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Datganiad ar y cyd – A oes heddwch? Ymgyrchwyr Cymru’n galw am wahardd nawdd niwclear yn yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol
Mae gan yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol heddwch wrth ei chalon ac mae ymgyrchwyr gwrth-niwclear Cymru wedi cofrestru cwyn ffurfiol gyda’i chorff llywodraethu yn protestio derbyn arian nawdd gan y cwmnïau Westinghouse a Cwmni Egino yn y digwyddiad eleni er gwaethaf y cysylltiadau clir rhwng pŵer niwclear ac arfau niwclear.
Mae llythyr a gymeradwywyd gan wyth grŵp ymgyrchu ac Awdurdodau Lleol Di-Niwclear Cymru wedi’i anfon heddiw (24 Hydref), ar ddiwrnod cyntaf Wythnos Diarfogi’r Cenhedloedd Unedig, at Gyngor yr Eisteddfod yn galw arno i beidio â derbyn ‘unrhyw nawdd yn y dyfodol gan unrhyw gwmni sy’n ymwneud â datblygu pŵer niwclear a gweithgynhyrchu arfau, yn enwedig arfau dinistr torfol.’
Mae gan yr Eisteddfod ‘heddwch’ wrth galon seremonïau’r Orsedd bob blwyddyn gydag un o’r seremonïau Derwyddol amlycaf sy’n cynnwys yr Archdderwydd yn dychwelyd cleddyf enfawr i’w wain wrth i’r gynulleidfa ofyn ‘A oes heddwch?’ y mae’r gynulleidfa’n ymateb iddi drwy weiddi ‘Heddwch’.
Roedd Westinghouse a Cwmni Egino yn ddau o noddwyr yr Ŵyl Wyddoniaeth yn y digwyddiad, ac i raddau helaeth, y cymhelliant dros anfon y llythyr oedd tynnu sylw at y dicter cyfunol a deimlwyd gan ymgyrchwyr fod thema graidd yr Eisteddfod – hyrwyddo heddwch – wedi ei synnu gan dderbyn arian gan y busnesau hyn.
Mae cysylltiad annatod rhwng pŵer niwclear ag arfau niwclear, yn wir roedd gweithfeydd pŵer niwclear cyntaf y DU, gan gynnwys Trawsfynydd yng Ngwynedd, yn ymwneud â chynhyrchu plwtoniwm i’w ddefnyddio wrth gynhyrchu arfau niwclear Prydain, ac mae gan Westinghouse adran yn yr Unol Daleithiau sy’n ymwneud â chefnogi diwydiant arfau niwclear yr Unol Daleithiau.
Trefnodd Sam Bannon o Heddwch ar Waith / Peace Action Wales orymdaith o ymgyrchwyr gwrth-niwclear i faes yr Eisteddfod eleni ac mae’n un o’r rhai sydd wedi cymeradwyo’r llythyr protest. Mae’n disgrifio’r hyn a welodd a’r hyn y mae’n gobeithio a ddaw o’r llythyr:
“Roedd cyrraedd Maes yr Eisteddfod ar ôl gorymdeithio 70km mewn protest yn erbyn niwclear newydd yng Nghymru, i ganfod bod y digwyddiad wedi’i noddi gan un o ddarparwyr mwyaf drwg-enwog y sector yn ddigalon a dweud y lleiaf. Yr hyn sydd heb unrhyw amheuaeth, fodd bynnag, yw’r gwrthwynebiad eang i niwclear, ar faes yr Eisteddfod a thrwy ogled Cymru. Mae hyrwyddo heddwch yn sylfaen i seremonïau Gorsedd yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol. Mae pŵer ei neges yn gwanhau pan gaiff ei noddi gan gwmni sy’n hwyluso cynhyrchu arfau dinistr torfol.
