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Nationwide parades call for end to nuclear power
MASS RALLY: The cities of Taipei, Greater Taichung, Greater Kaohsiung and Taitung are to hold parades today, with organizers hoping for 100,000 people
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
Anti-nuclear parades are to be held across the nation this afternoon calling on the government to terminate construction of the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant in Gongliao District (貢寮), New Taipei City, and move toward a nuclear-free homeland.
The organizer of the parades — National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform, an alliance of several groups — said although this year marks the third anniversary of Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident, the catastrophe is still unfolding, including the flowing of contaminated radioactive water into the ocean.
The government is still not willing to give up on the new plant, even though a referendum had been planned, the alliance said.
The group called for the public to join in the anti-nuclear parades and “demand that the government abolish all nuclear power in the country, properly deal with nuclear waste treatment and abandon the Fourth Nuclear Power Plant.”
The parade in Taipei is to be divided into three groups, setting off from separate locations at 2pm, making their way through the streets of Taipei via three different routes, before reuniting at Ketagalan Boulevard in front of the Presidential Office.
The starting points are Nanjing E Road and Linsen N Road; Ding-Hao Plaza on Zhongxiao E Road; and the main gate of National Taiwan University.
Those taking part are residents living near nuclear facilities, young people, artists, animal rights groups, citizen rights groups, religious groups and political parties.
In the evening, activists and political figures are to speak and musicians to perform on the boulevard.
In central Taiwan, groups are to parade their way through the streets of Greater Taichung, starting at 2pm across the street from Taichung’s Eslite Park Lane Mall (勤美誠品), at the intersection of Gongyi Road and Chunhsing Street, and end in front of the Greater Taichung Government building for an evening event between 4pm and 6pm.
The parade in Greater Kaohsiung is to set off from Aouzihdi Forest Park (高雄凹仔底森林公園) at 2pm and return to the park by 6pm, while the parade in Taitung City starts at the Citizen Plaza on Nanjing Road (南京路市民廣場) also at 2pm and is to end before 7pm.
The organizer said yesterday that local civic groups and activists in Miaoli County, Greater Tainan, Pingtung County and Yilan City also plan to hold rallies today to support the nationwide protest.
The National Nuclear Abolition Action Platform hopes that at least 100,000 people across the nation will join in the parades this year.
source: Taipei Times
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