Bogey Of Maoism Raised Against Koodankulam Protester

By V Geetha

26 March, 2012
Countercurrents.org

A letter written to Justice Markandey Katju, Chairman , Press Council of India on the totally skewed reporting of the arrest of three protesters at Koodankulam

Dear Justice Katju

My name is V. Geetha, and I am live in Chennai. I am a writer, with an interest in civil rights issues. I write this note to register my shock and bewilderment at some recent developments in my state. Given your concerns about the relationship between freedom and responsibility as far as the media is concerned, I felt it important to convey some of my – and other peoples’ – misgivings over media reporting of sensitive political events.

Throughout today, March 25, SUN News, part of the SUN TV network, while reporting on three men arrested over the last few days, for supporting the anti-nuclear plant struggle at Kudankulam has alleged they are all ‘Maoists. The channel has further gone on to note that it has got wind of a ‘ naxalite plot’ that is all set to take over the anti-nuclear plant protests at Idinthakarai.

As you know, the people of the village of Idinthakarai on the south-east coast of Tamil Nadu have been protesting the establishment of a nuclear power plant at Kudankulam. The protest has been the most peaceful and principled that this state has witnessed in recent years, being led by community leaders from across several social strata, including fisher folk, day labourers, artisans, traders and teachers. To thus characterise their struggle, which is essentially one that seeks to assert their right to life and liberty, as incipiently ‘Maoist’ is both mischievous, irresponsible and downright disrespectful.

To allege that the three men arrested are ‘Maoists’s is no less mischievous. One of them, Vaniarasu, belongs to a well-known dalit political party, committed to the electoral process and recognised as such by the Election Commission of India – this is the Viduthalai Siruthaigal Katchi. Another, Mukilan has been active in Tamil and left cultural circles. Satish the third person is currently a student, who was once arrested under POTA, when he was barely 20 years of age, and charged under Section 5 of the now defunct law. He has since been out on bail, and attending his court hearings as and when he is required. He has currently trying to re-build his life and make up for his lost years.

Quoting unnamed police and Q branch sources SUN News Channel has attempted to weave a grand conspiracy theory involving all these three men. The channel has been especially vicious in its reporting on Satish, given his legal history. It is as if once arragined under a draconian law, an individual cannot but be termed ‘guilty’ of ‘acts of terror’. This flies in the face of all civilised notions of wrong and right, and the important ethical principle that some of our more outstanding judges have lived by – tempering as they have done, the measure of legal justice with the measure of compassion and understanding.

At various times today, we have been told the following by SUN News:

1. The three men who were arrested are all ‘Maoists’, and they have taken over the anti-plant struggle. In fact, just as in Nandigram, they have ‘infiltrated’ the region and the entire struggle is now gone over to their influence.

2. Of the three men arrested, it has been said, that one of them (Satish), has 12 cases pending against him at Kudangulam police station. It was also said that a case has been filed under POTA (sic) against the same man. The news channel refers to unnamed police sources to back these claims.

3. SUN News claims that it has been told by the Q branch that the anti-Kudangulam protesters have learned their ‘technique’ from the Maoists – laying road blocks by breaking parts of the road, for instance.

There are several issues here:

– the three men who have been arrested were all part of peaceful protests against the plant that has seized several parts of the state. They were arrested between March 21 and March 23, and kept in illegal detention for a while before they were produced before a Magistrate. SUN News has been flashing their photographs, alleging their ‘naxal’ involvement, thus creating a hysteria of sorts over what is happening at Kudankulam.

– when concerned citizens have called the news channel to protest the sustained telecast of these views that are completely baseless, the TV channel has shown little or no remorse or respect. Only after constant arguing have they deigned to note that Satish was once charged under POTA.

– the litany of ‘Maoists’ taking over the anti-nuclear plant struggle has been time and again refuted by the organisers of the struggle at Idinthakarai, and while SUN News channel carries these views, does not think it important to bracket the so-called police stories that it claims to have received. These continue to circulate on the channel as ‘self-evident’ truth.

