NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #27/NN_1992_27.iso/spool/misc/activism/progress/8460

Text File | 1992-11-17 | 6.6 KB | 199 lines

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From: [e-mail] (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Native: Uranium Mining in Saskatchewan, CA
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/** gen.nativenet: 336.0 **/
** Topic: ICUC APPEAL FROM SASKATCHEWAN **
** Written  9:06 am  Nov 16, 1992 by mek in cdp:gen.nativenet **
From: D. J. Dullemond <mek>
Subject: ICUC APPEAL FROM SASKATCHEWAN

                 URGENT APPEAL FROM SASKATCHEWAN, CANADA.
                           YOUR HELP IS NEEDED.

Uranium Capital of the World

     Northern Saskatchewan, Canada is now mining the largest
volume of Uranium anywhere
on this planet. Northern Saskatchewan has the highest
concentration of Uranium bearing ore
found to date. If new proposed Uranium mines proceed,
Saskatchewan will soon be producing
about 30% of world production. Almost all this Uranium (about
90%) is exported to the US,
Europe and the Far East. Companies from Canada, France, Germany,
Japan and South Korea are
presently involved in this mining.
Note: approximately 50% of Saskatchewan Uranium goes to Sequoyah
Fuels in Oklahoma (US).

     Since the opening of the mines in 1980 there have been, in
addition to contamination
from day to day mine operation, over 100 radioactive spills.
Indigenous people have
received very few and only short-term jobs. The province has
received a pittance of
royalties. The inherent aboriginal rights of indigenous peoples
have steadily been ignored
or dismissed.

     In recent years the Uranium industry in Saskatchewan has
allied with Atomic Energy
of Canada Ltd. (AECL) to promote research on the construction of
CANDU nuclear reactors in
Saskatchewan and storage of high level nuclear waste in Northern
Saskatchewan.

     Concerns grow about North Saskatchewan becoming another
National Sacrifice Area for
the nuclear industry.

New Mines

     The new social democratic provincial government - the New
Democratic Party (NDP) -
came to power in 1991 with a party policy opposing new Uranium
mines, and supporting the
phase-out of the 3 existing mines with the provision of
alternative employment in the
north. When the NDP took office, 6 new mining projects were
already in the advance
planning stage. These projects involve 12 new Uranium mining
sites and 4 new Uranium
mills. Th)T
     In response to growing pressure for an open public review on
these projects, there
are now two federal provincial inquiries in place.

     At the NDP convention, November 6, 1992, the party changed
it's position on Uranium
mining by a slim margin of support. The NDP has held a position
opposing the expansion of
Uranium industry since 1983. The NDP will now allow new mines to
be opened depending on
the results of the Federal Provincial Review Panel. Although the
guidelines for the panel
are better than previous inquiries, they do not include end uses
of Uranium. This has
clear implications for the international community.

     An article in the Saskatoon Star Phoenix of November 12
indicates that a deal
between AECL and the government will be signed within weeks. The
deal will include
research for the CANDU-3 reactor, food irradiation technology,
medical uses of radiation,
and very likely high level nuclear waste disposal in the Canadian
shield. The deal may
also include a Uranium refinery. In 1980 a Uranium refinery was
proposed for Saskatchewan,
but due to public resistance was built in Northern Ontario.

     It is clear that the NDP government is listening to the
industry and tries to "sell"
this Uranium policy to the public as an unavoidable economic
necessity, thereby violating
environmental policies and human rights.

URGENT APPEAL

     We urgently appeal to you to help stop Uranium mining in
Saskatchewan. We want to
redirect our province and country on to a non-nuclear and
sustainable path. The health and
well being of future generations and all life around the earth
depends on this.

     We therefore ask all readers to write the premier and
government of Saskatchewan,
and the Federal provincial Review Panel to encourage them not to
permit any new mines, to
close existing ones, to develop alternative jobs in the north,
and use an energy strategy
based on efficiency and renewable energy. Please emphasize any
implications of
Saskatchewan Uranium in your region. Discuss how this Uranium is
being used in nuclear Th)Treactors - and military oriented facilities - in your country,
that are unsafe, create
world security problems and nuclear waste problems.
Letters to the Canadian and Saskatchewan media protesting that
Saskatchewan is considering
more Uranium mining would also be helpful.

     Please take the time to write a short letter quickly to any
or all of the addresses
below. It is important that a copy is send to the Inter-Church
Uranium Committee to insure
the letters are made public.

Kindest regards,
Phillip Penna
coordinator
Inter-Church Uranium Committee (ICUC),
Box 7724
Saskatoon, Sask.,    S7K 4R4
Canada
Tel:         [phone]
Fax:         [phone]
e-mail:      web:icuc

ICUC is supported by church leadership of the Saskatchewan Roman
Catholic Church, Anglican
Church, United Church, Lutheran Church and various Mennonite
constituencies.

Addresses:

Premier Roy Romanow,
and copy to All members of the NDP Caucus
Legislative Building
Regina, Sask.,       S4S 0P3, Canada
Tel: [phone] or [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Panel Secretariat:
Jackie Kelly
Uranium Mine Development Review Office
Rm. 420, 1955 Smith St.
Regina, Sask.,       S4P 2N8, Canada
Call collect: [phone]
Fax:          [phone]

John Mathers, Executive Secretary
Rabbit Lake Review Panel
FEARO (Vancouver Office)
Harbour Centre
Box 12071,
Suite 1150, 555 West Hastings St.
Vancouver, BC,       V6B 4N5, Canada
Call collect: [phone] Th)TFax:          [phone]

Papers:
the Globe and Mail, 444 Frontstreet W., Toronto ON, M5V 2S9,
Canada,

Saskatoon Star Phoenix, 204 5th Ave. North, Saskatoon Sask., S7K
2N9, Canada

Moose Jaw Times Herald, Moose Jaws, Sask., Canada

Prince Albert Herald, Prince Albert, Sask., Canada

La Ronge Northerner, La Ronge, Sask., Canada

Regina Leader Post, Victoria Ave. and Park St., Regina, Sask.,
Canada
** End of text from cdp:gen.nativenet **