Ecologists: No Dictatorship Abolished Laws Of Nature

4.09.2020, 11:05
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Nuclear plants are not launched during revolutions and political crises.

The Charter97.org website publishes an open address of environmentalists and greens in connection with the political crisis in Belarus and the launch of the BelNPP.

Here is the text of the appeal:

- What is happening in Belarus today cannot leave indifferent even those who are far beyond its borders. The whole world is watching the events in our country - it is not only hundreds of thousands of people in the streets demanding justice, but also the violence, the use of the army against unarmed citizens, arbitrary detentions, fabricated criminal cases, terror, the purpose of which is to leave the current ruler in power by any means.

It is difficult to talk about the environment in this situation, unless one takes into account that the systemic environmental crisis has permeated all branches of absolute power. The future of Belarus will never be like the past in which we lived for 26 years.

In the situation of the crisis of the power's legitimacy and the non-functioning system of law, the most dramatic development is possible, which may lead to new victims, destruction of the economy and image of our country, and, consequently, to the loss of its sovereignty. It is time to stop this confrontation and terror, to start an honest dialogue with our people. After all, no dictatorship has abolished the laws of nature, despite the persistent resistance to them through permanent rule and the preservation of the socio-ecological system.

Now it is crucial not to miss the main thing. Everybody may lose in the conflict between the authorities of Belarus and its people, but first of all the authorities, if unacceptable means are used. Violence is one of them. The second is the launch of the unnecessary and dangerous BelNPP.

Nuclear power plants are especially dangerous objects that are not launched during revolutions and political crises.

To begin with, the internal troops and security forces that could be used to deal with the consequences of a possible accident are now involved in a very different matter - confrontation with protesters. The response resources are concentrated in places of mass protest, so there will be no one to warn citizens about the accident and mitigate its consequences.

We remind that the risks of an accident increase many-fold when a nuclear reactor is launched. In the case of the BelNPP, they increase given all the shortcomings and problems with which that nuclear power plant was built.

The Ministry of Emergency Situations has changed the procedure for launching the BelNPP on the eve of the elections, allowing the launch of this nuclear power plant in stages, under separate permits, but without a license for operation, before completing the relevant safety checks. The reactor of Unit 1 has already been loaded with fuel and its physical start may take place literally in the coming weeks.

We would like to remind you that the dictator's life span is unlikely to exceed 100 years, but the used nuclear fuel, as well as the consequences of radiation accidents, will remain dangerous to man and nature for hundreds of thousands of years.

The launch of the nuclear power plant near Astravets must be stopped!

Belarusian Party "The Greens",

Public campaign "Astravets NPP is a Crime!"

Public association "Ekadom",

Tatsiana Novikava, ecologist, publicist, coordinator of the Belarusian anti-nuclear campaign,

Tatsiana Pashavalava, International Non-Governmental Organization "EuroBelarus",

Nina Palutskaya, director of non-governmental organization "Friends of Nioman",

Natallia Parechyna, "Center for Environmental Solutions",

Inessa Balotsina, ecologist,

Leanid Platonenka, eco-activist,

Ihar Pastukhou, regional coordinator of the "Green Patrol" public environmental inspection,

Aliaksandr Darashevich, the "Green Patrol" public environmental inspection.