Socio-ecological Union
News

The Newsletter of
the Socio-Ecological Union
A Center for Coordination
and Information

Moscow, Russia -- Issue 7(16), January, 2001


IN THIS ISSUE:
 

NEW ORDER IN RUSSIA

RIGHTS DEFENDERS MEET IN MOSCOW

DOING IT THE MINATOM WAY

THE ANTINUCLEAR RESISTANCE

REGIONAL AUTHORITIES CONDEMN

NEWS FROM THE RUSSIAN STATE DUMA


NEW ORDER IN RUSSIA

Dear friends!

   This issue is devoted to the latest developments in Russia concerning civil and environmental rights and policies. We think that what happens in Russia today is significantly undercovered by Russian and international media. During the last press conference one of the SEU leaders called this situation "a conspiracy of silence". It has several causes - starting from the newly emerging political censorship to simple unwillingness of journalists to do their work (that goes mostly to western counterparts).
  It is a crucial moment when it is decided if Russia will become totalitarian - the evil empire - again or not. It seems that official international community prefers to have any regime that would allow the highest possible grade of resource use - from forest felling and mineral resource extraction to nuclear waste storage. The game of democracy in this world is over, and our worst prognoses about the globalization prospects are coming true, unfortunately. Our only hope is for the international public community - we still believe that in some countries public pressure may influence governmental policies even on international level. If there was someone left who believed to the claims of their governments and different international financial organizations to observe the situations with environmental and human rights in the region and put the pressure on officials - do not believe the damn lies!
  In spring we addressed international authorities on abolition of our environment protection agencies - there was no reaction. Our own authorities called all public concerns "a cryout of bureaucrats that lost their jobs". In the fall World Bank has approved another forest credit without questioning what will happen to it as the Forest service was abolished. In October on the governmental order Central Election Committee killed the referendum by rejection 700 000 signatures of more than 2 500 000. In November whistleblowers' Pasko case was renewed, while marshal Ugryumov, Pasko's main prosecutor, has changed his position from head of Pacific Fleet FSB branch to a much higher one - deputy head of the national FSB, responsible for anti-terrorism work.
  In December, having hands free from referendum, Duma voted for the law allowing the nuclear waste import to Russia. This caused a tide of public actions in many regions of Russia, but it hardly found place in the national media, remaining in the regional inserts. "The greens' best hope is foreign pressure... Many in the West also worry about Russia's greens themselves." - wrote the Economist this January.
  Speaking of worrying for greens own safety - on January 24 SEU leaders Svyatoslav Zabelin apartment in Moscow was breached in. Nothing was stolen, but papers were demonstratively tossed and thrown out of their places. We think it is a "warning" from certain interest group.
  It is quite possible that soon any attempts of international pressure will be treated as proof of espionage and attempts to destroy Russian state. At least some propaganda preparations are made for that. The brightest example is the paper released by one for the PR centers doing work for the Government, before the start of the Right Defense Meeting in Moscow (you will read the article about it in this issue). The meeting participants were to speak about the true situation with the human rights in Russia and reveal the changes that will soon occur in Russian justice system returning to the thirties of the Soviet era. Many of the meeting participants were the witnesses of Soviet totalitarian regime "correctional measures"; many of them were in prison or were forced to emigrate. The article published even before the meeting started called this meeting "something far away from real needs and thoughts of the Russian people". It even did not deny the changes coming up, thus telling us that these changes are inescapable and inevitable, only saying that ordinary people do not see any threat in them. Vice versa, they trust the existing regime as it gives hope for order and prosperity. It also calls the right defenders losers that have lost their chances to participate in building the new country. It goes on with a statement of traditional "civilizing" role of the government in Russia, meaning that Russian public is no good itself. However, it praises the interest of people "for their own good, without looking on to so-called civilized countries". That is why, it says, the losers, the rights defenders, have the far-away abroad public as the only audience... The paper is frightening both in its form and meaning - as even the rhetoric and wording seem to be taken either from Stalin's thirties or from some classic anti-utopian book about worlds totalitarian future.

