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FUNAM is non-governmental organization (NGO) that links both people and
institutions towards a sustainable development.

 

 

Environment Defense Foundation
(FUNAM) has consultative status at United Nations' Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). 



FUNAM is Global 500
Award from United Nations 

 

 

FUNAM protested in París against the sending of australian nuclear waste to Argentina. A big banner was displayed in front of the Eiffel Tower. Raúl Montenegro President of FUNAM, asked the Parliament of Argentina “not to approve the nuclear agreement between Argentina and Australia” for being “ illegal” and “dangerous for the Región”.

“During years countries like Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina rejected the shipments of Japanese radioactive waste. IN spite of such struggles, INVAP the former Government of Fernando De La Rúa involved Argentina in the International trade of nuclear waste. People and organizations from Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina will join their hands for stopping the passage of australian nuclear waste through their territorial seas”, said Raúl Montenegro.

According Raúl Montenegro “the current economical crisis of Argentina strongly affected INVAP´S activities. There are no funds for INVAP. Even the endorsement produced by the former Ministery of Economy for supporting the ANSTO-INVAP contract has non sense now. The new Government of Argentina cannot support such endorsement”.

Córdoba (Argentina), Sydney (Australia) and Paris (France), December 23rd, 2001.- The Environment Defense Foundation from Argentina (FUNAM) protested in Paris against the sending of Australian nuclear waste to Argentina. A big banner was displayed in front of the Eiffel tower. Such banner states: “No to Australian nuclear waste. Yes to the Constitution of Argentina”. Tourists from all over the world supported the demonstration held at the Chaillot Palace. Raul Montenegro, head of FUNAM, acknowledged the support of French participants and people. “We moved our protest from the Global Assembly of Citizens in northern France to Paris, and we will move our protest from Paris to the world”. Raul Montenegro asked the Parliamentarians of Argentina “not to approve the Nuclear Agreement between Argentina and Australia” for being “null and illegal”. According Montenegro, which is Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the National University of Cordoba (Argentina), “both the contract and the Nuclear Agreement can create regional conflicts. In past years countries like Chile, Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina struggled against the shipments of Japanese radioactive waste. Their citizens and organizations will fight now against the passage of Australian nuclear waste through their territorial seas. We will not accept ‘ships of death’ from Australia or from abroad. The law is supporting our struggle, and we have time to act”. Currently there is a coalition of NGOs working against the shipment of Australian nuclear waste to Argentina. Such coalition has more than 160 organizations from Argentina, Latin America and Australia. Australian Conservation Foundation, ACF, is one of its members. “Our document, which was widely distributed two months ago, is helping us for convincing parliamentarians and politicians both in Argentina and Australia”, said Alejandro Nebia, from the NGOs of Patagonia.  

INVAP is under economical crisis.

The crack of the economy of Argentina strongly affected INVAP. INVAP crisis begins during the administration of former president Fernando de la Rua. According Dr. Raul Montenegro, from FUNAM,  “the temporary government of President Luis Adolfo Rodriguez Saa, elected yesterday, is reducing public budgets at unprecedented levels. INVAP will suffer such reductions. From now the highest salary at the government and INVAP will be 3,000 U$S per month. Nevertheless this is not the solely impact over INVAP’s activities and international agreements. Last year the Ministry of Economy of Argentina endorsed the contract signed by ANSTO and INVAP, and committed the Ministry for the search of funds “if needed”. The letter was signed by Miguel Ricardo Bein the 1st  August 2000. Currently this endorsement is inapplicable. Argentina become bankrupt, and the government cannot help INVAP for achieving his contract with ANSTO. Inside Argentina we face poverty and health hazards, and such challenges have top priorities. INVAP or his contract with ANSTO are not national priorities”.

FUNAM is asking the current government “for a new nuclear policy”. According FUNAM “We are asking (1) Full respect of the Constitution of Argentina, whose Article 41st forbid the entering of foreign radioactive waste. (2) Nullity of the contract signed by INVAP and ANSTO. (3) Nullity of the Nuclear Agreement signed by the Foreign Ministers of Australia and Argentina. (4) Reduction of the nuclear budget, except in those issues related with safety. (5) Reduction in the public funds transferred to INVAP. (6) The creation of a new and independent honorary board for controlling nuclear activities and agreements, and (7) A national policy for promoting energy efficiency and alternative sources of energy.

“INVAP cannot transform Argentina into the nuclear backyard of the First World.  Now we have a clear picture. The secrecy of the contract between ANSTO and INVAP was a trick for transforming Argentina into a South American ‘Sellafield’ or ‘La Hague’. His secrecy avoided public debates. Unfortunately for INVAP we noticed the public about the secret provision which opened Argentina to Australian nuclear waste”.

The agreements are in the court of Justice.

The agreements which involve the sending of Australian nuclear waste to Argentina are currently investigated by a Federal Attorney-General of First Instance in Criminal and Correctional Issues. Members of the Federal Attorney-General n° 6 are Federico Delgado and Eduardo Freiler. “The investigation pursued by the Federal Attorney-General n° 6 is not yet a judiciary case, but can be transformed into a judiciary case”, said Raul Montenegro. Greenpeace declared at the Federal Attorney-General n° 6 the 5th December 2001. According Raul Montenegro “another judiciary research is undertaken at a Court of Justice in Buenos Aires province. We are providing them with materials and advise”. 

The president of FUNAM, Dr. Raul Montenegro, is analyzing the possibility of denouncing both agreements at the National Ombudsman, Eduardo Mondino. “We are organizing our presentation, but we have not yet decided in which date. We will try to do so in the early days of January 2002”.

FUNAM acknowledged people and organizations from all over the world that for having supported the campaign. “Many thanks, and happy New Year for all”.             

 


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Environment defense foundation. www.funam.org.ar
E-mail: funam@funam.org.ar