An 'Informational Flotilla' against Sellafield

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday September 18, 2002 01:22 by Graham Caswell - IRL IMC caswell at indigo dot ie

Sellafield CAN be closed

Sellafield can be closed. The key is influencing British public opinion through alliances with British anti-nuclear groups and others. Effective and creative use of media is vital.

At the moment, and from an Irish perspective, it looks like the British nuclear industry is in trouble. British energy is effectively bankrupt and BNFL's biggest MOX customer has suspended their MOX programme 'indefinitely'. But those campaigners dealing with BNFL and the nuclear industry lobbyists directly (Shaun Birnie and Nuala Ahern in particular) say that this is no time to be complacent and that the British nuclear establishment are ready to expand, not disappear.

One of the reasons for this is, ironically, climate change and the increasingly clear need to cut Co2 emissions. Nuclear electricity generation can do this and so climate change is becoming the Great Hope of the British nuclear industry. Shaun Birnie, the main researcher of the BNFL's MOX programme and the guy who uncovered the safety data fraud that caused Japan to return the MOX fuel, says that the nuclear enthusiasts are a 'priesthood' whose belief in nuclear power is not rational. I suspect its something about man becoming God through technological control of the universe, but I could be wrong. Whatever it is it is a very, very dangerous perspective.

However from the perspective of the British public there's no problem. Just ask the next British person you meet whether they are worried about Sellafield or not. The nuclear industry in general and Sellafield in particular hardly register on the British public's radar.

The key to closing Sellafield and the British nuclear industry is British public opinion. Let me say that again. THE KEY TO CLOSING SELLAFIELD AND THE BRITISH NUCLEAR INDUSTRY IS BRITISH PUBLIC OPINION. To influence public opinion you use media of all sorts. The flotilla was brilliant at this - they provided drama on the high seas to draw the cameras and get people thinking just a little about plutonium. The Barrow protestors brilliantly capitalised on the Flotilla to enhance the media effect.

Surely then, it makes sense to encourage and develop an 'informational flotilla' - a coalition and network of groups and individuals with the focused aim of closing Sellafield and the British nuclear industry. This is not a pipe dream and its not impossible. Germany did it - there's no reason why Britain cannot announce the phasing out of their nuclear industry and the closure of Sellafield. But British public opinion must demand it.

A network of groups and people might (and should!) include Irish anti-Sellafield activists such as Gluaiseacht. It should include key anti-Sellafield groups and individuals from Norway and other nations affected by the discharges. Most importantly, however, is the inclusion of British anti-nuclear groups such as www.corecumbria.co.uk or the Pemborkeshire Anti-Nuclear Alliance who hired a trawler to participate in the flotilla.

Think of what could be done:

-Rent billboards and other advertising making the anti-Sellafield case at all ferry ports and airports bringing people to and from Britain
-Get to know the local media around Sellafield and advertise in it regularly
-Lobby UK politicians directly - 'pair' Irish TDs with British MPs for direct lobbying.
-Do another postcard campaign aimed at friends and relatives in Britain rather than a few individuals
-Paint the roads red in concentric circles around Sellafield to graphically illustrate fallout zones.

Whatever we do, its important to keep in mind that (1) British public opinion is key, (2) British anti-nuclear energy is key (its their country, after all) and (3) its all about media.

The Greenpeace/Flotilla action has been an eye opener and an inspiration. Imagine what a focused, well-resourced international 'informational flotilla' could do to further the goal of closing Sellafield and the British nuclear industry.