Ecobreves – ARGENTINA: Stop Atomic Credits

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

BUENOS AIRES, Aug 12 2006 (IPS) - – Environmental, civil society and neighborhood organizations in the central Argentine province of Córdoba are calling on the World Bank to halt credits to the National Atomic Energy Commission, CNEA. The forum, made up of 25 groups, was created by the CNEA to evaluate its projects for handling uranium waste at the former Los Gigantes mine and at the uranium dioxide factory Dioxitek, both in Córdoba. The forum was also required by the World Bank in order to lend CNEA 35 million dollars.

José Vélez, forum member, told Tierramérica that despite repeated requests, CNEA did not provide any information, and once the paperwork had been filed, deactivated the association of groups.

“We suspect that the forum was utilized to justify the loan request. As such, we believe the World Bank should not provide the loan,” said Vélez.