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