We feel deeply pained at what seems on the face of it a complicit and silent pact between certain sections of the media and the police to discredit the anti-Kudangulam plant struggle. It appears that the police and the governments at the Centre and state levels are now determined to use the one weapon in their arsenal that is bound to either silence or render non-credible perfectly democratic and constitutional struggles – the charge of ‘Maoism‘. That the media instead of challenging these attempts of the state to malign its own people should participate in it is deeply disturbing. Equally disturbing is the manner in which the media, at times, behaves like a juror and a court, and passes judgement, even before it is clear what the cases are all about and when the Courts of this land are yet to decide on the merits and demerits of such cases.

I do hope that the Press Council of India can take note of such developments as and when they happen and record its disquiet.

Thank you, Geetha

 

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Indian Left and the Nuclear Googly

Flag of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

by- – A.Muthukrishnan

The CPIM and CPI are a part of the Konkan Bachao Samiti in Jaitapur which has a resolve of protesting against the world’s biggest nuclear complex which is coming up at Jaitapur. This Jaitapurnuclear plant will not only have safety issue’s but it’s going to make extinct the Alphonso mangoes which this konkan region gifts to the whole world in every season. A committee has been formed which has Prakash Karat and Baradhan as its key leaders. The left parties are also part of the  protest committee against the  Kovvada plant in Srikakulam in Andrapradesh.  But the same parties in Tamilnadu have been welcoming the Nuclear Plant in Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant. This dual approach is snowballing into a big debate among Anti Nuke protestors across India. It’s as if the Russian reactors are Communist in nature and the French are Capitalist reactors.

The CPIM and CPI have on the record been pro Kudankulam since the protest began 210 days ago in Kudankulam. They have been ridiculing the protest and have been demanding commissioning of the Nuclear Plant at the earliest as they very strongly think that this is the only way out to overcome the power crisis in Tamilnadu.

Both the parties have been writing editorials and continuous columns in their respective party organs Theekathir and Jana Sakthi advocating nuclear power as the only viable option and that Russian reactors were the safest. They also were frequently quoting Abdul Kalam and M.R.Srinivasan to defend their stands. When this issue was raised with comrades of both the left parties, answer were naïve. Our comrades had an intimate bondage with the  Kudakulam Reactors as they originated from Russia our Comrades share a great nostalgia with the word “Russia” and this was the profound reason. They further went on to say that Russian reactors were tested ones and Areva was going to install a untested reactor in Jaitapur. Both the parties had spoon fed their cadres that this protest was just orchestrated by the American money against a Russian Reactor.

On March 1, 2012 CPI (M) general secretary G. Ramakrishnan stated that based on former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam‘s recommendations, the Centre should ensure the safety of those in and around Kudankulam and allocate Rs.200 crore for development activities.

Similar to this view CPI TN Seceretary D.Pandian also said that power cuts were increasing, affecting all sections of society. The government should initiate all necessary steps to find a solution quickly and overcome the shortage. The CPI supported the commissioning of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project. The just demands of the local people, such as providing employment opportunities, should be addressed.

On March 24th The State unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday called upon anti-Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project (KKNPP) protestors to give up their agitation, as panels of experts appointed by the Centre and the State governments had vouched for the safety of the plants.

In a statement State secretary of the party G. Ramakrishnan welcomed the State government decision to go ahead with the commissioning of the plants. He requested the local people to extend their support for the functioning of the plants. Mr. Ramakrishnan said that instead of resorting to repressive measures such as filing criminal cases against the protestors, the State government should take steps to allay the fears of people about the technology and safety aspects of the Kudankulam project.

On March 25 th CPI secretary D. Pandian also backed the CM’s decision to support commissioning of the Koodankulam plant and demanded that the entire power generated from it be given to TN. The State should initiate dialogue with protesters and demand that the entire 1,000 MW generated in the first reactor should be given to TN till the power crisis in the State was solved, and he also went further to state that “Their apprehensions are borne out of ignorance. It cannot be cleared,” CPI state secretary D. Pandian said, demanding immediate commissioning of the Nuclear plant. Accusing anti-nuke protesters of “holding the country for ransom” the CPI leader said, “It is a national asset and it must be utilised.”

