Petition addressed to the following organizations:
1. Ministry of Economy Trade and Industry
2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
3. Japan Bank for International Cooperation
4. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
5. Toshiba Corporation
6. Hitachi Ltd.
7. Government of South Korea
8. South Korean Industry
We, the undersigned, appeal to you, the Japanese government and industry, and the South Korean government and industry, not to support the Indonesian government's plan to build a nuclear power plant on the Muria Peninsula, the region where we live.
As residents of Jepara, we are concerned that our region will be turned into an electric power industry region. In particular, we are concerned that the plan to construct a nuclear power plant has resurfaced. The plan to construct the Muria nuclear power plant is likely to cause all sorts of problems and it is causing great uneasiness among the people of Jepara and the surrounding areas.
Even if it is claimed that the probability of a nuclear accident is very low, it is not absolutely certain that no negative effects will arise. Even if there is no nuclear accident, the plant will endanger the lives and livelihoods of fishing people and industry (from household industries to factories). The social, environmental and economic impacts on the people of Jepara will not be small.
It is planned that the Muria nuclear power plant will be constructed in the northern most part of Jepara Regency, Central Java Province in Balong Village of Kembang District and Ujung Watu Village and Ujung Grenggrengan Village of Keling District. The main purpose of the project is to meet the demand for electricity in Java, Madura and Bali.
Jepara Regency, with a population of over one million and covering an area of 100,000 hectares, is relatively densely populated. The livelihoods of the people are based on nature (agriculture, woodwork, textiles). The proposed site is next to the already operating Tanjung Jati B coal powered plant and there are plans to build a further three coal powered plants (4 x 2 660MW). Since the site of the thermal power plant is very close to the proposed site of the nuclear plant, if a nuclear accident involving the release of radioactivity were to occur, the workers would be in fear and the very existence of the fossil fuel plant would be threatened. In that case, the fossil fuel power plant would no longer operate normally and to its maximum capacity.
Even now, the thermal power plant is causing problems which are difficult to bear, particularly for fishing people. For example, the plant's cooling water, which is released to sea, has destroyed the ocean environment. As a consequence, the fishing people have lost their means of making a living.
The Tanjung Jati thermal power plant has come to be very significant for the people of Jepara. Its development was carried out with no public involvement and no concern for the environment. It has had a terrible impact on them by depriving them of their livelihoods.
If, for the reason of an "electricity crisis", the Muria nuclear power plant is constructed in Jepara in the near future, the problems will be even worse. Jepara will become a victim for no clear reason. It must be admitted that construction of the Muria nuclear power plant is very risky, because it will threaten the livelihoods and incomes of the people in the surrounding area. Therefore, it is inappropriate to construct a nuclear power plant in Jepara, or in the surrounding region. Furthermore, the region of Mount Muria, besides being located in the Pacific "ring of fire", also has geological faults extending out to sea, namely the Rah Tawu Fault and the Tempur Fault (data from BP3L-Bandung).
Why is there an electricity crisis in Indonesia, which is so rich in natural energy resources? Many people ask this question. How are these energy resources being managed? Why was a decision made to construct a nuclear power plant in Jepara? The electricity consumers are in big cities like Jakarta, so why don't they build the plant there? These questions are always being discussed by the people of Jepara and people at the grass roots level have become anxious. Moreover, they know nothing about nuclear power. However, they receive no consideration from the local officials. For this reason we, the majority of people in Jepara, make the following declaration:
We reject the high-risk plan to construct the Muria nuclear power plant, which threatens the livelihoods and income of the residents of Jepara and the surrounding areas. The plan to construct the Muria nuclear power plant must be terminated.
This plan ignores the interests of the people. It is only in the interests of people who assume that science is wonderful and of a particular group who call for an energy crisis tax.
We, residents of Jepara, call on the Japanese and South Korean governments and companies and financial institutions thinking of investing not to provide any support whatsoever - loans or any other form of support - for this Muria nuclear power plant mega project, because it is expensive and dirty, it will bring suffering to the people, it is not environmentally friendly, and it is full of graft and corruption.
This appeal comes from the people of Jepara. It is inappropriate for whatever reason to construct a nuclear power plant in the Muria region, or in Indonesia. We unanimously reject the construction of the Muria nuclear power plant!
From people of the Muria region opposed to nuclear power.
1. H. Nuruddin Amin (Representative of Tokoh NU Jepara)
2. Lilo Sunaryo, Ph.D (MAREM, Jepara)
3. DRS. Suharno (Forum Masyarakat Muria)
4. Tyas Gondo, S.Pd. (IPPHTI, Jepara)
5. Supriyanto (Kelola Lingkungan)
6. Didit Endro. S (Celcius, Jepara)
7. Khoirul Anam (Lakpesdam-NU, Jepara)
8. Zakaria Anshori (Kisik, Jepara)
9. Adib Khoiruzzaman (PK2P, Jepara)
10. Khumaidi (Pemuda Desa Balong)
And 13 others
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