French Protestors are blocking the Ministry of the economy
in order to urge the Government to invest in Renewables and divest from Nuclear

More Problems with the new nuke at Flammaville

Here is a translation of the article below from  Le Canard Enchainé   (20/11/2013)

EPR : the great DIY

" Damaged " on October 16 , after another and yet another technical " hazard " , the dome of the future Flamanville is perforated and must be repaired with , according to the regional head of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN), the " patches " ! This time it is two pieces of metal that have been " ejected " during a load test of the bridge handling the EPR. The parts in question, four pounds of gear and a key , projected as a result of an unexpected breakdown of the inner metal wall of the dome, bounced off the lid of the reactor, supposed to withstand the crash of a plane line , eventually crashing 20 meters down outside the security perimeter. No injuries, fortunately ..

Still, this new incident raises a number of questions. The security staff at the EPR site but also the intrinsic safety of the future reactor. Besides the fact that EDF is now forced to tinker with " patches " on the EPR , the metal parts out of the handling crane is a serious problem , since this is supposed to regularly lift the lid of the reactor nuclear during the half - century to come.

Our English neighbours are on the verge of signing with EDF for two EPRs . 

Have they provided enough " patches ?" .

EPR : le grand bricolage

“Endommagé”, le 16 octobre, après un nouvel et énième “aléa” technique, le dôme du futur EPR de Flamanville est troué et doit être réparé avec, selon le responsable régional de l’autorité de Sureté nucléaire (ASN), des “rustines” !  Cette fois, ce sont deux pièces de métal qui ont été “éjectées” lors d’un essai en charge du pont de manutention de l’EPR. Les pièces en question, une roue dentée de 4 kilos et une clavette, projetées à la suite d’une rupture imprévue de la paroi métallique interne du dôme, ont rebondi sur le couvercle du réacteur, censé résister à la chute d’un avion de ligne, pour finir par s’écraser 20 mètres plus bas, en dehors du périmètre de sécurité. Aucun blessé, heureusement..

Reste que ce nouvel incident soulève un certain nombre de questions. Celle de la sécurité du personnel sur le chantier EPR mais aussi celle de la sureté intrinsèque du futur réacteur. Outre le fait qu’EDF soit aujourd’hui contraint de bricoler des “rustines” sur son EPR, la rupture de pièces métalliques sur le pont de manutention pose un sérieux problème, dans la mesure où ce dernier est censé soulever régulièrement le couvercle du réacteur nucléaire pendant le demi-siècle à venir.

Nos voisins anglais, sur le point de signer avec EDF pour deux EPR, ont-ils prévu suffisamment de “rustines” ?.

France - Human chain reaction has begun - build up to THE event in Paris 9 March 2013

Inbox

x

On Saturday afternoon in the city of Rouen, Normandy - people joined hands to send out a simple messge "yes to renewable energy and no to nuclear".  A very festive occasion with kids, parents, grand parents and in general a wide range of people from all different backgrounds.

This is the first in a series of events in Rouen, with more to follow throughout France and Europe leading up to the massive event on 9 March 2013 in Paris.  Our goal is to surround  different places where decisions are made regarding nuclear such as: Areva, EDF, parliament, the Nuclear Safety Authority, etc.. with a giant humain chain to show that enough is enough! 

For more info check out the site: chainehumaine.org (in French for now but translations to follow)

Here is the flyer for the event in French:

Anti Nuclear Protest in France

On 23rd November last, near the town of Valognes, towards the northern tip
of the Cherbourg peninsula in Normandy, 800 people took it into their
heads to delay a train full of nuclear waste, in which action they were
successful. For the first time in many years, the French anti-nuclear
movement was seeing direct action at a mass level. For the first time in
many years, the anti-nuclear movement was speaking without fear, in
response to the thousands of Germans who have been blocking the same
nuclear-waste train every year for more than twenty years.

This action, in the most densely “atomic” region of the most nuclear
country in the world, proved unacceptable to the authorities. Just as the
steady drip-feed of “incidents” in power stations and reprocessing plants
has always been hushed up, so too has any kind of opposition to the
nuclear industry.

Which is why, too, in the same part of northern Normandy, some six months
later, police were given free-rein to disperse the anti high-tension wire
camp at Montabot. The cost in human terms was twenty-five casualties, five
of them serious. Next came a tidal wave of court-cases against nuclear
opponents: five charged over the action at Valognes; a mayor (the mayor of
Le Chefresne) held on remand, provoking his resignation along with that of
his entire municipal council; not to mention many assorted convictions,
including one actual prison sentence, for people who taking part in the
battle against the Cotentin-Maine high-tension line; and many straight
summonses intended to intimidate.

