Exiled Iran Religious Scholar Calls For Debate On Nuclear Safety
rferl
31-Mar-2011 (one comment)

Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari, a prominent Iranian religious scholar, has called for a debate among intellectuals and political activists about the safety of nuclear facilities in earthquake-prone Iran. The call, issued in an article published on the opposition "Jaras" website, comes as nuclear safety is under intense scrutiny as Japan battles nuclear catastrophe. Eshkevari's is one of the first such challenges pertaining to nuclear facilities in Iran, where there is general agreement across the political spectrum on the country's nuclear-energy policy. Eshkevari, an outspoken critic of the Iranian establishment who was jailed and defrocked in Iran, speaks to RFE/RL correspondent Golnaz Esfandiari from Germany, where he has resided for the past three years.

RFE/RL: You've noted in your article that the issue of nuclear safety has been missing from the discussions on Iran's nuclear program. Do you think the nuclear accident in Japan has paved the way for a debate regarding the safety of Iran's nuclear facilities?

Hassan Yousefi Eshkevari: Unfortunately, in recent years, for foreign governments and also for many political activists, Iran's nuclear policy -- the issue of a nuclear bomb and the endangerment of world peace have been the main issues for debate. Little attention has been paid to the human aspect -- the issue of nuclear safety and the negative consequences that nuclear plants and facilities can have for people's health and the impact on the environment. ... >>>

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vildemose

Latest on Japan's Atomic Samurai

by vildemose on Fri Apr 01, 2011 08:47 PM PDT

 //www.dailykos.com/story/2011/04/01/962249/-Japanese-PM-raises-doubts-about-the-future-of-privately-owned-power-companies-like-Tokyo-Electric

 ""...It could depend on whether the situation worsens at one or more of the damaged power plants. Or on how many of the "atomic samurai" workers now exposing themselves to high levels of radiation soon die, as they seem to believe will be the case. On the other hand, Areva, the French government-controlled nuclear-engineering firm, does not believe the Fukushima disaster will have much effect on building new nuclear power plants, according to an internal document Dow Jones gained access to on Tuesday.

Whatever the long-term outcome, the spread of the impact of the partial meltdown is worsening. The government has told farmers in areas near Fukushima to stand down. No harvesting, no planting, no tilling of the soil. That presents a problem not just for the farmers but also for the general population since Fukushima Prefecture and its two neighbors produce 15 percent of Japan's rice.

Meanwhile, the Guardian reports that exposure to radiation isn't the only problem for the atomic samurai...


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