MERSÝN - Turkish and international environmental organizations gathered in Mersin to protest the projected building of the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant.
About 70 organizations participated in the rally organized by the Mersin Anti-Nuclear Platform, which attracted over 1,000 protestors Saturday. Platform’s spokeswoman Sebahat Arslan said that plans for building a power plant were in vain.
"There has been a fondness for nuclear in Turkey for 30 years," said Arslan in her opening speech. "We are against nuclear power plants, which our country does not need at all."
One of the international names to participate in the rally was the German Greens’ Party member Rudi Blom. Also the head of the Mersin-Berlin Amity Association, Blom said that many countries have been waging wars against nuclear power plants, but he believed that anti-nuclear efforts would be successful in Turkey.
"We have battled against nuclear lobbies in Germany for many years, and we will battle with you in Turkey," said Blom, emphasizing that the forthcoming local elections would be in favor of the anti-nuclear movement. "This is a chance for us," said Blom, "because we can make something via political people. We need to get the support of politicians." |
