Nuclear NGO's

NGO's serve a real need but unfortunately a large number of NGO's seem to think the principles of accountability and transparency they demand from others does not apply to them. An abject failure to realise that one bad act can ruin years of good work has compromised a number of NGO's to the stage where they a little more than fronts for political and corperate thugs.

Unspun has a number of posts and articles (search for WALHI) on this and other issues. Perhaps aptly should be titled "Where's WALHI as they seem to have little to say about their own internal practices.

The relative ease of which allegations are made, careers ruined and the selective nature of environmental and other protests are made should be a concern for any reasonable person (Newmont vs Lapindo anyone).

More importantly (I am not singling out any particular sleazy mob here) it is common practice to engage "rent a mob" under an environmental, nationalist or whatever umbrella to force more favourable company take-overs. Of course, once the share price has been driven down, the environmental or other issues just fade away.

There is an interesting article here about the control regulation of various NGO's (both environmental and religious). Something has to be done in Indonesia to restrict the damage they do with their secret and unaccountable agendas.

Some excerpts of the article below for your enjoyment..

"The Trade Practices Act has long recognised that there is a clear line between a business or a union criticising a corporation and organising with others to harm that corporation or prevent it from competing. It’s similar to religious vilification laws. I can say I think Christianity is wrong, even evil. But I can’t organise with others to hurt Christians. So in future, NGOs can speak out all they want but if they cross the line by using business blackmail, they like other extortionists, will be zapped by the new laws. (WALHI would find this kind of law worth a lot of study)

For some time, the Australian Taxation Office has been pursuing a related path. It has been cracking down on politicians dressed up as charities. An ATO probe has been cross-checking Australian Electoral Commission records on political donations against the names of tax-deductible bodies. The rule is simple. If a charity spends most of its time politicking, then it’s not a charity. (Gee wouldn't that sit MUI on their arse in Indonesia)

Some NGOs have long operated in a nether world of tax scamming and lack of accountability. Whilst always the first to proclaim their virtues and the vices of others, applying the blow torch (even on very low heat) to them produces screams of indignation."

All of the above...TOO BLOODY TRUE!

Of course, these is any number of real environmental issues in Indonesia that need pursuing, for instance:


INDONESIA – Agreement on nuclear plans dated 28 Aug 07

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co (KHNP) have signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia's PT Medco Energi Internasional (Why does this name ring a bell..clear as mud?) to start implementing the country's nuclear plans.

This will involve construction of two standard 1000 MWe OPR-1000 units from KHNP at a cost of US$3 billion.

The agreement was part of a wider energy collaboration. Earlier plans were to call for tenders for these Muria units in 2008.

- News sourced from Australian Uranium Association Weekly News Digest"

Three Billion USD!!!!!!!!!.. What kind of drugs are these idiots on and where's WALHI??

Three Billion from a nation where you cannot throw a stick in the ground without hitting oil/gas or coal!!..

Here's a bizarre idea for discussion:

Instead of syphoning off billions in royalties and taxes to build yet another obscene palace in Jakarta or Singapore. How about a contract with a provision for the building and running of a non-nuclear power station? Ok, just kidding..We know why, its easier to steal cash, power stations are hard to fit into a brown paper bag.

That said, its a disgrace that a nation who exports millions of tonnes of coal and and gas every single year cannot provide a semblance of reliable domestic power to its own people.

They say these nuke poisoning plants will be up and running by 2014, so the stump still has a couple of years before its time to move upwind of Indonesia. Fortunately the nuke stations will have little impact on the native jungles in 2014 as it is unlikely there will any left by then, just "glow in the dark" people