ifda dossier 74 - Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation

National Nuclear Security Comniission - the
equivalent ot the US Nuclear Regulatory'
Commission) of negligence.
As debate about nuclear power intensified
it was also taken up by the country's geolo-
gical community. Geologists pointed out
that the 1,aguna Verde area was very active
from both a volcanic and seismic point of
view, and thus an extrcnicly dangerous
location for a nuclear plant. Indeed, two
serious earthquakes were reported along a
nearby volcanic chain in 1912 and 1920. the
latter at Jalapa. only 50 kilometers from
I .aguna Verde.
Seismic activity in the area could also
shorten the lifetime of the plant's concrete
structures, thus endangering the contain-
ment ot radio;tctive niater~als.
It was in the midst of this deh:ite that the
Mexican Geological Society hcld a conferen-
cc in Mexico City in October 1088. The
President of the Society works for the CFE
and the event was inaugurated by the CFE
Director in a CFF- auditoriun~. At the
conference, CFK geologist Federico Mooser
presented a paper giving the official point
of view on the matter, denying that the
geological characteristics of the area repre-
sented any danger to the plant. His presen-
tation, however, was followed by a session
of incisive questioning. One of those to ask
a question and to suggest that Mooser was
in fact niistaken in his assessment of the
characteristics oi the area was Dr Victor
Garduno Monroy. Although considered one
of CFE's best scientists, he was later ac-
cused of disloyalty, and fired from the
Gcothernial Division of the CFE.
This is not the only case ol the victimiza-
tion of scientists or of scientific rcsc;irch
projects which question the government's
environmental policies. On the morning of
26 Scpteniber a fire destroyed the
Xochic.illi ecological house, owned hy Jesus
Arias Chavcz, and the laboratory and
workshop of the Xochiealli Foundation at
Ozurnba, 40 kilometers southeast of Mexico
City. The Foundation had been active for
more than 20 years in the construction of
biological waste digesters and in helping to
develop small rural industries, n~ostly in the
states of Mexico, Tlaxcala and PueMa. It
had equipment worth more than USS
1,000,000 and employed three technicians.
Mr Arias Chavez had worked as a consultant
for several Latin American and UN
agencies, helping to construct digesters in
Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala
and Peru. Although he received some
government assistance, Mr Arias Chavez
had bought most of the equipment hinisclf.
He is also an anti-nuclear activist, and two
days before the fire had taken part in a
confrontation with government officials.
Mcnibers of a police investigating team told
him that the fire had been started intentionally
liy well-trained criniinals.
[Source: Index on Censorship (UK) July/Aug
1980 (39 C Ilighbury' I'lace, London N5
IOP~ & WISE: POR 5627, 1007 AP ~nlsterdam,
The Netherlands.]
Contact: Grupo de F.studios An1hient:ilcs,
Apdo Postal 76-089, Mexico DF 04200,
Mexico.
The quality of working life and the level
of industrial democracy in I-atin America is
the thme ofa special issue of Economic and
Industrial Deinocracy (EID), an inten~ational
quarterly published by the Swedish Centre for
Working 1,ife. Otic of the major concerns of
the Centre is the enhancement of workers'
participation and control in the work process
geared to the promotion of dctnocratic and
egaiiiariat~ norms in working life. The pest
editor of the planned issue is Azril Racal,
who is calling forpapers. Further information
from Arm-Ilritt IIelltnark, EJD, Box 5606, S-
114 86, Stockholm. Sweden.