A further trial is to be held at Cherbourg on 9th October 2012. The three
defendants are all people who spoke to the media during the action at
Valognes. This is an across-the-board first for all political struggles,
that the mere fact of answering reporters’ questions should be answerable
before the law. The charges are: “direct provocation leading to people
assembling to take up arms”; “organizing an illegal demonstration”; and
“party to the destruction of private property”.

And what is the evidence to corroborate charges of so serious a nature?
Two or three interviews before BFM TV (a news channel), Le Figaro (a
national newspaper of a conservative bent) or France Soir (an Internet
publication formerly a national newspaper), alleged to establish the
defendants as self-proclaimed leaders commanding a flock of sheep-like
obedience.

This is not subtle. The intention is that events such as Valognes should
not in future be able to be supported by publicly formulated political
demands. Those who take part must be seen as thoughtless criminals,
irresponsible and crazy. There must always be seen to be leaders, in
denial of non-hierarchical modes of organization. The clear expression of
any sort of offensive, collective commitment is to be prevented. On our
side, the purpose is just that: to provide space for an insolent
connection between deed and thinking behind deed.

Beyond the dozy confines of a tribunal, such trials must always seem
preposterous. Which is why we are calling for the three defendants to be
overwhelmed by the broadest possible support. Why we are asking for you to
be present outside the court on the day of the trial.

ALL MEET: 9TH OCTOBER: 10 am - CHERBOURG LAWCOURTS.

Support the Valognes Three Collectives
legalteamvalognes@riseup.net

The Huge cost of nuclear power is holding up the development of renewable energy

Jan 14, 2012  - http://www.thenational.ae/thenationalconversation/industry-insights/energy/europes-reliance-on-nuclear-energy-a-costly-obstacle-to-green-power

A decision by France to spend billions of euros making its vast network of ageing reactors safe is once again making environmentalists question the future of nuclear energy.
"This is more evidence that nuclear energy is commercially, as well as environmentally, unviable in the long term. We have always opposed nuclear energy on grounds of cost as well as safety. That nuclear energy is far costlier than alternative energy is something we have always argued," Graham Thompson, a spokesman for the environmental lobby group Greenpeace, says.

French nuclear authority ASN has warned that France and its nuclear energy supplier EDF will have to find roughly €10 billion (Dh46.74bn) to ensure the nation's vast spider's web of 58 nuclear reactors spread across the country are made safe.
France, which relies on nuclear energy for almost 80 per cent of its power, is having to comply with an international raising of nuclear-power-generation safety standards after last year's nuclear reactor disaster in Fukushima, Japan. There is concern that many of France's reactors, about 34 of which are coming up to 30 years old, will require increasingly expensive maintenance in the future.
Although none of the French reactors need be shut down immediately, they require a huge investment if they are to be made safe in the event of a natural shock on the scale of Fukushima. But French Prime Minister François Fillon has promised to ensure that nuclear operators will conform to all of the safety requests made by ASN. Given voter concern over the dangers of nuclear energy, the French government can do little but enforce new safety regulations and other governments across the world will also need to follow suit.
The rising cost of nuclear energy versus the falling cost of power sources such as the wind and the sun is also set to be a primary focus of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2012 being held in Abu Dhabi next week.
France's €10bn bill acts as a stark warning to those countries now debating whether to opt for traditional or sustainable sources of power. Nuclear energy's reputation as a cheap, clean source of electricity has become increasingly tarnished. There is mounting evidence that, as a long-term source of sustainable energy, nuclear power is neither cheap nor clean. The possibility of radioactive fallout from a faulty reactor and mounting safety costs appear to far outweigh any benefits formerly associated with nuclear energy.
Developing economies, in particular, are in a prime position to avoid the sustainable energy problems facing the more developed world. As well as sidestepping a potential nuclear nightmare, they can also leapfrog power-generation solutions that are reliant on fossil fuels.
Africa, for example, currently has a relatively clean slate as far as power generation is concerned. According to the United Nations (UN), over 600 million Africans do not have access to electronic power and roughly 70 per cent of the population of sub-Saharan lives without access to clean and safe energy for their basic needs. Globally, there are still around 1.4bn with no access to electricity. Nearly half of humanity, over 2.5bn people, still relies on wood, charcoal and animal waste to cook and heat their homes.
The fact that regions such as Africa and Middle Eastern countries such as Egypt are looking at the long-term benefits of sustainable energy is good news for green investors. The developing world has already committed billions of dollars to renewable energy projects.
Investment in renewable energy in Africa alone grew from US$750m (Dh2,755) in 2004 to $3.6bn in 2011, according to Nigeria's Bank of Industry. This contrasts with a far slower global rate for renewable energy adoption; worldwide investment in renewable energy is estimated to have grown from $33bn in 2004 to $211bn in 2011. International business consultancy Frost & Sullivan believes that investment in renewable investment in Africa is now set to grow to $57bn by 2020.
Europe's sustainable energy woes are also having a directly beneficial effect on regions such as the Middle East and North Africa (Mena). Germany's post-Fukushima acceleration of its planned phase-out of nuclear power generation gave a boost to German-led project Investec, which aims to provide 15 per cent of Europe's electricity by 2050. Destertec hopes to develop a network of wind and solar power generation facilities stretching across the entire Mena region to feed Europe's ever-hungry power needs. The cost of the vast Destertec project has been roughly estimated at €400bn. The first phase of Desertec is now scheduled to  start this year with the development of 500MW solar farm close to the desert city of Quarzazate in south central Morocco.
Throughout 2012, Europe's clean-energy challenges are now set to have a beneficial effect not only to developing countries but also to the long-term value of green investments in renewable energy.
____________
SOUTH ASIANS AGAINST NUKES (SAAN):
An informal information platform for activists and scholars concerned
about the dangers of Nuclearisation in South Asia
http://s-asians-against-nukes.org/
SAAN Mailing List:
To subscribe send a blank message to: saan_-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


