Environmental Relationalities 101
however, Russia and Tajikistan signed the necessary documents in order to
build the reactor “Argus” by 2020, which will cost about 35 million dollars. 51
The agreement includes cooperation on constructing research reactors, production of radioisotopes to be used in nuclear technology in industry, medicine and agriculture, and the management of radioactive waste, as well as
rehabilitation of tailing storage areas. This development confirms Hecht’s
argument that post-colonial/post-socialist countries demand their own
atomic power plants to participate in the “nuclearity” of the world order. 52
It challenges the early developments of nuclear power, when being nuclear
was synonymous with being colonizer, while being nonnuclear (but providing the raw material for nuclear production) meant being colonized. Under
the protection of Russia and with Chinese finances, Tajikistan will receive
its own atomic power plant for research purposes.
Russia likely has the best evaluation of whether the mountains of Tajikistan
still hold enough uranium to be mined. The project suggests that the lack of
material is not an issue. Interestingly, the articles in the online news media
Ozodi (Tajik Radio Free Europe) since 2015 have engaged little in environmental discussions, despite the Chernobyl accident. The danger of new waste
is not an issue. On the contrary, some of the commentators even seem proud
to “finally get their own reactor.” As during the Soviet period, Moscow will
be the provider of knowhow to establish the first reactor, as they will train
the Tajik specialists 53 and Russia will be the primary investor:
Officials of the Physics and Technological Institute of the Academy of
Sciences of Tajikistan said that there is the possibility to use this reactor effectively in the medical domain, in geology and agriculture. […]
Regarding the field of medicine, equally it will help doctors to diagnose
and treat cancer. 54
The discussion about the negative impact of radioactive radiation has now
turned into a discussion about medical treatment and, though not wrong,
appears out of place in a country where there are hardly any doctors who
have a training in nuclear medicine and even fewer who have dealt with the
impact of radiation on people.
Ozodi first reported on the uranium waste in 2010 and since then has done
only so occasionally. A real discussion is, however, nonexistent, since the
Tajik state has declared all issues of uranium a “national secret.” Ozodi’s first
article began to name various problems, such as water pollution, the need to
cover the waste fields, health issues, and the inability of Vostokredmet to deal
with these issues. 55 The discourse is repeated in two articles from 2012 when
a specialist of the Academy of Tajikistan, Abdujabbor Salomov, assured that
the Russian Federal Agency “Rosatom” would take care of the waste field if
only they had extra money. It is obvious they had never seriously considered
however, Russia and Tajikistan signed the necessary documents in order to
build the reactor “Argus” by 2020, which will cost about 35 million dollars. 51
The agreement includes cooperation on constructing research reactors, production of radioisotopes to be used in nuclear technology in industry, medicine and agriculture, and the management of radioactive waste, as well as
rehabilitation of tailing storage areas. This development confirms Hecht’s
argument that post-colonial/post-socialist countries demand their own
atomic power plants to participate in the “nuclearity” of the world order. 52
It challenges the early developments of nuclear power, when being nuclear
was synonymous with being colonizer, while being nonnuclear (but providing the raw material for nuclear production) meant being colonized. Under
the protection of Russia and with Chinese finances, Tajikistan will receive
its own atomic power plant for research purposes.
Russia likely has the best evaluation of whether the mountains of Tajikistan
still hold enough uranium to be mined. The project suggests that the lack of
material is not an issue. Interestingly, the articles in the online news media
Ozodi (Tajik Radio Free Europe) since 2015 have engaged little in environmental discussions, despite the Chernobyl accident. The danger of new waste
is not an issue. On the contrary, some of the commentators even seem proud
to “finally get their own reactor.” As during the Soviet period, Moscow will
be the provider of knowhow to establish the first reactor, as they will train
the Tajik specialists 53 and Russia will be the primary investor:
Officials of the Physics and Technological Institute of the Academy of
Sciences of Tajikistan said that there is the possibility to use this reactor effectively in the medical domain, in geology and agriculture. […]
Regarding the field of medicine, equally it will help doctors to diagnose
and treat cancer. 54
The discussion about the negative impact of radioactive radiation has now
turned into a discussion about medical treatment and, though not wrong,
appears out of place in a country where there are hardly any doctors who
have a training in nuclear medicine and even fewer who have dealt with the
impact of radiation on people.
Ozodi first reported on the uranium waste in 2010 and since then has done
only so occasionally. A real discussion is, however, nonexistent, since the
Tajik state has declared all issues of uranium a “national secret.” Ozodi’s first
article began to name various problems, such as water pollution, the need to
cover the waste fields, health issues, and the inability of Vostokredmet to deal
with these issues. 55 The discourse is repeated in two articles from 2012 when
a specialist of the Academy of Tajikistan, Abdujabbor Salomov, assured that
the Russian Federal Agency “Rosatom” would take care of the waste field if
only they had extra money. It is obvious they had never seriously considered