  There is no mistake - the kid's gloves are off. The Russian government is using both propaganda and force to silence the opposition. However, the world, will not benefit from that. It is crucial for the world safety that the iron curtain doesn't fall upon the significant part of Eurasia - because nuclear and chemical pollution, desertification, deforestation and climate change, wars and diseases know no borders.
  Yes, we'll keep on trying to make a breach in this new iron curtain of silence. But a lot depends on you - spreading this information to other organization or to the media, questioning your officials on their policies on Russia and other CIS countries, sending protest and support letters, talking about the problem on your organizations meetings or conferences. Include the related problem in different conference resolutions, if possible! Protest your government funding harmful; projects in the region! Protest your energy companies sending nuclear waste to Russia! Protest your TNC drilling oil in fragile ecosystems of Caspian and Sakhalin seas! Protest against timber products from old growth or other valuable areas! If you participate in international environmental processes like conventions and other agreement setting - watch and pressure delegations from Russia - because there is almost no real public participation of Russian NGOs in these processes for certain reasons and anyway additional pressure would not harm. Show the officials and TNCs you do care about what happens further than your place! Because this is what they count on - not in my backyard thinking.

  In case you decide to help us - here are some Russian official Faxes:
The President of the Russian Federation 206-39-61
Communist Party of the Russian Federation fraction 292-56-85
Liberal Democratic Party of Russia fraction 292-97-69
Yabloko fraction 292-93-79
Agrarian deputies group 292-89-00
Russian Regions deputies group 292-91-69

Ministry of Atomic Energy (press-secretary) 239-25-35

 


RIGHTS DEFENDERS MEET IN MOSCOW, GRAVELY CONCERNED


  "There was not such a meeting before in Russia - and, most possible - we shall not witness such an event again. Either because the rights defenders concerns would come true and then the regime would not let them gather again, at least openly. Or - as a miracle - the attack on human right will stop, and then there will be no need together again. Unfortunately, life has taught us that miracles occur rarely" - wrote the chair of executive committee of "Refugees organizations forum" Lyudmila Grafova for Literaturnaya Gazeta.
  On Jan 20 -21 all-Russian meeting for human rights defense gathered more than thousand people from 64 regions of the country. Yelena Bonner (Andrey Sakharov widow) said on the opening that thirty years ago, when rights defense movement just emerged, there was enough room in one apartment for underground gathering. Then it was impossible to imagine this thousand people gathering for the discussion of the threats for today's civic society.
  Today Russia is turning into police state, and if society does not want to be run over by it should act together to resist this attack. This goal is vital and unrealistic at the same time - because all the facts of human rights violations are seen and heard, but people under the burden of the problems of their own do not react to it. They even do not thing about changes that will change the Constitution. The first step will be the new law that is drafted now - about the Constitutional Assembly. According to it, the Assembly members will not be elected any more, but appointed, though indirectly, by the President. Another legal surprise for the Russian citizens will be new Felony Code. In its existing draft it abolishes the innocence presumption - now not the guilt, but the innocence should be proved. Many speakers noted that the number of political repressions will be growing, and environmentalists, as the most active and obstacle-creating movement, will receive special attention from "relevant entities", as used to be said in Russia. "The worst thing that today's policy and propaganda are working - people are already getting annoyed by the freedom of information and expression" - said Alexey Simonov, Glasnost Foundation Chair. It is perceived by the Government that the speech freedom is and obstacle for the "dictatorship of the law" - official label for today's Governmental policy.
  There was a lot spoken about the media - both about the censorship and about the media work in the past that allowed such situation to occur. The Address to the media says: "It's been wasted too much time. And now we have to hurry to protect human rights. In deprived of civil rights society there will be a little need for journalists - as the freedom of speech will be swallowed by the fear. We understand that the market economy has forced media to undercover the civil rights problem as non-commercial. But the time has come when media will or already have need to be protected." Shortly before that OBSCE has revealed information about the situation in Russia. "It is clear that working in Russia is dangerous for journalists" - said OBSCE representative. "Such policy is nothing but preparations to political repressions. The history gives multiple evidences when totalitarism and fascism had attempts to silence media in their foreground, law and order observation were claimed as a goal. But without free media no human rights may be protected" - said one of the meetings resolutions. "Today we have fake speech of freedom, fake independence of legal system, fake elections and fake diversity of parties" - said Grigory Yavlinsky. The meeting was appealing to the society - because the society, not the government should do everything to prevent the threat. Meeting participant have set constant working groups and then parted to their regions - to continue they work - until it brings results or is forcefully terminated.