“Fy ngobaith yw y bydd cais y wyth grŵp hyn yn cael ei ystyried, ac nad yw unrhyw gyllid yn y dyfodol yn gysylltiedig mewn unrhyw ffordd â’r diwydiant niwclear, na’r diwydiant arfau ychwaith.”
Diwedd://…
I gael rhagor o wybodaeth, cysylltwch ag Ysgrifennydd Awdurdodau Lleol Di-Niwclear y DU/Iwerddon, Richard Outram, drwy e-bost richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk yn y lle cyntaf.
A joint media release – Is there peace? Welsh campaigners call for nuclear sponsorship ban at National Eisteddfod
The National Eisteddfod has peace at its heart and Welsh anti-nuclear campaigners have registered a formal complaint with its governing body protesting the acceptance of sponsorship money from the companies Westinghouse and Cwmni Egino at this year’s event despite the clear links between nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
A letter endorsed by eight campaign groups and the Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities has been sent today (24 October), on the first day of the United Nations’ Disarmament Week, to the Eisteddfod Council calling on it not to accept ‘any future sponsorship from any company engaged in developing nuclear power and the manufacture of weapons, especially armaments of mass destruction.’
The Eisteddfod commendably has ‘peace’ at the heart of its Gorsedd ceremonies every year with one of the most prominent Druidic ceremonies involving the Archdruid returning a massive sword into its sheath as the audience are asked ‘Is there peace?’ to which the audience responds by shouting ‘Peace’.
Westinghouse and Cwmni Egino were two of the sponsors of the Science Festival at the event, and in large part, the motivation for sending the letter was to highlight the collective outrage felt by activists that the core theme of the Eisteddfod – the promotion of peace – was besmirched by the acceptance of money from these businesses.
Nuclear power is inextricably linked to nuclear weapons, indeed the first UK nuclear power plants, including Trawsfynydd in Gwynedd, were engaged in the production of plutonium for use in the production of British nuclear weapons, and Westinghouse has a US-based division which is involved in supporting the US nuclear arms industry.
Sam Bannon from Heddwch ar Waith / Peace Action Wales organised a march of anti-nuclear activists to the Eisteddfod field this year and is one of those who has endorsed the letter of protest. He describes what he saw and what he hopes will come from the letter:
“Arriving on the Maes after marching 70km in protest at proposals for new nuclear in Cymru, to find that the event was sponsored by one of the sector’s most infamous purveyors was disheartening to say the least. What is beyond any doubt, however, is the widespread opposition to nuclear, both at the Eisteddfod and throughout north Wales. The promotion of peace is a cornerstone of the National Eisteddfod’s Gorsedd ceremonies. The power of its message is diminished when it is sponsored by a company that facilitates the production of weapons of mass destruction.
“It is my hope that the request of these eight groups is taken note of, and that any future funding is in no way linked to the nuclear, or by extension the arms industry”.
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For more information, please contact UK/Ireland Nuclear Free Local Authorities Secretary, Richard Outram, by email richard.outram@manchester.gov.uk in the first instance.
Llythyr yn y Gymraeg:
I sylw:
Betsan Moses, Prif Weithredwr
Gethin Thomas, Cadeirdydd ac aelodau Cyngor yr Eisteddfod
Eisteddfod Genedlaethol,
40, Parc Ty Glas,
Llanisien,
Caerdydd,
CF14 5DU
Trwy e-bost i: gwyb@eisteddfod.cymru
24 Hydref 2023
Annwyl Brif Weithredwr ac Aelodau Cyngor yr Eisteddfod,
Ar y dydd hwn, wythnos diarfogi’r Cenhedloedd Unedig, rydym ni, sydd wedi llofnodi isod, sy’n cynrychioli mudiadau yng Nghymru sy’n hyrwyddo heddwch ac yn gwrthwynebu ynni niwclear ac arfau niwclear, gan fod y ddau yn rhyngddibynnol, yn dymuno cofrestru ein gwrthwynebiad i’ch derbyniad o nawdd gan y grŵp peirianneg niwclear o’r Unol Daleithiau, Westinghouse yn Eisteddfod 2023.