.

__,_._,___

Greenpeace activists break into French nuclear plant

By Michael Mainville (AFP) – 7 hours ago  -

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hEG-eAesK3O7F_R8Em1pMcLcTfAg?docId=CNG.272dde88c249b04657842be1af789a26.6d1

PARIS — Activists from environmental group Greenpeace managed to sneak into a nuclear power plant near Paris on Monday in a move they said highlighted the dangers posed by France's reliance on atomic energy.

Police confirmed the intrusion and said activists had tried to break into two other nuclear sites in the south of France.

French energy giant EDF, which runs the nuclear plants that France relies on for 75 percent of its energy, sought to play down the incident, saying the activists at the plant near Paris had been detected but a decision made not to immediately intercept them.

EDF said activists had unfurled banners at two other sites but did not specify whether they had managed to enter the nuclear plants.

In a statement, Greenpeace said some members had entered the nuclear site at Nogent-sur-Seine, 95 kilometres (60 miles) southeast of Paris, to "spread the message that there is no such thing as safe nuclear power."

"A group of militants managed to climb on to the dome of one of the reactors, where they unfurled a banner saying 'Safe Nuclear Power Doesn't Exist'," said Greenpeace spokesman Axel Renaudin.

"The aim is to show the vulnerability of French nuclear installations, and how easy it is to get to the heart of a reactor," said Sophia Majnoni, a Greenpeace nuclear expert.

EDF insisted it had been aware of the intrusion from the start.

The activists "were immediately detected by the security system and were permanently followed on the site, without a decision being made to make use of force," the company said in a statement.

It said seven to nine people had been "calmly apprehended" by the French gendarmerie, a branch of the armed forces that protects nuclear sites.

Ladders and banners were also found near a nuclear power station in Blaye in southwestern France and at a nuclear research centre in Cadarache in the southeast, the gendarmerie told AFP.

EDF said banners had also been deployed at nuclear power plants in Chinon in central France and at Blayais in southwestern France, but "immediately removed." The company did not say whether activists had managed to enter those sites.

Henri Guaino, an advisor to President Nicolas Sarkozy, said the activists' move was "irresponsible" but raised questions about security at nuclear plants.

"It was irresponsible on their part," he told BFMTV. "But this does make one think about the security of access to nuclear power plants. Conclusions must be drawn from this."

The incident comes as some in France have begun to question the country's long-held support for nuclear energy.

France, the world's most nuclear-dependent country, operates 58 reactors and has been a leading international proponent of atomic energy.