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 Dec 22 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.


"THE ANTINUCLEAR RESISTANCE" OF RUSSIA'S PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS


  Russia's public environmental organizations have begun an unprecedented campaign entitled "Antinuclear resistance." Within the framework of this program, on January 15th, numerous demonstrations took place in more than twenty of Russia's regions: Kostroma, Vladimir, Nizhny Novgorod, Saratov, Irkutsk, Tomsk, Volgograd, Yaroslavl, Cherpovets, Chelyabinsk, Samara. Thousands of people across the entire country will still take to the streets to express their protest against Russia's atom-lovers' great "nuclear venture."
  The goal of the campaign was to prevent the increase of legislative power behind the Ministry of Atomic Energy of the Russian Federation that would grant the right to the Minatom to import foreign used nuclear fuel rods and other radioactive materials for long-term storage and reprocessing.

  Tomsk: "Say 'No' to Radiation!"
  On January 15th, the Tomsk Environmental Student Inspection (TESI), the "Sibirian Nature Protection Alliance," and the Tomsk Youth "Yabloko," carried out a demonstration in protest of the legalization of the import of foreign radioactive waste into Russia. The protest was held near the Administration Building of the Tomsk Region, according to the TESI press-center. Wearing bright costumes with radiation symbols, the protesters passed out "radioactive dollars" to passersby. On the reverse side information was printed about realistic steps people could take in order to have their voice against the imports heard.
  At first people received their allotment of radiation - 140 grams of radioactive waste for $3.50 per year per person - with confusion, but then signed their names on a petition for laws against the import of radioactive waste into Russia.
  The signatures were then brought to the regional Duma. Aside from this, the picketers gave each Duma representative a written appeal with a recommendation to condemn the acceptance of legislation that passed the first hearing on December 21st, and which will allow the import of radioactive waste into Russia. We would like to believe that the opinion of the people will be heard, and that the decisions made in the second hearing of the State Duma will be faithful.

***

  Irkutsk: The Citizens are Against, the Authorities Remain Silent
  A second picket was held in Irkutsk on January 15th: a protest against legislation passed that will allow the import of used radioactive fuel rods into Russia. Along with the organizations "Baikal Ecological Wave" and "Yabloko," ordinary city residents joined in the protest. Over the course of an hour and a half, 69 Irkutskians signed an appeal to the President. Many offered to help with the initiative to collect signatures.
  The picket was held despite the fact that the temperature was thirty degrees below zero and there were strong winds. The protest was met with strong support in the mass media, which recognized it as a piece of a nationwide protest against the import of spent nuclear fuel rods.
  Six of the seven representatives to the State Duma from the Irkutsk Region voted for the ratification of amendments on the basis-according to their own words-of the fact that the matter would not affect the Irkutsk Region. There is still no answer from the Governor of the Regional Legislature. The letter that was sent to the governor was written off to a lower office, while the legislature has yet to form an environmental committee. It remains unclear what the position of the governor will be on this issue, and his position is particularly important, seeing as he is a member of the Federal Council and in this right has the ability to prevent the import of radioactive waste into the country should he vote against the acceptance of this legislation.

