The Caribbean is threatened with a unique plutonium shipment
Greenpeace stated today, as two empty nuclear freighters are
expected to enter the Caribbean Sea during the next few days. The
ships, Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal left Barrow-in-Furness,
England on April 26th and are due to enter the Caribbean around May
8th-9th. They are en-route to Japan where they are to pick up a
cargo of plutonium Mixed Oxide (MOX) material, after which the
material is to be shipped back to the British Nuclear Fuels (BNFL)
site at Sellafield in England. Greenpeace declared that Caribbean
nations have only a matter of weeks to restate their opposition to
the return shipment of plutonium which could occur as early as
mid-June.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry stated in January that three sea
routes are available for the return plutonium shipment to the
UK.(1) This includes the Panama Canal and Caribbean Sea. Since when
however the Caribbean states through the CARICOM (Caribbean
Community) have expressed their implacable opposition to the
shipment of nuclear waste through their region calling on Japan to
find alternatives.(2)
"The Japanese Government and British Nuclear Fuels declare that
no decision has yet been made on the route to be taken by this most
controversial of nuclear shipments. If true that means the
Caribbean is still at threat from this shipment. Only a few weeks
ago one of BNFL´s ships caught fire. An accident with this cargo of
plutonium could be catastrophic for the Caribbean. It is an
unacceptable threat that must be stopped," said Shaun Burnie of
Greenpeace International.
The plutonium MOX is being returned to the UK because the
Japanese Government and owners of the MOX rejected it following
disclosures in 1999 that BNFL had deliberately lied over the safety
checks conducted during its manufacture. BNFL and the UK Government
agreed to pay Japan compensation and the cost of the transport
amounting to 110 million pounds sterling.
Greenpeace is opposed to the return as it presents an
unacceptable environmental and security threat to all nations on
the transport route. The plutonium MOX could be stored in Japan,
and although not without risk, especially from a security and
proliferation prespective, it is not as dangerous as shipping it
tens of thousands of kilometers around the world. Since 1984 Japan
has received over 2500 kilograms of plutonium, justified as
necessary for Japan´s energy needs. Yet not one gram of the
plutonium has been used to generate electricity. In 1984 a sea
shipment of plutonium with enormous levels of security used the
Caribbean Sea route to Japan, including British, French and US
naval warships acting as escort. The Pacific Pintail and Teal are
lightly armed nuclear freighters with armed terrorist police on
board.
Only last week the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark
expressed strong opposition to this shipment during meetings with
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi. She also committed the
Government to supporting Greenpeace in its efforts against the
transport (3). The Irish Government is still considering legal
action against the UK Government to prevent the shipment. Ireland
cites a commitment made by the UK Government to the United Nations
International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea during a legal case
brought by Ireland during 2001. The UK stated that no shipment
associated with a new plutonium MOX plant at Sellafield would be
made until October 2002.
Jamaica, with the backing of other Caribbean nations recently
led moves at the United Nations in New York to oppose the transport
of plutonium and nuclear waste. During negotiations at the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty Prepcom, Jamaica together with Chile, New
Zealand, Ireland and Norway expressed their concerns over the
continuing threat posed by nuclear sea shipments (4).
"The Caribbean nations have been a consistent and strong critic
of these shipments. Increasingly they are being joined by countries
around the world. Since 1984 the nuclear industry has not used this
route for plutonium. However, for this shipment anything is
possible. Governments, politicians, and the wider community need to
act now to prevent this shipment from threatening the Caribbean.
They can be stopped but only through decisive and strong
opposition," said Tom Clements of Greenpeace International in
Panama.
Describing the shipment as unlawful, on April 29th Greenpeace
announced that it was sending its largest vessel, the MV Esperanza,
to Japan to support the opposition to Japan´s plutonium program and
this shipment. The environmental organization is considering legal
options to prevent the shipment.