But the country's reliance on nuclear energy has been increasingly called into question since the Fukushima disaster in Japan, which prompted Germany to announce plans to shut all of its reactors by the end of 2022.

Ahead of a presidential election next year, Socialist candidate Francois Hollande has agreed a deal with the country's Greens to push to reduce France's reliance on nuclear energy to 50 percent by shutting down 24 nuclear reactors by 2025.

EDF and Greenpeace have a long history of confrontation, and last month a French court fined the company 1.5 million euros ($2 million) after it hired a private security firm to hack the computer of the group's former head of campaigns in France.

Greenpeace's action came as UN climate talks entered their second week in South Africa.

Near the Durban conference site six Greenpeace campaigners were arrested as they tried to hang a banner reading "Listen to the People, not the Polluters" at a hotel where a "Global Business Day," hosted by business organisations, was taking place.

Anti nuclear protest in France

1000s urge end to nuclear activities in France


Sun Oct 16, 2011 8:52AM GMT -http://presstv.com/detail/204854.html

Thousands of activists have staged demonstrations in seven cities across France, calling for an end to all forms of nuclear activity in the country.

Some 25,000 activists from 900 French anti-nuclear groups took part in the Saturday rallies, which were organized by Sortir du nucléaire (Nuclear phase-out) federation.

The demonstrators called on the government to halt all its military and civilian nuclear activities, and criticized Paris for continuing its nuclear policy while France's neighboring countries have already announced plans to scrap their nuclear facilities, AFP reported.

The protesters particularly called for the closure of Bugey nuclear plant in eastern France, which they say is susceptible to high risks of earthquake and flood.

They also held a minute of silence in honor of the victims of Fukushima nuclear disaster in eastern Japan, and urged the French government to take lessons from Japan's tragedy and turn to renewable energies.

Since a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and a devastating tsunami on March 11, the Daiichi Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan has been leaking radiation into the air, soil.

The quake triggered a nuclear crisis by knocking out power to cooling systems at the nuclear power plant on Japan's northeast coast.
(Le Monde - 15 octobre 2011)

Plusieurs milliers de manifestants ont défilé contre le nucléaire en France‎

http://tinyurl.com/685jgyx

Nuclear Explosion in Southern France

Avignon

There is a nuclear reprocessing plant near the Marcoute nuclear plant. This plant takes radioactive metal, among other things, and melts it down for recycling. The oven used for melting the metal exploded, killing one worker, seriously injuring another and slightly injuring two others.

What happens to the metal after it has been melted down???


http://m.cbsnews.com/fullstory.rbml?feed_id=2&catid=20104732&videofeed=38

Map of Nuclear sites in France

Scary!

http://www.sortirdunucleaire.org/carte/

Anti nuclear protest in French bank

A bank employee stands next to anti-G8 protesters as they occupy a bank during a demonstration in the city of Le Havre, western France, Thursday, May 26 claiming that banks finance nuclear weapons and energy. G8 leaders, in a two-day meeting in Deauville, will discuss the Internet, aid for North African states and ways in which to end the conflict in Libya. (AP Photo/Francois Mori)

PARIS — Police on Thursday detained some 100 people protesting against the Group of Eight summit in a Normandy ressort.

Officers also prevented protests in Paris and other French cities aimed to coincide with the two-day summit that brings together leaders of the world’s richest nations at the northern resort town of Deauville.

Some of the demonstrators were searched with their hands against a wall before being led into police vans.

A smaller group of around a dozen protesters managed to get inside the Paris offices of credit rating agency Standard & Poors, but left peacefully after handing out pamphlets.

A group representing the charity Doctors Without Borders hung a giant banner advocating free medical care outside the Paris stock exchange building.

Closer to the summit, a group of activists raised a large banner with anti-G8 slogans on the beach in Le Havre, just across the mouth of the Seine river from Deauville.


In nearby Caen another small demonstration of around several hundred protesters was contained by police.

anti-EDF protest in Rouen



Anti nuclear protest in France

Anti nuclear protest in France

25 militants, equipped with banners and disguised as scientists are currently blocking the headquarters of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) 22.04.2011 

Activists from the collective "Stop EPR 2" had originally planned to make a "citizen's inspection" of the headquarters of the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) in Paris to demand the closure of all plants located in areas at risk (earthquake and flood) and to stop the projects in Flamanville and Penly . Due to a heavy police presence, they couldn't enter the premises of the ASN:


Quick translation in English from here:http://www.chernobyl-day.org/Blocage-symbolique-de-l-ASN



French nuclear subcontractors seek equal rights-union

Friday Apr 22, 2011 3:52pm GMT

* EDF subcontracts 80 percent of work on its reactors
* Radiation levels 3.5 times higher for subcontractors-union

PARIS, April 22 (Reuters) - Subcontractors in France's state-owned nuclear industry are calling for the same job security and conditions as employees of government-controlled utility EDF, the CFDT union said on Friday.

