International Peace Pilgrimage
Towards A Nuclear Free Future
JNFL`S Messy Business, Rob
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Peacemakers On The Scene |
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International Peace Pilgrimage |
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Sitting on top of the Tottori sand dune was quite an experience. Before, its desert landscape spread out into an infinite horizon. One more hill and the sea appeared, far into the distance, like a rippling pond without beginning. I felt small. The power of wind was there too, making itself felt. With all this still marinating in my mind, the peace pilgrims and I came down and enjoyed dinner and a cultural exchange with the local people. Their story fighting against the nuclear industry started way back in the 1950's. Uranium was mined, for the first time in Japan, nearby at Ningyotoge. This happened on the border between Okayama and Tottori prefecture. The uranium dug up was of bad quality, never used, and so the mine was soon closed. Only in 1988 (!) was it discovered that several hundred tones of soil tailings had been left behind, exposed for all that time. Studies from the Kyoto University showed that the surrounding air, water and soil were definitely radioactive. Since then lawsuits have been filed against (the government owned) company JNFL, by individuals and the local community. Japanese Nuclear Fuel Limited is responsible for mess. Why was the waste never cleared up, left behind on other peoples land? Okayama prefecture, where the plant resides, opposes the clearing up because this would mean moving the soil to their prefecture. The face of Yoshihira Doi, telling us this story, was stern and direct. His and other peoples long fought battle had taken its toll. The indirect division of communities within prefectures had never been intended. He silently handed out newspaper articles about the lawsuits against JNFL, from 1989. JNFL uses the internal community conflicts as an excuse. Since nobody wants the waste on their land, they obviously don't have to clean it up! The locals at that table joined us, without hesitation, for the walk when we journeyed to the front gates of JNFL. The pilgrimage there split up. One group prayed at the entrance of the building, while the rest went inside for a meeting with one of JNFL's henchmen. A disillusioned conversation with twisted words and muddled facts. Like reading a holiday brochure. JNFL wants a nuclear industry in the best possible way, yet still shrugging off our protests of nearby contaminated tailings, scared and financially ruined communities, depleted uranium weapons and a day closer to another possible Hiroshima. I feel sympathy for those people in Tottori, and all the other communities we've visited - for when they come for a meeting with a spokesman like this. A simple disregard for living without fear and a need to grow and sell clean veggies. Their feeling small and powerless, disconnected from the environment that has been poisoned for no reason (the uranium was never used) made me think back to the beautiful sand dune and the way I felt then. But that was different, very different. by Rob Marcus Atkinson reporting 08/01/2004 |
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