Earlier D. Raja, CPI leader, too, reacted on similar lines saying, if America-based NGOs are playing a role in Kudankulam, then they should be isolated and action should be taken against them.

Just a few days ago when ten thousands of  police forces were moblised by the state against the protestors at the same time CPI state secretary D.Pandian went on the media and said, if u don’t want the Nuclear plant to operate  please come take your compensation and vacate  this place.

Even at the recent Tamilnadu state conference of the CPIM Prakash Karat went on in full length to say that this issue was a bit complicated to explain. “The CPIM stand was that they were pro nukevis-à-vis the first reactor in Kudankulam” as that was a contract between India and the erstwhile Soviet Union, and then went on to say that , “We would oppose the other 3 phases which are about to come up in Kudankulam as they were signed by agreements with the new government in Russia which has a Capitalist character and these were pure business deals. CPIM also is against all the reactors which are mushrooming in India as a result of the 123 pact which transformed India as a military partner with US, UK and France”. This dosage has added to the already confused understanding of the party comrades.

Both the state and central Governments are not ready to address the simple question raised by the anti-nuke protestors but are keen in tainting and intimidating the fisher folk with cases and crackdowns in various shades.  First they tried to paint a communal portrait, then the Congress brought in the hand of Jesus and now it has replaced the hand with a gun, the Naxal angle. The Government and the Nucleuocracy knows well the answers to the questions But the huge billion dollar contracts and the spill offs are more nearer to them.

VVER-1000 reactors pose many safety concerns. Their operating experience raises questions about the reliability of their control-rod mechanism, which is crucial to preventing a runaway fission chain reaction. In the last couple of years, at Temelin in the Czech Republic and at Kozloduy in Bulgaria, numerous control rods, which are supposed to arrest power excursion or reactor misbehaviour, did not move as designed.

On March 1, 2006, when Kozloduy’s Unit FIVE was operating at full capacity, one of the four main circulation pumps tripped due to electrical failure. As reactor power was reduced to 67 percent of nominal capacity, three control-rod assemblies remained in the wrong position. Of the remaining 61 assemblies, 22 did not move with driving mechanisms. The number of control-rod assemblies unable to scram remains unknown. Control-rod insertion failures are considered serious and lead to a severely degraded state of safety if an accident-initiating event occurs. Kozloduy, Temeling to the almost 10 lakh lives lost in the last 25 years in Chernobly the whole power guzzling world needs to learn lessons about risking lives. But even with so much tragedy lying around the VVER the leftists still tilt to the rhythm of nostalgia.

Adding to the VVER and Russian debate Nuclear Cheer leader Abdul Kalam had stated in this article that only 57 persons died in Chernobyl accident. But on the contrary John Vidal says ”Five years ago, I visited the still highly contaminated areas of Ukraine and the Belarus border where much of the radioactive plume from Chernobyl descended on 26 April 1986. I challenge chief scientist John Beddington and environmentalists like George Monbiot or any of the pundits now downplaying the risks of radiation to talk to the doctors, the scientists, the mothers, children and villagers who have been left with the consequences of a major nuclear accident. It was grim. We went from hospital to hospital and from one contaminated village to another. We found deformed and genetically mutated babies in the wards; pitifully sick children in the homes; adolescents with stunted growth and dwarf torsos; fetuses without thighs or fingers and villagers who told us every member of their family was sick. This was 20 years after the accident, but we heard of many unusual clusters of people with rare bone cancers…. Villages testified that ‘the Chernobyl necklace’ – thyroid cancer -was so common as to be unremarkable”, in “Nuclear’s Green Cheerleaders Forget Chernobyl at Our Peril,” The Guardian, April 1, 2011.

S.P.Udayakumar who leads the people’s non voilent struggle at Kudankulam said in an interview that “Both the CPI and CPM are confused. CPM is anti-nuclear in Jatapur, but pro-nuclear in Kudankulam; they are against nuclear weapons, but are pro-nuclear for energy”. The Leftists still think that electricity is directly proportional to the development of this country.

It’s high time that the Left understand the Jaitapur and Kudankulam are twin sisters of the Nuclear Tragedy.

