URENCO Declaration 1978

24th June 1978

As an alliance of groups and individuals, we declare our total and uncompromising opposition to URENCO and in particular to the supply of enriched uranium by URENCO to the military dictatorship in Brazil.

No safeguards are adequate to prevent the diversion of nuclear material for the production of nuclear weapons.

Brazil has refused to sign even the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, and has made no secret of its intention to manufacture “Peaceful” nuclear bombs.

The supply of enriched uranium is a particularly clear example of the way nuclear power threatens all living creatures and their natural environment, concentrates power in the hands of a
few, necessitates a military style secrecy and undermines the principles of human liberty. This deal would be another irrevocable step towards a future of which we want no part.

Our stand is in defence of the health and safety of ourselves, future generations, and all living things on this planet.

We therefore demand an immediate halt to –

1. The plans to supply enriched uranium to Brazil.

2. The marketing of nuclear technology by URENCO.

We declare our determination to –

1. Provoke public discussion about the operation of URENCO and all its contracts.

2. Prevent the importing of uranium mined in violation of the land rights of people anywhere in the world: e.g. Australia, Namibia and Brazil.

And Announce that we are prepared to take all non-violent steps necessary to achieve these ends.

Published by Stop URENCO Alliance.

Stop Urenco Alliance Activities 1978

 

From the Activist Archive —-

published by WISE Bulletin in July 1978

Japan and Australia plan enrichment

Australia and Japan are discussing a joint project for uranium enrichment. This is a logical step for Australia, with its key position as world supplier. But it needs help with the heavy cost of an enrichment plant. Japan, totally dependent on out-side supplies, is the obvious partner. The most likely technique is the centrifuge, and URENCO (them again !) have offered their help with building it. Delegations from the Australian Atomic Energy Commission and the Japanese government and Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. met on April 19 for talks. They set the second half of the ’80s as a target date.
Source/ MAUM 277 Brunswick St., Fitzroy

URENCO battle spreads to Britain

On June 24,400 people took part in a first demonstration against the URENCO centrifugal enrichment plant at Capenhurst. This was the outcome of a determined effort to spread opposition to the British-Dutch-German project. Capenhurst (Cheshire) is a twin plant to the one at Almelo, expansion of which was decided at the end of June (See Politics) despite major Dutch opposition. It is feared that some or all of URENCO’s commitment to supply enriched uranium to Brazil could be met from Capenhurst. The British partner in URENCO has been pushing for its share of the deal – despite the lack of guarantees that Brazil will not make weapons.

Some 60 Dutch and British activists got together during the demo. against the Torness reactor, in May, and the “Stop URENCO Alliance” was formed, made up of Greenpeace, CIMRA, FoE local groups, SCRAM (opposition to Torness), SERA, and anarchist groups. The Capenhurst demo. is the first stage in a campaign to inform UK opinion. (In a recent parliamehtary debate, the UK foreign secretary muddled enrichment and reprocessing, and no-one reacted !).

The Torness and Capenhurst demo’s also mark the start of a new readiness in the UK anti-nuke movement to use direct action.
Contact/ Stop URENCO Alliance
c/o 6 Endsleigh Rd. – London W.C. 1
Tel. 44-1-3875370 (Greenpeace) 44-1-4393749 (SERA)
44-1-2630253 (CIMRA)