Headline News
June 13-19, 2011
Anti-nuclear energy groups redouble protest efforts as budget for rebuilding nuclear plant is passed
Reported by Chiou Kuo-rong and Lin Yi-ying.
Translated by Lydia Ma
On June 11th, 2011, three months to the day after the nuclear disaster in Fukushima, Japan, various organizations across Taiwan led by Taiwan Environmental Protection Union organized an anti-nuclear energy rally near various train stations across Taiwan. They demanded the Ma administration increase its pace in making Taiwan a nuclear-free country.
At precisely 13:46, on June 11, the exact time when the nuclear disaster in Fukushima came to light weeks ago, a group of demonstrators gathered outside of Taipei Train Station. They began their rally with prayer, led by Rev. William J.K. Lo, former General Secretary of the PCT.
Deaf to the concerns of many Taiwanese and the opposition party’s call to halt construction of the unfinished Nuclear Power Plant No.4, the Ma administration, whose party commands the majority of seats in the Legislative Yuan, passed this year’s national budget bill on June 13th, 2011, with a significant budget allocation for building Nuclear Power Plant No.4.
Lo mentioned in his brief prayer that the nuclear accident in Fukushima had awakened people to the consequences of their greed and he asked God to remind Taiwanese that they’d have nowhere to seek refuge in case of a national nuclear accident. He also expressed his gratefulness for the number of people and organizations made a stand against greed and sought the interests of Taiwanese and the future of Taiwan. He believed Taiwan would do well to explore solar energy and wind energy because it’s endowed with climate conditions suitable for the development of these two sources of energy.
With that in mind, he begged God to change the mind of the Ma administration so that it’d truly care about the people’s best interests instead of only setting sights on boosting trade and economy.
