INDIA: NATIONAL ALLIANCE OF ANTI-NUCLEAR MOVEMENTS (NAAM) LAUNCHED WITH “THE KANYAKUMARI DECLARATION”

COMMENTARY ARCHIVES, 8 Jun 2009

S.P. Udayakumar, Ph.D. - Member of TRANSCEND

More than one hundred organizations, peoples’ movements and concerned citizens from across the country came together for a National Convention on “The Politics of Nuclear Energy and Resistance” on June 4-6, 2009 at Kanyakumari.

They discussed all the different aspects of nuclear power generation and weapons production, the various stages of nuclearization from Uranium mining till waste management, and the commissions and the omissions of the government of India and the Department of Atomic Energy during the three-day-long convention.

Besides the scientific, technological, and socioeconomic dimensions, the Convention also considered the political side of the nuclear threat. The nucolonization (nuclear+colonization) policy of the Delhi government is poised to continue with a Russian outpost in Koodankulam, a French settlement in Jaitapur, an American joint in Haripur and many more such establishments around the country. India is going to look and feel like the colony of several East India Companies. The Citizens of India would become the energy slaves of these White and Brown power barons.

Most importantly, nuclearism is a political ideology that cannot stomach any transparency, accountability or popular participation. It snubs dissent, denounces opponents and creates a political climate of fear and retribution. With the India-US nuclear deal, and the deals with Russia and France and likely private participation in nuclear energy generation, the situation is going to get out of hand in our country. The combination of profiteering companies, secretive state apparatuses and repressive nuclear department will be ruthless and this nexus of capitalism, statism and nuclearism does not augur well for the country. These forces gaining an upper hand in our national polity will mean a death knell for the country’s democracy, openness, and prospects for sustainable development.

In order to mobilize the Indian citizens against this growing nucolonization, to resist the nuclearization of the country, and to protect our people from nuclear threats and the environment from nuclear waste and radiation, an umbrella organization (tentatively named as the National Alliance of Anti-nuclear Movements) has been founded with eight committees on Documentation, Economic Analysis, Legal, Mass Media, International Liaison, Translation, Health, and Direct Action.

A statement known as “The Kanyakumari Declaration” was also passed by the National Convention.

Contact for More Info: Dr. S. P. Udayakumar, spudayakumar@gmail.com, 09865683735

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 8 Jun 2009.

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