***

  Kostroma: A Picket "In the Name of Life"
  In Kostroma on January 15th, protesters organized by the environmental movement "In the Name of Life" picketed outside the regional Duma. Nearly 100 people representing eleven public organizations from Kostroma and the region took place in the demonstration. Picketers brought signs with messages and appeals to the President of the Russian Federation, and the regional and State Dumas asking that the import of nuclear fuel rods into Russia be forbidden. The picketers' signs also condemned the actions of the representatives to the State Duma from the Kostroma region who voted in favor of the amendments, and of A. G. Puzanovsky, a Duma representative who co-authored the "nuclear" amendments and the new law.
  The activists of these organizatiosn appealed to the legislature of the Kostroma Region with the demand to examine the issue of changing the law "On the Protection of the Environment." The proposed changes would allow the import of radioactive materials from other nations into Russia for storage, disposal, and reprocessing. Also affected by the changes is legislation is the law "On the Protection of the Environment" and "On Special Environmental Programs for the Rehabilitation of Regions of the Russian Federation Suffering from Radiation Pollution, to be Financed by Receipts from External Trade Operations Involving Nuclear Irradiated Fuel." A resolution was passed and will be published in the local press and sent to the State Duma of the Russian Federation, the Federal Council, and the President of Russia.

***

  Saratov: The State Duma Abandoned the Problem!
  Saratov's environmental organizations - the initiators of the nationwide protest - carried out a theatrical, costumed protest demonstration on January 15th against the State Duma's initial passing of a legislation package that will permit the import of used nuclear fuel rods and radioactive waste into Russia for reprocessing and burial.
  The demonstration was organized by the international coalition "Citizens for Atomic Safety" and the Center for Cooperation with Ecological Initiatives (CCEI), with the active support of the Children's Environmental Theater "Regardless." Students and other NGOs also participated.
  During the demonstration, participants handed out booklets such as "Atomic Energy? No, thanks," and "The State Duma said 'Yes' to Importing Used Atomic Fuel." They also gave poetry readings and performed rhymed skits with antinuclear themes, frightening the passing residents of Kostroma with mutants, nuclear death, radiation, etc. Most importantly, they gathered signatures on a petition to the representatives to the Saratov regional Duma with the recommendation to vote against the legislation package and forbid the transport of foreign used nuclear fuel rods through the Saratov Region. The letter to the president demanded that he veto the legislation package.
  Nearly all of the passersby signed the petition. The organizers of the protest gave the petition and signatures to the representatives of the Saratov Regional Duma.
  During the discussion of the petition, Duma representatives announced that representatives of lower legislative bodies in the Russian Federation did not have the ability to affect the State Duma's examination of the legislation at all, and especially not in such a short amount of time. But after a lengthy discussion, a decision was made to bring up the discussion of the petition at a meeting of the Committee on the Social Sphere of the Saratov Regional Duma on January 16th. This motion was to include the recommendation that the committee members make an appeal to the representatives of the Regional Duma to condemn the State Duma's passing of the legislation package that would allow the import of spent nuclear fuel rods from abroad into Russia.
  A package of informational materials on the problems of reprocessing spent nuclear fuel and explaining the positions of the representatives to the legislatures in different regions of Russia was prepared by the protest organizers for committee members.
  Olga Pitsunova, the coordinator of the nationwide protest "Antinuclear Resistance" made the following statement: "We plan to continue the work we have started, to appeal to the members of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation from the Saratov Region with the request not to ratify the notorious legislation package, and to demand an answer from the representatives to the State Duma from the Saratov Region to learn the motivations behind the way they voted on the three pieces of legislation. They will be sent a letter of protest demanding that they look after not just their own self-interest or their parties' interests, but the interests of the people who elected them. We are sure that upon uniting efforts for the defense of our common interests we will achieve victory.