 

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• Kerala and Kudankulam: The Media Sleeps (kafila.org)
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Malkangiri: Police arrested 3, Have not produced in court in week

Dear friends,

Lalit Chakraborty from Malkangiri in Odisha says police have arrested 3 youth in Padmagiri area on 19th March. They also broke house of one of the person before arresting. More than 200 people marched to collector and district police chief who told them that there was a warrant against the arrested. He asks if there was a warrant then why are they not produced in court so far. For more Lalit ji can be reached at 09438135767

http://www.cgnetswara.org/index.php?id=10160

You can also listen to this post after leaving a missed call on 080 4113 7280. You can also record your own messages/songs the same way using your phone as this user has done

Immediate Release- Illegal Clinical Trials and Death Continue …

SWASTHYA ADHIKAR MANCH

6, BIJASAN ROAD, OPPOSITE MAHAVIR BAGH, INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH-452005.

Press Note

New Delhi, 26^th March 2012 : The Writ Petition filed by Swasthya Adhikar Manch came up for hearing today before a bench consisting of Justice R.M. Lodha and Justice H. L. Gokhale. The Senior Counsel appearing for the Union of India sought time to file counter affidavit. The Medical Council of India as well as State of Madhya Pradesh also asked for time and were granted six weeks. Thereafter, petitioner Swasthya Adhikar Manch has been granted time to file Rejoinder Affidavit.The counsel for Swasthya Adhikar Manch, Mr Sanjay Parikh, pointed out that it has been acknowledged by Minister of Health and Family Affairs, that illegal trials have been conducted and some of them are even without approval of the DCGI. He also mentioned that no Placebo Trials should be conducted in the country. The Hon’ble Judges remarked that the situation is serious and deaths are taking place. On the application for impleadment filed on behalf of Contract Research Organizations, the Supreme Court sought information about their legal status for operating in the Country. The Counsel for the petitioner pointed out that these Contract Research Organizations outsource and offshore the clinical trials on behalf of the multinational drug companies and ensure one window solutions for getting approval of the DCGI.

Meanwhile, the issue, being of national importance has been raised in MP Vidhan Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. In response to a question in the Madhya Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, it was stated that out of 81 patients who had suffered serious adverse effects, 33 persons have died. A list of names and addresses was provided which indicate death of 33 persons including children. No action has been taken by State of Madhya Pradesh inspite of such shocking state of affairs.

The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare in a recent answer on March 13^th to a question in Rajya Sabha pointed out that during the last 3 years 2009, 2010 and 2011 a total of 1229 trials were conducted in which 1743 deaths occurred in last 3 years and 2163 deaths in last 5 years as per data collected from Rajya Sabha and RTI documents. It was also mentioned that only in 22 cases of death in 2010 that the compensation has been paid by sponsors / clinical research organizations. The Petitioners – Swasthya Adhikar Manch are extremely concerned at this situation and further increasing number of deaths. We urge that even during pendency of the Writ Petition, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare should take steps to stop the illegal clinical trials.

Amulya Nidhi, Chinmay Mishra

(9425311547), (9893278855)

(amulyabhai@gmail.com) (chinmay.saroj@gmail.com)

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Immediate Release- Seven Day Protest fast in Delhi in solidarity with fasting activists in Idinthakarai

PRESS RELEASE
[Circulate Widely, Hindi Press Release Below]

Seven Day Protest fast in Delhi in solidarity with fasting activists in Idinthakarai

NATIONWIDE PROTESTS IN SUPPORT OF ANTI-NUCLEAR STRUGGLE IN KOODANKULAM

March 26, New Delhi : National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM), Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace (CNDP), Lok Rajniti Manch and Delhi Solidarity Group, is  organising a protest and fast from today 26 March 2012 till 1st April 2012, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, in solidarity with ongoing fast by activists of the anti-nuclear movement at Idinthakarai, Tamil Nadu against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant. NAPM National Convener and noted Social activist Sandeep Pandey is sitting on a seven day fast.