France, which is the world's most nuclear-dependent country, subcontracts 80 percent of the maintenance at its 58 nuclear reactors to firms such as Vinci, GDF Suez and Bouygues.

"The use of subcontractors in nuclear power plants means that utilities escape all responsibility of staff management, gain more flexibility and transfer professional risk and hardship," the CFDT union said in a statement.

While EDF staffers have public sector contracts, which means a job for life, subcontractors from the private sector are vulnerable to job cuts, because their firms risk losing contracts with EDF every three years.

"Workers of nuclear reactor operators have better social rights than subcontractors," the CFDT added.

EDF says it requires subcontractors to carry out maintenance of nuclear reactors because of the highly specialised aspects of the work, such as changing the fuel.

But subcontractors say they receive 80 percent of the global radiation dose during maintenance works and have more work accidents than EDF workers, CFDT said.

They also say radiation levels are three and a half times higher for subcontractors than for EDF staff and that they do not benefit from the same medical check-ups, it added.

Subcontractors have long called for a single status for nuclear workers, and Japan's Fukushima disaster last month could support their argument. (Reporting by Muriel Boselli, editing by Jane Baird)

France: The latest "Discovery" of a disturbing "anomaly" in a series of 34 reactors

Press Release / Sortir du nucléaire / Our press release from 11/02/2011

The news remained discreetly buried in the depths of the site of the French Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN): Following recent studies, EDF has just "discovered" a disturbing "anomaly" standard on 34 of its reactors. In all reactors of 900 MW in case of major leakage from the  primary circuit, the water injection safety circuit  may be unable to prevent the meltdown of the reactor core.

The Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) warns: "In an accident situation, for breach of certain sizes of primary pressure, the injection from the  high pressure safety system may not be sufficient enough to cool the reactor core" (i) ..

The water injection security system  is the only device that allows to delay a nuclear meltdown if there is a major leakage of primary circuit water. Its role is to inject massive quantities of boron water (ii) in this circuit to suppress the nuclear reaction and cool the core. 

So EDF has discovered this while the first series of 900 MW reactors have been running for over 30 years (iii), it is unable to assess whether the injected water through the system is uniformly distributed in the three loops of the primary circuit of the reactor; the ASN has admitted ,"it might not allow sufficient cooling of the reactor core" (iv).EDF has let 34 nuclear reactors run for a quarter of a century before to ensure the effectiveness of this primary prevention system against nuclear meltdown.

Why has this discovery occurred so late? It is extremely disturbing that a problem of this magnitude has been ignored for so long by EDF ...

The plants concerned are: Blaye (Gironde), Bugey (Ain), Chinon (Indre-et-Loire) Cruas (Ardèche), Dampierre (Loiret), Fessenheim (Haut-Rhin), Gravelines (Nord), Saint- Laurent des Eaux

(Loir-et-Cher), Tricastin (Drôme). Or all of the thirty four 900 MW nuclear reactors, some of which have already reached 30 years of operation.  EDF has put all its eggs in one basket, multiplying the risks as they go along....

Under the precautionary principle, the Network "Sortir du nucléaire" demands the closure of the reactors concerned. An accident caused by these "anomalies" would have catastrophic consequences. In a context where security concerns are increasing in recent years (v), this possibility must always be taken into account.  Especially considering that 21 reactors run on MOX fuel containing plutonium.

More than ever, the discovery of these failures shows vividly the need for a political energy transition  as quickly as possible, to finally get out of the French nuclear risk imposed on the population for decades.

In light of these security deficiencies, the Network "Sortir du nucléaire" has requested that the ASN plays its role, in requiring EDF, under the precautionary principle (vi), the closure without delay of the 34 reactors concerned.

