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United for a Nuclear Power Free World - Conference - Women

Youth Panel-YWCA of Japan

“We don’t want nuclear power! Stop nuclear power plants NOW!”

1/23/12 -  The two day Global Conference for a Nuclear Power Free World held in Yokohama, Japan, on January 14-15, 2012, attracted some 11,500 people from 30 countries worldwide, as well as 30,000 who watched online, to help create safe societies with justice and to cry out “NO!” to both nuclear weapons and to nuclear power, which had been promoted as “clean energy”. The conference was organised by grassroots NGOs and supported by many individuals and organisations including the YWCA of Japan, to provide a space for people to network, exchange information and ideas, contribute skills and knowledge, and share actions to make the world free from nuclear power.

The 11 of March 2011 earthquake, tsunami and related melt down at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant led to great suffering for the people of Japan and has increased radioactive contamination across the globe, thus amplifying concern regarding long-term health, environmental and economic risks of nuclear power worldwide. The Fukushima accident has reminded us once again that nuclear technology is unforgiving and accidents cannot be contained. Although the Japanese Government has declared that the situation is under control, this does not seem to be the case. The plant remains unstable and radioactive contamination is, in fact, spreading. The residents of Fukishima are faced with the dilemma of either fleeing their homes with their children or risking their health and lives as a result of prolonged radiation.

The conference consisted of an opening plenary and a number of parallel sessions on themes such as the TEPCO Fukushima Plants accident, an energy shift from nuclear to renewable energy, radiation protection, creation of community based energy systems, global HIBAKUSHA, and East Asia and the world without nuclear weapons and plants. Panelists included experts, not only from Japan, but from around the world.

Among the panelists was, Mona Makhamreh, a lawyer, president of the Society of Peace and Nonviolence, and a member of the YWCA of Jordan, who explained the situation in Jordan including critical issues over nuclear plants export and import between Japan and Jordan. Mona’s mission was not only to attend the conference but to visit Fukushima to witness the reality of people’s lives and environment in the aftermath of the tsunami and the TEPCO Fukushima Plants accident. Nagisa Sakamoto, a young member of the YWCA of Japan managed to speak with her. “When I introduced myself to Mona as a YWCA member, she smiled, and we decided to work together. The YWCA is truly global yet it holds a close sisterhood!”

The conference emphasised that the lasting suffering of people from nuclear power and radiation including Hiroshima-Nagasaki, testing in the Pacific and deserts, uranium mining, US Three Mile Island, former USSR Chernobyl, and TEPCO Fukushima accidents and radioactive waste disposal, has been so taken far too lightly and their voices and stories have not been heard enough worldwide. The conference also highlighted indomitable grassroots efforts made through history by unknown individuals crying out “NO” to injustice caused by nuclear power and its whole industry.

At the conference, experience, measurements, and knowledge from past nuclear crises were shared, the severe accidents reviewed from a citizen’s perspective, and confirmation of the capability of renewable energy given. Participants confirmed the necessity to change the monopoly of the energy industry and called for protecting children’s lives and providing them with a safe place to live, and safe food to eat, free of radiation exposure.

The participants of the Global Conference launched the “Forest of Action for a Nuclear Power Free World”, containing concrete plans for action. These recommendations will be submitted as appropriate to the Japanese Government, governments of other nations, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) , etc.

In addition to the plenary and parallel sessions, live musical performances, films, programmes for children, a free discussion space, and a “Fukushima Room” - a space to talk and meet with people from Fukushima – were provided. Over 50 small events introducing everyday activities implemented by various grassroots organisations and individuals also took place. A space was also provided for groups of parents. Since the TEPCO Fukushima Plants accident, many small parent groups, mostly initiated by mothers, emerged to protect children while local and national governments repeated that radiation levels were “safe”. Each of these groups carried out actions such as the measurement of radiation levels in their community, organising school meals, and demanding local and national government to lower the permitted radiation level. These actions are starting to have an impact on the government and certain improvements, such as providing uncontaminated food, have taken place in schools,.

Since the 1970s, the YWCA of Japan has been a voice to alert the dangers of nuclear energy, regardless whether for weapons or for power, and has always fought for a nuclear free world. This conference is a first step and the YWCA of Japan continues to call for the solidarity of the whole YWCA movement.

At the closing of the event, two declarations were adopted; the Yokohama Declaration for a Nuclear Power Free World and the Declaration by Three Hundred and Eleven Representatives for A Nuclear Free East Asia.