***

  Murmansk
  On January 18th, the Greens of the Murmansk Region (Oblast) sent letters to five regional representatives of the State Duma. They firmly recommend that the elected leaders not vote for the "nuclear" amendments in the second reading, supporting their argument with the opinion of experts on the new planned legislation:
  "The Institute of Problems of Industrial Ecology of the North recommends that the Murmansk Regional Duma declare a protest in regards to the projects of the federal laws 'On the Inclusion in Article 50 of the Law of the RSFSR "On the Protection of the Environment" and "On Special Environmental Programs for the Rehabilitation of Regions of the Russian Federation Suffering from Radiation Pollution, to be Financed by Receipts from External Trade Operations Involving Nuclear Irradiated Fuel,"' which were accepted by the State Duma in the first reading..."

***

  Krasnoyarsk: Greens Sent an Address to the Alexander Lebed, Governor of the Krai
  The Civic Center for Nuclear Nonproliferation and the Krasnoyar Krai environmental movement supported the "Antinuclear Resistance" that swept across the country by sending an address to Alexander Lebed, the governor of the Krai, and by organizing an informational campaign. Within the framework of the campaign informational packets were prepared for representatives to the State Duma and the Legislature of Krasnoyarsky Krai, and materials with arguments against changes in environmental legislation in the interests of MinAtom were distributed in mass media. These materials opposed the import-and moreover, the reprocessing-of international processed nuclear fuel into Russia.
  Mass protests will take place next week in Krasnoyarsk.

***

  Khabarovsk: "Say 'No' to a Nuclear Gravesite in Russia"
  That is the name of the protest that the Khabarovsky regional division of the political party "Yabloko" organized. The protest is directed against the ratification of legislation that will allow the import of nuclear waste into the Russian Federation for long-term storage and reprocessing.
  Demonstrations were organized during the protest, in which members of the Khabarovsk "Yabloko" addressed city residents with a request to support the given protest and sign their support to the local party's appeal to the President of the Russian Federation, to the Head of the Administration of Khabarovsky Krai, to the representatives of the Federal Congress of the Russian Federation and to the Legislature of Khabarovsky Krai. Residents of Khabarovsk came to life in response to the appeal to join in the protest against the ratification of similar legislation. About 450 signatures were collected during the hour and half that the demonstration lasted, which will subsequently be sent to the President of the Russian Federation, the Head of Khabarovsky Krai, the representatives of the Federal Congress of the Russian Federation and the Legislature of Khabarovsky Krai.

***

  From Kostroma to Southern Sakhalinsk: A Little Apple is Rolling about on My Plate.
  The "Yabloko" is Raising a Wave against the Storage of Nuclear Waste in Russia
  Regional divisions of the Party "Yabloko," which means "apple" in Russian, carried out many demonstrations as a sign of protest against the State Duma's acceptance of legislation that allows for the uncontrolled import of processed nuclear fuel rods into Russia for storage and reprocessing. In many regions, the local division of "Yabloko" has united with local environmental organizations participating in the protest "Antinuclear Resistance." For example, in Kostroma, "Yabloko" joined with "In the Name of Life"; in Yaroslavl, with "Green Branch"; in Irkutstk, with "Baikal Ecological Wave," etc. And in some places "Yabloko" members themselves acted as the organizers of demonstrations.

***

  Vladimir: "A Scandal for the Duma that Cannot Think"
  With this slogan, an antinuclear demonstration organized by the Movement of the Greens of the Vladimir Region, the local SEU in Vladimir, the public environmental fund "Cuckoo Pond," and the tourist club "Pilgrim" picketed in Theater Square on January 15th. Alongside this slogan were some ten additional banners and informational flags, such as "We Don't Want Mutant Children," "Russia is not a Nuclear Dump," etc. The protesters distributed fliers to passersby, gathered and signatures on an address to the representatives of the legislature. The demonstration was widely publicized in the mass media through local television and radio, national radio, and printed news sources. It was also widely received in the local population. Even representatives of radical communists support us and curse the mercenary Duma, and people who want to sign the address continue to stop by and call.