NOTES:

i. Link to the opinion of the DSC security flaw:

http://www.asn.fr/index.php/Les-actions-de-l-ASN/Le-controle/Actualites-du-controle/ Avis-d-incidents-des-installation-nucleaires/2011/An

omalie-generique-concernant-le-systeme-d-injection-de-securite

ii. The borated water serves to moderate the nuclear reaction in the core.

iii. The first reactor of 900 MW was connected to the grid in April 1977, the Central Fessenheim (Alsace). The last of the 34 900 MW reactor was connected to the power grid in November 1987 at the Central Chinon (Indre-et-Loire).

v. Report "The view of the IRSN on the safety and radiation protection of French nuclear power plants in 2009"

vi. The precautionary principle is constitutional since the integration of the Environmental Charter into the Constitution in 2005.

Why did the activists stop the nuclear waste train?

We find it absurd to transport 123 tons of highly radioactive waste across France and Germany to get them to a storage place that doesn’t offer any more guarantees compared to where the waste was stored in the first place. We understand the demand for return of the waste in their country of origin, from associations which fought from the beginning to prevent the arrival of these radioactive materials.

This transport of nuclear materials was also the most radioactive ever made: it contained twice the radioactivity released during the Chernobyl accident in 1986. Such convoys expose populations present along the path to excessive risks, both to their lives in the short-term but also long-term health … as is the case in Savoy with the transport of Italian waste two years ago. It was therefore logical to oppose this transport as well as all other trains with nuclear waste. It was also to express solidarity with the people of Germany who are not resigned to see their land contaminated forever.




Why stop the train?
This form of action is part of a movement of civil disobedience. This direct action was admittedly illegal from the standpoint of the law, but legitimate when compared to the danger and opacity of the nuclear industry.
It was also an act of solidarity and encouragement for antinuclear activists in Germany who were preparing to act in similar ways, a means to denounce the nuclear issue at the European level.

Radioactivity has no boundaries neither does our resistance!
This mode of action is of course not the only one but against the authoritarianism and the opacity of the nuclear industry it became necessary to choose this type of action. It definitely felt more of a necessity than a choice, which leads us to prefer a non-violent direct action to another mode of action.


A well planned action
Obviously, this was an action that was planned to be carried out safely.
Every precaution was taken not to put ourselves in danger with regards to the train. Thus, it is only when we saw that the train had stopped on the track (about a kilometre away) that the ten of us started the blockade. We very quickly set up under the rails, metal arm tubes on which five of us were locked on and we lit flares for the train driver to see us like we could see the lights on the train.


We then placed the banners indicating that the main message for our friends in Germany: "Our resistance knows no borders. Castor 2010, the first act. "
As with all such actions, the goal was not having to physically confront the police.
Without really believing it, we would have liked to maintain the presence of support for those doing physical lock-ons. This wasn’t possible.


The Law Enforcement
The police arrived within minutes by waves accompanied by a representative of the SNCF, then the mobile police and finally, the CRS (French riot police) who left the train while it was running slowly or close to us.
The police started removing the activists from the tracks that were not locked-on as well as journalists, and only then the CRS started to be interested in those who were locked on. They then put up blue tarpaulins to prevent people from seeing what was happening.


Freeing the blockaders
After they suddenly realised while trying to manually unlock the militants that it was not possible, the CRS quickly used a Circular saw with a big grinder engine, for cutting metal tubes one by one. It was quite impressive and we did not know how it was going to finish.
The CRS were very tense and wanted to extract us as soon as possible to allow the train to leave. This eagerness was detrimental to our security.
While we were locked-on under the tracks, it was their responsibility to free us without harming us.


From the beginning, the CRS were violent not only towards the blockaders but all other witnesses who were quickly told/forced to leave.
In addition to putting us under psychological pressure for more than two hours, police deliberately injured three of us when cutting the tubes.


Despite the howls of pain associated with burns, the CRS continued like nothing had happened… After a while they stopped for just a few seconds, before resuming with a vengeance, pouring just a little bottled water. It was only when firemen were present for the last person that water was used in sufficient quantity to cool the tubes.
We were all injured during the police operation, three seriously: two of us had third degree burns on the left hand. The other person had two severed tendons in his hand and had to undergo surgery the next day.


Afterwards
Firemen transported three of us to the hospital. Custody had been filed for two upon arrival at the University Hospital in Caen, (before being treated by doctors). The third was transferred to another hospital for surgery.
Those treated on the spot were then transferred to the police station and placed in holding cells like the four others arrested at the scene of the blockade. The next day we were released to be brought before the prosecutor and the judge.