In Chennai too people are fasting in support of anti-nuclear movement in Koodankulam. In Mumbai, noted film-maker Anand Patwardhan is leading a protest in front of Dadar Railway Station.

On 27th March, 2012, one day fasts will be organised at many places in support of the local people protesting against the Koodankulam nuclear power plant. NAPM Andhra Pradesh is organising a protest demonstration and candle light vigil between 6 to 8 pm on 27th March at Ambedkar Statue, near Tankbund, Hyderabad.

It is ironical that India has raised the issue of atrocities on Tamil people in Sri Lanka at UNHRC but is not relenting its nuclear power pursuit which potentially puts its own Tamil people at grave risk of nuclear tragedy in times to come.

We strongly condemn the undemocratic manner in which nuclear energy is forced upon us. Not only Indian government has used a strong hand to snub the People’s Movement Against Nuclear Energy (PMANE) in Koodankulam, Tamil Nadu, but also is trying to intimidate and stifle resistance by misleading allegations of a ‘foreign hand’. Dr Udayakumar who leads PMANE has declared his personal assets and he has no FCRA account to receive foreign money. Whereas it is clear that Indian government is working hands-in-glove with bigger ‘foreign hands’ of USA, Russia and other countries in its joint military operations and expanding nuclear programme.

The latest attempt by the CM of Tamil Nadu to brand S.P. Udayakumar as a naxal clearly shows the desperation of the government. We condemn such underhand tactics and attempts by government to mislead general public.

It is the people in Europe and America that have forced their governments by coming out in large numbers on street to abandon nuclear energy. But Indian government is trying to stifle such people’s initiatives to have their say. Our claims of being the largest democracy prove to be hollow.

Recent nuclear emergency in Japan leaves no doubt that this world needs to renounce nuclear power for military and civil/ energy purposes, as soon as possible, to put an end to any further catastrophe in the name of ‘energy’, ‘security’ or ‘technology’. Nuclear power is clearly the most dangerous options for civil or military use. Countries that have been using nuclear power such as Germany have resolved to abandon nuclear energy by 2022. Japan, USA, and many such nations who were earlier pursuing nuclear energy option are having second thoughts now.

We believe that India should adopt the futuristic energy policy like Japan and the European Union (EU) relying on renewable sources of energy which are non-polluting. Like EU and Japan, India too should aim for a low-carbon energy production system. India’s future energy policy should be low carbon and no nuclear.

We appeal to the Indian government to support dialogue on nuclear energy in a democratic way and until there is a consensus on whether India should go ahead with nuclear programme or not, should stall all nuclear programmes.

National Alliance of People’s Movements, Coalition for Nuclear Disarmament and Peace, Lok Rajniti Manch and Delhi Solidarity Group.

For more details contact : P.K. Sundaram, 9810556134, Ramesh Sharma, 9818111562, Madhuresh Kumar, 9818905316 and Vijayan M J 9582862682
***************************

इडिंठकरई में चल रहे उपवास के समर्थन में सात दिवसीय देश व्यापी उपवास

कूड़ंकुलम में सक्रिय परमाणु विरोधी अभियान के समर्थन में देश में जगह-जगह विरोध

मार्च २६, नयी दिल्ली : कूड़ंकुलम परमाणु बिजलीघर के विरोध में इडिंठकरई, तमिल नाडु में चल रहे उपवास के समर्थन में, जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय, परमाणु निशस्त्रीकरण और शांति के लिए गठबंधन, लोक राजनीति मंच और दिल्ली समर्थक समूह ने संयुक्त रूप से जंतर मंतर, दिल्ली, पर 26 मार्च से 1 अप्रैल 2012 तक सात दिवसीय उपवास का आह्वान दिया है। जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय के राष्ट्रीय समन्वयक और प्रख्यात सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता संदीप पाण्डेय ने आज से जंतर मंतर पर सात दिन का उपवास सुरु किया है | इन सात दिनों में अन्य कई लोग क्रमिक अनशन भी करेंगे |