***

  Suzdal: A Letter to the Authorities
  Suzdal's green organizations, students and teachers gathered nearly 300 signatures against the ratification of the amendments and sent them to the head of the City Administration with a request to discern the position of the representatives of the City Council. On January 16th, local authorities accepted a resolution for the Vladimir Regional Legislature with a request to appeal to the Duma with a legislative initiative on the inaccessibility of accepting such legislation.

***

  Murom: Seven Thousand Residents of Murom Appeal
  From December 25th to the present day, a protest demonstration against legislation passed in the State Duma has been taking place in the city of Murom. Residents are disturbed by the fact that the circle of organizations-including those abroad-that have the right to ownership and circulation of radioactive materials in Russia is growing unchecked. This could lead the uncontrolled spread of nuclear materials while essential safety measures will remain uncertain. The laboratory "Ecoculture" of the Center for Cultural Initiative and school leaders from the environmental movement "Let's Help the River!" took initiative to carry out a protest demonstration. The preparation and collection of signatures on an appeal to the president of the Russian Federation and representatives to the State Duma were key elements in the protest. The appeal was supported by the majority of public organizations in the small city: "Chernobyl Union," "Compatriots," and veterans, the Communist Party of the Russian Federation and the "Soviet Officers Union," as well as the city's school collectives. The administration of the city, "United Youth," and a number of commercial enterprises also supported the demonstration.
  About seven thousand signatures of Murom residents were collected in support of the antinuclear appeal to the president of the Russian Federation of the participants of the Eleventh All-Russian Conference "Volga Day 2000."

***

  Chelyabinsk: Public Representatives Demanded an Answer from their Government Representative
  "The Movement for Nuclear Safety" organized a meeting between representatives of the Movement, the public organizations "Ecofront," "Proper Consciousness," and others with Peter Svechnikov, their local representative to the State Duma, who serves in the agriculture industry group. The leader of Chelyabinsk communists, Peter Grigorievich Svechnikov voted for three laws which allow for the import of foreign radioactive materials into Russia for storage. Public representatives demanded an answer for why Svechnikov had voted for the laws, especially in light of the fact that in one of his scientific works, Svechnikov himself had written about the inaccessibility of turning Russia into raw adjunct of world imperialism and an international dump for technogenic waste. Thus Svechnikov had ignored his own conclusions. Why?
  As it was explained, his decision was impacted by the fact that among the authors of this legislation was a representative from the Kyshtymsky District of the Chelyabinsk Region, an FSB underling named M. Grishankov, that well known Russian scientists and allegedly his own voters had all supported the legislation. This information was gathered, studied, and argued by his assistants. Public representatives expressed doubt that Svechnikov's voters had truly so actively supported Minatom's initiative and presented data from a social survey, from which it was clear that the overwhelming majority of the regions residents were against the import of foreign spent nuclear fuel rods for storage.
  The government representative admitted that it was necessary to pass-as soon as possible-laws that would secure atomic safety (on insurance of nuclear risks and on the address regarding radioactive waste) and that it was necessary to include in the law a ceiling (up to 35 percent) on the amount of money earmarked for environmental problems, as well as a lower limit, and further promised to bring this motion to the second reading.
  In Chelyabinsk, similar meetings are being planned with other representatives of the State Duma from Chelyabinsk Region. Vladimir Kriukov has already voiced his agreement. In the near future, representatives of environmental organizations plan to send letters to State Duma representatives and the local legislature with recommendations for the amendment of the poorly thought out Duma decision.