A fyddech mor garedig ag ystyried hon fel cwyn ffurfiol yng nghyfarfod y Cyngor yn Nhachwedd.
Ar 6 Awst 2023, cyrhaeddodd grŵp o ymgyrchwyr gwrthniwclear faes yr Eisteddfod ym Moduan ar ôl cerdded 44-milltir o safle’r hen orsaf niwclear Magnox yn Nhrawsfynydd. Roedd y dyddiad hwn yn drymlwythog o dristwch gan ei fod yn nodi 78 mlynedd ers i’r bom atomig cyntaf gael ei ollwng ar Hiroshima a arweiniodd at farwolaethau 140,000 o ddinasyddion y ddinas honno erbyn diwedd 1945.
Awr yn ddiweddarach traddoddodd Mabon ap Gwynfor, Aelod Senedd Plaid Cymru Dwyfor Meirionnydd, anerchiad grymus o wrthwynebiad i ynni niwclear ac arfau niwclear.
Disgrifiodd Dylan Morgan, Cynghrair Wrthniwclear Cymru yr awyrgylch: “Roedd gan y gorymdeithwyr bresenoldeb swnllyd a lliwgar ae faes yr Eisteddfod. Traddododd Mabon ddarlith diwrnod cofio Hiroshima gan ganolbwyntio ar y cysylltiad llechwraidd rhwng ynni niwclear ac arfau niwclear. Roedd yn gyflwyniad grymus ac angerddol a safodd y gynulledifa i gymeradwyo”.
Fodd bynnag, trist ac annerbyniol oedd sylwi ar yr un diwrnod bod logos Westinghouse a Chwmni Egino, sy’n ceisio denu buddsoddiad niwclear newydd i safle Trawsfynydd yn amlwg fel noddwyr masnachol ym Mhafilwn Gwyddoniaeth ein Heisteddfod.
Mae Westinghouse, ynghyd a’i bartner peirianyddol o’r Unol Daleithiau,Bechtel, wedi mynegi diddordeb mewn datblygu gorsaf niwclear newydd ar dir ger hen orsaf niwclear Magnox yn yr Wylfa, Ynys Môn, ac maen nhw wedi bod yn siarad â gwleidyddion lleol a gweinidogion llywodraeth i’r perwyl hwnnw. Mae ynni niwclear yn uniongyrchol gysylltiedig â chynhyrchu arfau niwclear, wrth i is-gynhyrchion a sgiliau gweithlu trosglwyddadwy y cyntaf gael eu defnyddio gan yr ail i gynorthwyo cynhyrchu arfau niwclear a’u cynnal.
Fodd bynnag, cawsom ein harswydo fwy byth, er nad ein synnu, i ddysgu bod Westinghouse hefyd yn cyfrannu’n uniongyrchol at gynhyrchu arfau niwclear dinistr eang yr Unol Daleithiau gan fod gan y cwmni adran, ‘the Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility’, sy’n cynhyrchu nwy tritiwm ymbelydrol. Mae’r nwy tritiwm hwn yn cael ei anfon i safle Savannah River yn Ne Carolina lle mae’n cael ei roi i mewn i holl arfau niwclear yr Unol Daleithiau.
Rydym yr un mor bryderus am arian nawdd gan Gwmni Egino sy’n llygadu hwyluso datblygiad niwclear newydd yn Nhrawsfynydd. Mae cryn sôn ar hyn o bryd am ddatblygu adweithyddion niwclear modiwlaidd ac un cwmni sydd â chynllun o’r fath ar bapur yw Rolls Royce a’u hadweithydd modiwlaidd mawr 470MW. Mae Rolls Royce dros eu pen a’u clustiau ar hyn o bryd yn rhaglen llongau tanfor niwclear y Wladwriaeth Brydeinig sy’n arfog â thaflegrau niwclear dinistr eang. Mae’r cysylltiad rhwng ynni niwclear ac arfau niwclear yn gwbl amlwg yn achos Rolls Royce hefyd.
