The SEU TIMES, Socio-ecological Union Newsletter, January 26, 2001
Doing it the Minatom Way
Russian authorities have long tradition of ignoring public opinion and peoples' will. Having decided something, it hacks its way ahead no matter what - leaving aside all democracy and civilization games. The presumption that people are passive, uneducated and thus does not understand its own good (that why this good is to be planted forcefully) has been a guiding principle forever.
The nuclear waste imports situation is a good illustration for that - though the "nuclear business" initiators were mistaking counting on people being passive and careless. First, greens gathered more than 2,5 mln signatures in favor of referendum on the issue, which in present Russian condition would be equal to a peaceful revolution. Anyone except total fool understood what the result of the referendum would be, and even the "chief PR person of Russia" working for government Gleb Pavlovsky said that "uneducated masses will win in case of referendum". "The non-experts should not be allowed to vote" - in accordance to the previous statement said the letter from some nuclear physicists - some nuclear institute employees. So the Central Election Committee (the entity responsible for approval of the necessary documents for referendums and elections) had to fulfill the governmental silent (or even verbal) order and to kill the referendum by rejecting some 700 000 signatures (there were 2 mln necessary for referendum). It must have been a hard work!
The greens were not chilled by that - they decided to go to court for every single voice.
It is obvious that the Government needs some different public environmental movement - respecting the good intentions of the country "fathers". And experts are working on that - since last October there are attempts to create some academic "pocket" movement called EcoForum. Up to that time this idea was not too successful, but there is information that the new attempt will be taken soon, with most pro-nuclear experts heading this pocket "ecomovement".
However, with no referendum coming (because this would legally halt the decision-making process on the issue) State Duma had its hands free to vote for the nuclear waste imports despite the protests of their naive electors.
Of course all was done according to the best Soviet traditions - when anything was done "on request of the working people". This time the working people were represented by some hundred employees of the nearest nuclear institutes demonstrating in front of Duma exactly before discussion and voting started. These working people were well informed, as the voting time was changed on late December 20. It was moved from Dec22 onto December 21 - to prevent the environmentalists' demonstrations.
"It the must" - said one of the Duma leaders about voting for the waste. "We must think about the future" Sounds like mockery, but he was speaking about 20 bln USD promised by Minatom.
To reassure the bright future, in Chelyabinsk region (the key region of the case as the nuclear waste reprocessing plant is located there) the heads of the nuclear waste processing plant Mayak received key positions in regional government. However, there is information that Mayak is unable to accept anymore waste because there is too much of that already and that there are equipment problems within the facility. Though Minatom promises to do all repair and modernization necessary - using the money received from the nuclear waste imports.
Though people (oh! That bad public!) say that this money won't go anywhere but to new nuclear weapon technologies development. People also say that each vote in Duma had its cost. The price was 20 thousand USD.
So if all that is true Russian politicians have invented a "nice" combination making West pay for Russian weapon production.
Though… Let's do SOME CALCULATIONS:
- first - Western corporations are getting rid of the nuclear waste for the price that is much lower than on the market
- second - dumping endlessly nuclear waste in Russia is an opportunity for the nuclear industry for long term irresponsible development of the nuclear energy systems without thinking of waste - on of the main problems.
- Third - if what said about weapon development is true it also give the US military green light for further development which means A LOT OF MONEY. The racing tradition comes from the cold war, and has always justified huge military budgets.
On the other column - earth polluted and dead for thousands of years, generations of people crippled by radiation, deprived and living in poverty.
Kind of gloomy count.
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