  For further information please contact Olga Pitsunova,
Center for Support of Citizen Initiative,
Protest Coordinator.
Tel/Fax: (845-2) 79-86-05,
e-mail: olga@wildfield.ru


REGIONAL AUTHORITIES CONDEMN


  Regional Authorities Condemn their Representatives who Voted in Favor of the "Nuclear" Amendments

  Kemerovo region
  Sergei Belyaev, a representative of the Kemerov Regional Council addresses the residents of Novokuznetsko and surrounding region with an open letter in which he sharply criticized the "nuclear" amendments. "The decision of the representatives literally shakes me," he writes, "What is it? A lack of far-sightedness? Criminal indifference? Incompetence? The desire to earn money off of someone else's misfortune? I have not the shadow of a doubt that a frightful, irreversible misfortune awaits us. Not just us, but out children, and grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Later on he adds: "Before the law goes into effect, we are obliged to stand as a wall to defend our country. Acts of protest, referendums, pickets - all of these ways to be heard by Moscow must be used now, today. A terrible disaster is just ahead, against which the whole world must rise up. We must act! Without delay, right away, while we can still change the situation. Tomorrow will be too late..."

  Sakhalin region
  On January 11th the representatives of the Sakhalin Regional Duma carried out a protest against the import of foreign spent nuclear fuel rods into Russia, reports "Sakhalin Environmental Watch." Ivan Zhdakaev, a Sakhalin representative to the State Duma who supported the amendments explained his actions by saying that at the time of the vote, he was in a meeting of the Transport Committee, and had forgotten his coded voting card in the Meeting Hall. In his absences, a ne'er-do-well allegedly used this card.

  Saratov region
  The Saratov Duma Decided: "Having examined the projects laid out for the federal laws "On the Protection of the Environment" and "On Special Environmental Programs for the Rehabilitation of Regions of the Russian Federation Suffering from Radiation Pollution, to be Financed by Receipts from External Trade Operations Involving Nuclear Irradiated Fuel," which were accepted in the first reading, and considering the opinion of public organizations, the Saratov Regional Duma considers the ratification of such legislation inadvisable at the present time."

  Volgograd region
  An Address of the Volgograd Regional Duma addressing the State Duma: "To the Government of the Russian Federation, the State Duma of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation on the question of preventing the import of foreign nuclear waste.
  "At the present time Minatomprom is firmly carrying out work among the representatives of the State Duma of the Federal Council with the goal of securing the ratification of a normative document that will allow for the import of foreign nuclear waste into Russia.
  "Accompanying this are efforts to change the contents of article 50, point 3 of the Law of the RSFSR 'On the Protection of the Environment.'
  "Today in Krasnoyarky Krai, the contents of nuclear waste only from Russian atomic power plants matches 70 Chernobyls, and in the case of the receipt of foreign nuclear waste, the situation will be irreparable.
  "The transparent "benefits" promised by world nuclear powers will be incomparable with the environmental problems that will arise after the change in article 50 of the aforementioned law, or the nullification of this article.
  "Considering all of the aforementioned, the Volgograd Regional Duma recommends that the Government of the Russian Federation and the State Duma of the Federal Council of the Russian Federation accept everything possible against the import of foreign nuclear waste into Russia and the amendment of article 50 of the Law of the RSFSR "On the Protection of the Environment."


NEWS FROM THE RUSSIAN STATE DUMA


  As Greenpeace Russia has learned, several representatives to the State Duma have already brought motions to the Duma whose basic goal is to prevent the import of radioactive waste and to neutralize the legislation currently under discussion. They recommend the following: every agreement to bring spent nuclear fuel rods into Russia should be examined in the Duma as a piece of legislation.
  The representatives forwarding this idea are Alexander Nikolaevich Kosarikov, tel. 292-76-18 (assistant Yakov Mikhailovich) and Aleksei Nikolaevich Tomov (assistant Vladimir Aleksandrovich), tel. 292-75-35, and Igor Yurievich Artemev (assistant Anna), tel. 292-75-35. Kosarikov and Tomov are from the Edinstvo political fraction, whose representatives voted in favor of the import of nuclear waste. All three representatives are prepared to give interviews.

  For further information:
Greenpeace,
tel. (095) 257-41-16/18/22,
Polina Malysheva

  All additional information and event chronicle concerning the story are found at www.forest.ru/eng/problems/control/


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