Green activist and environmental academic at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr. Man Si-wai, says, “The Greenpeace proposed date for phasing out nuclear power plants, 2050, is
unacceptable, and its public statement that coal-fired power plants are more dangerous than nuclear ones for China reminds us anti-nuclear activists of the pro-nuclear camp’s distracting tactics. Such an evasive position of Greenpeace should alert each of us to stand up and be counted in a No Nukes campaign, instead of passively letting others, organizations included, use us as stakes for negotiation.”

At the rally on Sunday 24 April, one of the Man Si-wai group, Lily, daringly tried to shout down the Greenpeace host when same reprimanded Legislative Councillor Leung Yiu-chung for calling for a total abolition of nuclear power.

“It was most inappropriate behavior of trying to repress free expression at a rally,” commented Ms Man.

Dr. Man Si-wai and friends found the stand of Greenpeace insufficient as the emphasis was placed on ‘no nuclear expansion’ only, not ‘No and Stop nuclear energy’. Dr. Man was a board member for Greenpeace previously.

On 19 April, 2011, the Dr. Man group – “nonukes at China Hong Kong” – held a street protest and ceremony in Mongkok to commemorate the deaths during the Chernobyl nuclear disaster 25 years ago. It was held outside the China Light & Power building to arouse the concern about their investment in nuclear power plants in Daya Bay, Yang-Jing Gang and Tai Shan, pointing out that the Yang-Jing site is on a earthquake zone!

“My only wish is for Greenpeace to stop doing no nukes campaigns, and not to continue misleading people into thinking that just by following Greenpeace or by letting Greenpeace fight for them, all will be well. No. A dependency culture is especially harmful for causes as tough as No Nukes, because we need lots and lots of ACTIVE, not passive, people who are serious about LIFE, enough to address the core of the problem of this world, namely, the industrial-military complex!

“Having said that I must add that in certain countries, such as Germany, where the majority of the participants of a Greenpeace action are devoted and passionate about the No Nukes cause, then the campaign is owned by these people instead of by the organization staff “doing their job”. In those cases, Greenpeace actions can be a different story,” she ended.