southern Africa is eminently practical. CO-OPERATION between trade "unionists and apartheid campaigners in the North West has uncovered the route by which uranium from South African-occupied Namibia reaches the government's nuclear le bas basA agency.
Secrecy has surrounded the traffic in the past because it is in violation of the United Nations' decisions on protection of Namibian natural resources. The uranium could theoretically be seized and the British government would find itself liable to pay damages to a SWAPO leader Sam Nujoma future independent Namibian government More practically the governBICHL is worried that exposure of the trade will make it vulnerable to action by trade unionists who see the deal as a tacit recognition of the South African occupation of NamiBut research and solidarity activity has now established that:
*The uranium OIC leaves Namibia by air from Walvis Bay and arrives in Europe at the Charles de Gaulle airport, *Edmundson's of Morecambe transport the Liverpool to the Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) plant at Springfields, Preston, for extraction;
*Edmundson's then take the uranium to Almelo in Netherlands (for commercial purposes) Capenhurst Britain (for military use) purification and thence back to BNFL;
*Haulage companies take the fully processed uranium to the nuclear plants where it is to be used. Two companies involved in this are Pacific Nuclear Transport and Nuclear Transport Ltd, both of which are largely owned by the BNFL The uranium starts its life in the Rossing mine in Namibia, one of the largest in the world. The mine is partly owned by Rio Tinto Zinc (RTZ), SOLIDARITY all too often seems like a pious hope rather than a practical possibility. But trade unionists in North West England are proving that assistance to the trade unionists and liberation movements of The have uncovered the route used by the British government to buy Namibian uranium as long ago as 1970 has been an important factor in allowing South British-based But the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC), owned by the South African government, also has a large stake.
At first glance the equity holding reveals that RTZ has about a half share in Rossing -fuels easily a controlling interest. But in fact there are two categories of shares with disproportionate voting powers. It seems that IDC holds most of the more the potent shares, giving it effective control.
Certainly the South African Atomic Energy Act of 1967 2IYCS the South government sole direct or restrict the mining and sport or uranium.
Thus the pattern is that South Africa controls policywhile mining companies like RTZ provide respectability, expertise and, most importantly, the ability to sell uranium overseas. ine OULA West People's Organisation, Namibia's main liberation ment, explains: 'It is our view that foreign investment Namibia is one of the maior factors contributing continuing presence of South Africa's illegal forces...
Foreign companies
taking advantage immediate political situation in Namibia and it is necessary to the emphasise that all mining titles and temporary rights granted after 1966 are illegal, and constitute moreover, a criminal exploitation of irreplaceable natural resources, which rightfully belong to the people of Namibia."
It is in this context that the contract between RTZ BNFL should be seen. The deal was made as long ago as 1968 and this advance contract was an important factor in allowing RTZ to go ahead with development of Rossing and hence the regular uranium to South Africa.
Uranium, of course, is an essential ingredient production of nuclear weapons. The UK Atomic the Authority (UKAEA), under the jurisdiction Ministry of Technology, signed for contract WILD Canadian subsidiary for supply of uranium in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
The deal, which specified that the uranium would come from Canada, was approved at Cabinet level. was agreed that if the contract had to be switched to South Africa the Cabinet should informed.
In 1970 it was accidentally discovered that the UKAEA was about to sign contracts for the the supply of uranium from ATLANTIC ANGOLA OVAMBOLAND • Tsumeb NAMIBIA (SOUTH WEST AFRICA)
Swakopmund Windhoek Walvis Bay (S. AFRICA)
OCEAN Oranjemund 100 ml ZAMBIA BOTSWANA SOUTH AFRICA TIME Map by Paul J. Pugliese
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in occupied Namibia. Africa to-develop nuclear weapons.
government to import uranium mined by South Africa The decision of a Labour
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