कूड़ंकुलम परमाणु बिजलीघर के विरोध में चेन्नई में भी लोग उपवास पर हैं और मुंबई में प्रख्यात फिल्म निर्माता आनंद पटवर्धन दादर रेलवे स्टेशन के सामने विरोध का नेतृत्व करेंगे। जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय आन्ध्र प्रदेश ने २७ मार्च को शाम ६ बजे से ८ बजे तक एक प्रदर्शन और मोमबती जुलूस निकलने का भी कार्यक्रम आंबेडकर मूर्ती, टैंक बंद, हैदराबाद में किया है |

कूड़ंकुलम परमाणु बिजली घर के विरोध में, 27 मार्च 2012 को एक दिवसीय उपवास का आयोजन देश में जगह जगह होगा।

यह विडम्बना ही तो है कि एक तरफ भारत ने संयुक्त राष्ट्र मानवाधिकार आयोग में, श्री लंका में तमिल लोगों के ऊपर हुए अत्याचार का मुद्दा उठाया है, परंतु देश के भीतर तमिल नाडु में परमाणु बिजली घर बनाने की जिद्द पर भारत अड़ा हुआ है जिसकी वजह से तमिल नाडु में रह रहे लोग खतरनाक परमाणु दुष्परिणामों को आने वाले सालों में भुगत सकते हैं।

हम भारत सरकार के गैर लोकतान्त्रिक ढंग से परमाणु ऊर्जा थोपने के प्रयास का विरोध करते हैं। अमरीका और यूरोप में जब भारी संख्या में आम लोग सड़क पर उतार आए तब उनकी सरकारों को परमाणु ऊर्जा त्यागनी पड़ी परंतु भारत में जब आम लोग परमाणु ऊर्जा पर सवाल उठा रहे हैं तो उनकी आवाज़ दबाने का प्रयास किया जा रहा है। कुडनकुलम, तमिल नाडु के डॉ उदयकुमार के नेतृत्व में परमाणु ऊर्जा के विरोध में जन अभियान को भारत सरकार ने भ्रामक आरोपों आदि द्वारा दबाने का पूरा प्रयास किया है। जब कि डॉ उदयकुमार ने अपनी संपत्ति का ब्योरा सार्वजनिक किया है और उनके पास ‘एफ.सी.आर.ए.’ ही नहीं है जिससे ‘विदेशी पैसा’ लिया जा सके। यह भी साफ ज़ाहिर है कि भारत सरकार स्वयं ‘विदेशी’ ताकतों (जैसे कि अमरीका, रूस, आदि) के साथ मिलजुल कर सैन्यीकरण और परमाणु कार्यक्रम बढ़ा रही है।

भारत सरकार ने एक जर्मन नागरिक को जिसने शांतिपूर्वक कुडनकुलम परमाणु ऊर्जा विरोधी अभियान में भाग लिया था, उसको पकड़ कर वापिस जर्मनी भेज दिया। 8 मार्च 2012 को भारत सरकार ने एक जापानी नागरिक का वीसा भी रद्द कर दिया। ‘ग्रीनपीस’ के निमंत्रण पर फुकुशिमा,जापान में 11 मार्च 2011 को हुई परमाणु दुर्घटना झेले हुए माया कोबायाशी को भारत सरकार ने 15 फरवरी 2012 को ‘बिजनेस’ वीसा दिया था जिससे कि वो भारत में एक सप्ताह आ कर जगह-जगह आयोजित कार्यक्रमों में परमाणु विकिरण आदि खतरों के बारे में बता सकें। परंतु 8 मार्च 2012 को भारत ने उनका वीसा ही रद्द कर दिया।

हाल हे में तमिल नाडु मुख्य मंत्री द्वारा डॉ एस.पी. उदयकुमार को नक्सलवादी करार करने का प्रयास यह ज़ाहिर करता है कि सरकार परमाणु कार्यक्रम को लागू करने के लिए कितनी मजबूर है। हम सरकार के आम लोगों को गुमराह करने का और परमाणु कार्यक्रम में पारदर्शिता नहीं रखने का भरसक विरोध करते हैं।

