Asia Pacific Report newsdesk
Activists from the Fukushima Anti-Nuclear Indonesia (IANFU) movement in Indonesia have held an action commemorating International Ocean Day demanding that the Japanese government not dispose of nuclear reactor coolant waste into the Pacific Ocean, reports Liputan6.
The protesters also staged street theatre outside the Japanese Embassy on Jalan MH Thamrin and in front of the Ministry for Fishing and Maritime Affairs office in Central Jakarta.
“We from Fukushima Anti-Nuclear Indonesia are holding an action against the Japanese government in relation to the disposal of waste, because the disposal of this waste into the sea will damage the Pacific Ocean’s ecosystem,” said IANFU action coordinator Zaki.
Zaki said the Japanese once dumped dangerous nuclear waste in Minimata in Kumamoto, a case which resulted in birth defects and the death of local people exposed to mercury in the Japan sea in 1956.
As many as 2000 people out of 10,000 suffered damage as a result of the pollution of the Minimata sea.
Because of this, the planned disposal of coolant waste from the Fukushima nuclear reactor into the Pacific Ocean must be halted because it would be highly dangerous to human health and the Pacific Ocean ecosystem, including biological diversity in the oceans, said Zaki.
Zaki hopes that the Indonesian government as a maritime country will take a firm position by lodging its objections and opposition to the Japanese government’s plan.
“Our country is a maritime country whose seas are very extensive. The distance between Japan and Indonesia is indeed far, but waste dumped in the sea will impact on the livelihoods of Indonesian fisherpeople,” said Zaki.
Zaki said protests against nuclear waste dumping would continue if the Indonesian government failed to take firm measures.
Translated by James Balowski for IndoLeft News. The original title of the article was “Aktivis Dorong Indonesia Tolak Rencana Jepang Buang Limbah Nuklir ke Laut”.
