Moscow/russia july 20, 2003

Russian national anti-nuclear camp 2003: no plutonium experiments, no new reactors at beloyarsk nuclear plant!

Activists of Russian anti-nuclear, human rights' and other grassroots campaigners will come together on August 6-16, 2003, to participate in the Annual National Anti-Nuclear Camp. Gathering will take place near Ekaterinburg, third largest city in Russia located in Ural region.

Main themes for 2003 Camp will be the hazards of burning plutonium as fuel in civil nuclear reactors, nuclear transportations, high-level radioactive waste' import and reprocessing in Russia.

Camp' agenda will consist of the trainings on anti-nuclear campaigning, actions of protest, strategy planning for campaigners from various regions, lectures on nuclear hazards.

2003 CAMP' ORGANIZERS:

Ecodefense
Russian branch of WISE/NIRS
Anti-nuclear campaign of the Socio-Ecological Union

Why this place and problem are so important?

Beloyarsk nuclear plant (BNPP) including Russia's only fast-breeder reactor using plutonium fuel located near Ekaterinburg city. Currently, Russian nuclear industry is building new breeder reactor scheduled for start-up in 2008 at this plant. Another new reactor is under discussion at BNPP.
Beloyarsk plant located in just 30 km from Ekaterinburg city with 1,5 million of people who every day risks to be contaminated with plutonium as a result of even relatively small accident at BNPP. In 2000 Russian and US governments concluded agreement on disposing 68 t of weapon-grade plutonium as fuel in civil nuclear reactors. Politically, we support disarmament, but not in form of dangerous nuclear experiment that may lead to plutonium contamination of the nvironment, growing threat of nuclear proliferation, economic losses and nuclear accidents.
According to 2000 agreement, weapon-grade plutonium will be mixed with uranium in order to produce MOX fuel (Mixed OXides of uranium and plutonium). It's projected that in Russia MOX will be loaded into BN-600 at BNPP near Ekaterinburg city. (Additional information on Russian plutonium plan at http://www.antiatom.ru) Presently, the only civil nuclear reactor in
Russia where MOX fuel with weapon-grade plutonium being tested is at BNPP.

Environmental groups proposes alternative scenario of plutonium disposition - immobilization, which includes mixing plutonium with radioactive waste and liquid glass/ceramics and then storing it in well-protected locations. Immobilization is much cheaper and safer for the environment and public health. In 2001, despite opposition of 90% of citizens, Russian government allowed nuclear industry to import the spent nuclear fuel, or high-level radioactive waste. That unpopular decision was made in order to escalate the reprocessing of waste and extract more plutonium - process that results in enormous amount of additional radioactive waste. The stockpiles of plutonium will then be turned into MOX to be loaded into all of Russian nuclear reactors. Present Russian-American plutonium disposition program is, in fact, the first step to creation of plutonium nuclear fuel cycle that leads to proliferation of plutonium, large quantities of radioactive waste additionally to those already produced, plutonium contamination of presently clean territories. Both local and national anti-nuclear grassroots groups in Russia are campaigning to stop the plutonium experiments in BNPP and elsewhere, as well as against new fast-breeder reactors and import of nuclear waste to Russia. 2003 Anti-Nuclear Camp will gather national and local campaigners from across the country to support activists working to stop plutonium madness in Ekaterinburg.
How to participate?

If you are:
- ready to participate in trainings, sessions and protests,
- ready to spend 10 days outside of the big city, at beautiful nature territory with forests around,
- ready to live 10 days with just tent, sleeping bag and a bunch of grassroot activists,
then get in touch with us to obtain registration form and receive information on how to get to the camp. Organizing committee would very much appreciate if you apply as quick as you can.

Contact organizing committee:
In Moscow: +7 (095) 2784642, 7766546, 7766281 - Vladimir Slivyak
or Alisa
Nikulina at Ecodefense, e-mail: ecodefense@online.ru or alni@online.ru
(For English, German, Russian speakers)

In Ekaterinburg: +7 (3432) 628872 - Olga Podosenova at Ecodefense,
e-mail:
olga_mox@mail.ru (For Russian speakers only)

Organizers of the Camp accept private donations only. If you would like to support the Camp - please contact organizing committee.