Nuclear protesters bury themselves in ‘graveyard’

Villagers around the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant Project (KNPP) in Tamil Nadu are seeking increasingly unusual forms of protest against the project following the loading of nuclear fuel in the plant.

On Tuesday, protesters staged a 'graveyard' protest at Idinthakarai and adjoining coastal villages in Tirunelveli district, burying themselves neck deep in sand. They plan to continue the protest today to symbolise the deadly effect they say the KNPP will have on them.

The anti-nuclear activists had on Tuesday picketed central government offices in Kudankulam and many other parts of Tamil Nadu. In some areas, they even occupied village cemeteries, symbolically seeking the help of their ancestors.

A number of villagers from Idinthakarai, Kuthankuli, Kutapuli, Uvary, Perumanal, Kuduthalai, Kutapanai, Manapadu and other coastal villages marched towards the burial sites in their respective localities. They offered prayers to their ancestors and then the men buried themselves partially in mud, as women started wailing.

Two weeks ago, around 10,000 villagers went on a rally to the plant which led to tear gas firing and lathicharge by the police after which villagers led a jal satyagraha in the sea and laid siege to the Tuticorin port as well.

On Saturday, nearly a thousand fishing boats blocked entry to the Tuticorin harbour, which is situated around 60 miles away from the nuclear power plant (See: Nuclear protest: Fishermen block port with small craft).