[NukeNet] Japanese support Muslim clerics' opposition to Indonesian nuclear power plant

[Citizens' Nuclear Information Center]

Media Release
4 September 2007

Muslim clerics show wisdom by saying "No" to Indonesia's nuclear plan

Tokyo based Citizens' Nuclear Information Center (CNIC) today welcomed 
a statement by the Jepara branch of Indonesia's largest Islamic 
organization, Nahdlatul Ulama, which declared the proposed Muria 
nuclear power plant "haram" or "forbidden". The statement was issued on 
September 2 by a gathering of over 150 clerics in Jepara, Central Java.

CNIC spokesperson, Philip White, said, "A striking aspect of Nahdlatul 
Ulama's statement is the concern it shows for the feelings and the 
well-being of the general community. The Indonesian government should 
now show its respect for the feelings of its people by immediately 
canceling the Muria nuclear power plant plan."

The Indonesian government has not yet made a firm decision to cancel 
the Muria plan, but there is a marked change in the statements it is 
making now. Instead of the certainty of its previous statements, the 
government is now saying things such as, "The Muria nuclear power plant 
plan is not final. The government has not decided yet whether it will 
be built or not."

Mr. White continued, "The Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake, which struck the 
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Japan on July 16, proves that 
in earthquake-prone countries like Japan and Indonesia the concerns of 
the local residents are well-founded.

"The upsurge of protests in Central Java since the middle of this year, 
the Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake earthquake, and now this statement by 
Nahdlatul Ulama will make it almost impossible for the Indonesian 
government to continue its plan to build a nuclear power plant in 
Muria."

"The Japanese government and industry must accept that the writing is 
on the wall for Muria. They have been currying favor with the 
Indonesian and other South-East Asian governments in the hope of 
winning nuclear power contracts, but they must accept the will of the 
Indonesian people." (1)

The Japanese anti-nuclear movement played an important role in helping 
Indonesian's concerned about their government's nuclear power plan to 
understand the dangers posed by earthquakes (2). Two Indonesians, 
including a local Jepara leader in Nahdlatul Ulama, Nuruddin Amin, 
visited Japan in July, immediately before the Chuetsu-Oki Earthquake. 
Besides lobbying government and industry, they also met local activists 
opposed to the Hamaoka nuclear power plant. Because of its location 
directly above the predicted Tokai earthquake, Hamaoka is arguably the 
most dangerous nuclear power plant in the world.

Mr. White said, "We are confident that Nuruddin Amin conveyed the 
message of Hamaoka to the Nahdlatul Ulama clerics, who issued the 
statement against Muria nuclear power plant. The wisdom of the cleric's 
statement is entirely their own, but Japanese activists contributed 
their wisdom about earthquakes."

Contact:

Philip White, International Liaison Officer, Citizens' Nuclear 
Information Center, Tokyo, Japan
Phone: 81-3-3357-3800

Notes and References

1. Japanese government policy, as expressed in the Nuclear Power 
National Plan released by the Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry 
(METI) in August 2006, is to "actively support the global development 
of the Japanese nuclear industry". In 2006 METI commissioned the Japan 
External Trade Organization (JETRO) to carry out a study into the 
potential for introducing nuclear power to Indonesia and Vietnam. It 
was also reported that in August, while Prime Minister Abe was visiting 
Indonesia, he signaled Japan's willingness to cooperate with 
Indonesia's nuclear power plan.

2. For more information about the visit of Indonesian anti-nuclear 
activists to Japan, see the following web page:
http://cnic.jp/english/topics/asia/asianuke.html