Posted on 1-6-2002

Nuke-Free C's


May 30th AUCKLAND, NZ Today three flotillas from the Pacific, Cape Horn
and the Irish Sea announced their intention to protest against the
shipment of rejected plutonium mixed oxide (MOX) due to leave Japan for
the UK in early July.


The rejected plutonium MOX shipment, containing 255 kgs of weapons-usable
plutonium is being returned to the UK after British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL)
admitted to falsifying critical safety data after the fuel had arrived in
Japan in 1999. The route the return shipment will take from Japan back to
the UK is still unknown, but whichever route it takes a protest flotilla
will be there to meet it. If it is the Pacific and Tasman Sea route the
shipment is expected to pass through the protest zone in mid July. At
least eight boats are preparing in Australia, Vanuatu and New Zealand to
form a symbolic chain across international waters to protest the shipment
through the Pacific and Tasman Sea. If the Cape Horn route is chosen, the
five boats that currently make up the Cape Horn flotilla will be braving
the winter weather off the Horn to send their message of protest.
Whichever route the shipment takes to the UK the boat will have to go
through the Irish Sea to reach its destination and there it will be met
by a large Irish flotilla.


Seven boats formed the Tasman Sea flotilla last year when a second
shipment of plutonium MOX, this time from the French Areva company
passed through. The Pacific Pintail carrying the plutonium MOX fuel
changed course to avoid the flotilla. "The flotilla movement has grown in
just a year says Bernard Kuczera, from the Pacific flotilla "Sailors all
around the world are joining the coastal states that are already
protesting these totally unnecessary and dangerous shipments"


The quality of the French plutonium MOX, delivered to Japan last year
has also been called into question. Public referenda and concerns over
the use of MOX in Japanese reactors have meant no MOX fuel that has been
delivered to Japan has been used. "As part of the flotilla I have the
opportunity to act in a positive way against the nuclear industry. I am
completely against the plutonium shipment transiting through these wild
southern seas, which I know really well and where serious problems may
occur. One is never a hundred per cent sure of the sea. this is true at
Cape Horn or on any other route", says Olivier Pauffin from the Cape Horn
flotilla. "We feel so strongly about this shipment that despite it being
winter we will join together with the other flotillas around the world to
demand that our seas and our oceans are nuclear free, said Pascal
Grinberg also of the Cape Horn flotilla. "The Irish community feels it
has suffered because of Sellafield and people here believe that their
protests have been ignored by BNFL and by the British government, said
Rowan Hand from the Irish Flotilla. "The Flotilla is a means of giving
expression to high levels of concern and the interest in the project
grows daily. In the weeks leading up to the August Flotilla we will be
garnering the enthusiasm of our sailing friends and I am certain that a
large flotilla will depart the historic port of Carlingford to make its
protest" he said. "Quite simply the Irish Sea is not a dumping ground for
the UK nuclear industry. The Irish people will not be bullied into
accepting this; it is unjust and ultimately offensive, said Ron van der
Horst from the Irish flotilla. "People are uniting all over the world to
stop these shipments."


Contacts:


Pacific Flotilla: Bernard Kuczera mobile: ++64 (0)21 607178, Henk
Haazen:++64 (0)21 534003

Cape Horn Flotilla: Pascal Grinberg mobile: ++54- 2901-561080, Olivier
Pauffin: ++54 2901 432596

Irish Flotilla: Rowan Hand ++353 28 30269926 , or mobile: ++353 44
7713062118

Ron van der Horst mobile: ++353 404 47134, ++353
866055661