अब विकसित दुनिया यह मानने लगी है कि निम्न चार कारणों से नाभिकीय ऊर्जा का कोई भविष्य नहीं हैः (1) इसका अत्याधिक खर्चीला होना, (2) मनुष्य स्वास्थ्य व पर्यावरण के लिए खतरनाक, (3) नाभिकीय शस्त्र के प्रसार में इसकी भूमिका से जुड़े खतरे, व  (4) रेडियोधर्मी कचरे के दीर्घकालिक निपटारे की चुनौती।

भारत को नाभिकीय ऊर्जा का विकल्प ढूँढना चाहिए जो इतने खर्चीले व खतरनाक न हों। पुनर्प्राप्य ऊर्जा के संसाधन, जैसे सौर, पवन, बायोमास, बायोगैस, आदि, ही समाधान प्रदान कर सकते हैं यह मान कर यूरोप व जापान तो इस क्षेत्र में गम्भीर शोध कर रहे हैं। भारत को भी चाहिए कि इन विकसित देशों के अनुभव से सीखते हुए नाभिकीय ऊर्जा के क्षेत्र में अमरीका व यूरोप की कम्पनियों का बाजार बनने के बजाए हम भी पुनर्प्राप्य ऊर्जा संसाधनों पर ही अपना ध्यान केन्द्रित करें। भारत को ऐसी ऊर्जा नीति अपनानी चाहिए जिसमें कार्बन उत्सर्जन न हो और परमाणु विकिरण के खतरे भी न हो।

हम भारत सरकार से अपील करते हैं कि परमाणु ऊर्जा के मुद्दे पर लोकतान्त्रिक तरीके से खुली बहस करवाए और जब तक यह सर्व सम्मति से निर्णय नहीं होता कि भारत को परमाणु कार्यक्रम चलना चाहिए या नहीं, परमाणु कार्यक्रम को स्थगित करे।

जन आंदोलनों का राष्ट्रीय समन्वय, परमाणु निशस्त्रीकरण और शांति के लिए गठबंधन, और लोक राजनीति मंच

अधिक जानकारी के लिए संपर्क करें: पी.के. सुंदरम 9810556134, रमेश शर्मा 9818111562, मधुरेश कुमार ९८१८९०५३१६, विजयन एम् जे 9582862682

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Egypt acquits ‘virginity test’ military doctor

Hamza Hendawi, Associated Press, Cairo | March 11, 2012

An Egyptian military tribunal on Sunday acquitted an army doctor of an accusation of public obscenity filed by a protester who claimed she was forced to undergo a virginity test while in detention.

The country’s revolutionary youth movement sees the claims of humiliating tests imposed on detained female protesters a one of the first indications that the generals who took over from Hosni Mubarak in February 2011 would continue the human rights abuses of the ousted president.

Samira Ibrahim, one of seven women who said they had been forced to undergo examinations to determine if they were virgins while detained by the military a year ago, won a civilian court ruling last year that affirmed the tests were taking place at military jails and ordered they be halted.

But military prosecutors investigating her accusations brought only one individual – the doctor – to trial. Ahmed Adel was acquitted. The court, whose verdict cannot be appealed, denied that such tests are carried out.

The military has been in power since Mubarak stepped down last year in the face of a popular uprising. The Mubarak-era generals who succeeded their former patron face accusations by rights activists of killing protesters, torturing detainees and trying at least 0,000 civilians in military tribunals.

Egypt’s official news agency said that Adel was acquitted because the testimonies of the witnesses for the plaintiff conflicted.

But the court’s insistence that no tests were ever conducted at all has raised doubts about the verdict.

“The court’s denial of the tests being conducted went against written testimonies of several public figures who discussed the issue with several of the ruling generals,” rights lawyer Adel Ramadan said.

Amnesty International said in June that Egypt’s generals have acknowledged carrying the tests on female protesters. It said Maj. Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, a member of the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, justified the tests as a way to protect the army from rape allegations. The rights group said al-Sisi vowed the military would not again conduct such tests.

The “virginity test” allegations first surfaced after a March 9 rally in Cairo’s Tahrir Square, epicenter of last year’s uprising that turned violent when men in plainclothes attacked protesters and the army intervened forcefully to clear the square.