Business & Tech

Buddhist Monks Continue Hunger Protest Against Nuclear Plant

Buddhist monks from Seattle are stationed on the knoll next to the San Clemente Pier for a week, fasting and praying.

Four Buddhist monks have set up shop on the knoll overlooking the San Clemente Pier, and Monday they were in the midst of the third day of their six-day fast to protest the restart of the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant.

"I advocated from the very first to do it here," said Brother Senji Kanaeda of the Nipponzan Myohoji temple in Seattle. "I'm Japanese, and I want to make sure [an accident like the Fukushima nuclear disaster] never happens again. We have a duty to save our mother earth."

Gary Headrick, leader of San Clemente Green, is also participating in the fast.

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"These guys are amazing ― what they'll put themselves through to prove a point," he said.

Kanaeda said his Buddhist faith made it imperative that he and other followers do what they can to end nuclear power.

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"Life is most sacred," he said. "Everyone has a duty and hope to keep the safety of the world for our children. Jesus Christ had the same idea, I believe."

Tuesday, the monks will break the fast, and resume it again until Friday, according to their itinerary. Next week, they'll be moving their protest north to the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant.

They will also be walking and praying in San Luis Obispo as well.

Friday, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission held a public meeting with plant officials and engineers during which the Southern California Edison executives attempted to convince regulators they had a safe plan to restart a portion of the troubled plant, which has been shuttered since January because of a radioactive steam leak.

The leak revealed the plant's steam generators were riddled with

Read about the science behind the cause of the leak and plan to restart here.


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