The last, he was arrested and put into custody immediately when discharged from hospital on Sunday evening two days after the action to be brought before the prosecutor and the judge the following day.
The condition of the wounded remains unresolved; the recovery will be long and the burned people will have to have skin grafts.


Justice
We could feel pressure coming “from above” in the Caen Court. The bail conditions the prosecution asked for were € 5000 to be handed in court by each of the seven activists before Monday, 15th November in order to avoid custody until trial, 8th December 2010. In the end, €16 500 were required in total.


This bond seems somewhat absurd, the prosecution has admitted our desire for everyone to be present at trial, while the judicial review, especially with such a financial guarantee was intended precisely to ensure the presence of the accused at trial. This demonstrates a willingness to put pressure on us or to slow the preparation of our defence as we had to raise this huge sum to start with, while the court was convened in just a month.
We expected to find ourselves in court; it is also often the case in this kind of action but not in such conditions.


The police
It is scandalous that in a non-violent action, the police deliberately cause injury to activists. It is for this reason that we have already filed a complaint against persons unknown “for aggravated violence”. Similarly, we have started a procedure with the CNDS (the police of the police).
The will of the government and the nuclear lobby was passing the convoy at all costs. We could see they were willing to wound, to hurt, to use violence. Was this what they had to hide behind the tarpaulins stretched out around the blockade?
Our goal now is to make them seriously regret their behaviour.

Political stand 

Who are we? What we stand for?

A few years ago, people involved in the Non-violent antinuclear Action group (GANVA in French) considered it important to draft a charter to consolidate a little bit positions that were until then more or less made up as they went along.

This affinity group is informal and autonomous without any legal existence.
It brings together men and women who wish to object strongly to nuclear power (including for military use). We can use the broad spectrum of non-violent direct actions and disobedience if they are declared and don’t harm people.

We reject authoritarianism and violence from both the state and the nuclear industry, so we exclude these principles in our operations and our actions.

Our core values are non-violence, solidarity and collective self-organisation.
At the end of 2010, we feel that we must go further into details. We recognise the diversity of group members and therefore we are not trying to write an ideology that should guide us.
Also, many in the group also act differently or similarly.

Some political positions (especially to political parties):
We are moving, above all, the idea of taking concrete action, to try to regain the power to interfere with the system that has allowed to develop nuclear and allowing it to continue.

These tools are those of the non-violent direct action and civil disobedience.
Linked to this, we attach great importance to disseminate the culture of self-organisation. The output of nuclear power is not only a technical issue or ecological, it is above all a democratic issue. And democracy for us is not that which is called “representative”.

However we do not want to be giving lessons. We are not political or policy experts, but we feel that a conflictual situation is much needed. This conflict that sometimes we create, restart or show must be taken up by a lot more people, by other actions, by direct questioning and even court cases. If someone can help to change things in an institution that they belong to, why not? We are not campaigning for that but everyone with the tools they dispose of can help us with nuclear phase out and to change the repressive system that we are in.

http://ganva.blogspot.com/

Anti nuclear activists on trial in Caen, Normandy the 8 Dec

Come and support the activists who blockaded the CASTOR train in Caen, France.  Their trial is next Wednesday 8 December.  They'll be a film/debate the night before and a concert on the Wednesday night.  Free accommodation can be provided, contact:ganva@riseup.net for more info or send me an email.  The website (in French and German) apart from this leaflet: http://ganva.blogspot.com/ Please send around to everyone and anyone. Hope to see you at the trial!

http://ganva.blogspot.com/

Nuclear reactors: safe and cost-effective?

Fears are growing about the safety of nuclear technology destined for a reactor in France. At Flamanville, a new third generation reactor is supposed to be activated in 2012, but tests have been deemed unsatisfactory by France's nuclear safety authority. This has fuelled debate on the future of nuclear energy, as France hopes to sell third generation reactors around the world, especially to Britain.


http://www.france24.com/en/20100816-reactor-nuclear-epr-third-generation-nuclear-power-alternative-energy-flamanville-

Nuclear reactors: safe and cost-effective?

 Fears are growing about the safety of nuclear technology destined for a reactor in France. At Flamanville, a new third generation reactor is supposed to be activated in 2012, but tests have been deemed unsatisfactory by France's nuclear safety authority. This has fuelled debate on the future of nuclear energy, as France hopes to sell third generation reactors around the world.

Protest against investment in nuclear industries at Credit Agricole, France

Opération nettoyage au Crédit Agricole d’Anglet, par Bizi !