'Silence over nuclear plant not consent'
JAKARTA (JP): The silence of residents in reaction to the government's drive to build a nuclear power plant near Mt. Muria, Central Java, should not be interpreted as consent, a seminar stated over the weekend.
Held by leading anti-nuclear campaigners, the seminar pointed out on Saturday that local residents were silent because of their lack of information on the project.
"They're not nuclear plant experts, but they see with their hearts (the danger of nuclear power plants)," said Zoemrotin K.S., a member of the International Forum for Non-Governmental Organizations.
The seminar accompanied the launching of a book titled "The Construction of a Nuclear Power Plant: Wisdom or Threat for Human Civilization".
Zoemrotin said that Mt. Muria residents were invited to the seminar to explain their positions, but could not attend out of the fear that local authorities might take action against them.
The seminar also featured, among others, Emmy Hafild, the new director of the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi), legislator Laksmiari, and Daniel Dhakidae from the research and development center at the Kompas daily.
A recent poll of 1,496 respondents revealed that the general public regard the issue as belonging to the realm of scientists only, and that only a few people are knowledgeable enough to talk about it.
"Many of us don't feel comfortable discussing the planned nuclear plant," he said.
Laksmiari reported that she recently became upset and walked out of a hearing with director of the Agency of Atomic Energy Djali Ahimsa when he said that one needs to possess special knowledge if one is to understand a nuclear plant project.
The same poll found that 52 percent of the respondents -- selected from the educated middle class in big cities across Java -- rejected the nuclear plant; 42 percent said they accepted the idea and 6 percent did not have an opinion.
Dhakidae noted that "the closer people live to Mt. Muria, the more they agree with the planned plant." He underlined, however, that the residents there were less educated than those polled, who have greater access to more information.
Abdurrahman Wahid, the chairman of Indonesia's largest Moslem organization Nahdlatul Ulama, said in the preface of the book that silence does not justify the government's plans to build the plant.
"Just because they're silent doesn't mean that they don't exist," he said.
Most people can do nothing but watch in silence, said Abdurrahman, who once said that he would fast on Mt. Muria if construction of the plant goes ahead. "My interests are for the NU members who live in the area," he once said. (16)