As heroic attempts continue to contain the disaster at the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and a host of other organisations have called a Vigil for Fukushima to take place at 2pm tomorrow, Sunday 20th March, outside Downing Street.
- The event will mark its respects to those who have lost their lives in the earthquake and tsunami and its deep sympathy to those who have been so tragically affected and those at risk of further suffering as events unfold at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.
- The event will also urge the government to reject nuclear power and abandon plans for new-build nuclear power stations.
- It begins at 2pm, Sunday 20th March, and will be addressed by Jeremy Corbyn MP, Jenny Jones, Member of the London Assembly, and others. CND General Secretary Kate Hudson will also be present.
- The event is organised by CND and supported by Friends of the Earth, Scientists for Global Responsibility, Medact, Pax Christi, the Green Party, Kick Nuclear and Counterfire.
Kate Hudson, General Secretary of CND, said, ‘As the world watches in horror at the events unfolding at Fukushima in Japan, CND expresses its sympathy for those affected by the earthquake and tsunami and those who may suffer further as events at Fukushima unfold. We regret that statements from the Japanese government and the Tokyo Electric Power Company have sometimes contradicted each other. It is not only the Japanese people but the wider world that needs to know the full truth.
Here in Britain, we cannot have business as usual. Chris Huhne’s call for a report falls short of what is required in the interests of public health and safety – as an absolute minimum we must follow the example of the Swiss, Germans and Chinese and suspend all steps towards new build nuclear power stations in Britain. We reiterate our call for a non-nuclear energy policy, building on and developing Britain’s undoubted capacity for the development and production of sustainable energy forms.’
Mike Childs, Head of Climate Change at Friends of the Earth, said, ‘Our hearts go out to those suffering from the dreadful earthquake and tsunami; that you have the worries of a failing nuclear plant must be an almost unbearable load. We can do nothing to stop earthquakes and tsunamis but we can use alternative energy sources to nuclear power. For decades Friends of the Earth has promoted safer, cleaner energy. We must build a cleaner safer future in the UK and elsewhere, but right now we must help the Japanese people through their terrible situation.’