B.J. Habibie to the House of
Representatives two weeks ago.
Critics said the bill was drafted only to give the government
legal grounds for the construction of a Rp 21 trillion nuclear
power plant at the Muria Peninsula in Central Java.
A feasibility study has already been conducted, despite
strenuous objections from many local leaders and environmental
organizations. Construction of the plant is scheduled to start in
1998 and complete in 2003. (01)