Mae derbyn arian nawdd gan Westinghouse a Chwmni Egino ar gyfer y Pafilwn Gwyddoniaeth yn ymddangos yn rhagrithiol iawn. Mae’n glod i’r Eisteddfod fod ‘heddwch’ wrth galon ei seremonïau Gorseddol bob blwyddyn wrth i’r Archdderwydd ofyn ‘A oes heddwch’. Eleni, mae’r heddwch hwnnw wedi cael ei danseilio gan gymryd arian gan gwmni Westinghouse sy’n cynhyrchu arfau niwclear dinistr eang a Chwmni Egino a allai fod yn hyrwyddo gwaith yr un mor niweidiol a chroes i heddwch byd-eang gan gwmni arall a allai ddod i safle Trawsfynydd. Credwn fod hygrededd yr Eisteddfod wedi cael ei niweidio o ganlyniad.
Galwn arnoch fel Cyngor yr Eisteddfod i wrthod unrhyw nawdd yn y dyfodol gan Westinghouse, Cwmni Egino ac unrhyw gwmni arall sy’n cymryd rhan mewn datblygu ynni niwclear ac arfau niwclear dinistr eang.
Hyderwn y byddwch yn rhoi ystyriaeth ffafriol i’n galwad.
Yn gywir
Letter in English
FAO
Betsan Moses, Chief Executive
And members of the Eisteddfod Cyngor (Council)
National Eisteddfod of Wales,
40, Parc Ty Glas,
Llanishen,
Cardiff,
CF14 5DU
By email to: gwyb@eisteddfod.cymru
24 October 2023
Dear Chief Executive and Eisteddfod Cyngor Members,
On this, the first day of United Nations Disarmament Week, we, the undersigned, representing organisations in Wales that promote peace and oppose nuclear power and nuclear weapons, as both are interdependent, wish to register our collective objection to your acceptance of sponsorship from the US nuclear engineering group Westinghouse at the 2023 Eisteddfod.
Please consider this a formal complaint for your consideration at your November Council meeting.
On 6 August 2023, a party of anti-nuclear campaigners arrived at the Eisteddfod encampment at Boduan after having walked 44-miles from the site of a former Magnox nuclear power plant at Trawsfynydd. Their arrival date was particularly poignant for this was the 78th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing which led to the deaths of 140,000 citizens of that city by the end of 1945.
An hour later Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru Senedd member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, gave a stirring keynote address in opposition to nuclear power and nuclear weapons.
Dylan Morgan from the Welsh Anti Nuclear Alliance described the atmosphere: “The marchers had a noisy and colourful presence on Eisteddfod field. Mabon delivered the Hiroshima day lecture focussing on the insidious link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons. This was a powerful presentation which received a standing ovation”.
However, there was a sour note to proceedings as activists soon espied the logo of Westinghouse, a US nuclear power and weapons manufacturer, as a commercial sponsor of the Science Pavilion at this iconic event.
Westinghouse has, with its US engineering partner Bechtel, expressed an interest in developing a new nuclear power plant on a former Magnox nuclear site at Wylfa, Ynys Môn, and has been courting island politicians and government ministers to do so. Nuclear power is directly linked to the production of nuclear weapons, with the resultant byproducts and transferrable workforce skills of the former being employed to support the manufacture and maintenance of the latter.
However, we were even more horrified, though unsurprised, to learn that Westinghouse also contributes directly to the production of US weapons of mass destruction as the company has a division, the Columbia Fuel Fabrication Facility, which manufactures radioactive tritium gas. This tritium is sent to the Savannah River site in South Carolina where it is inserted into all U.S. nuclear weapons.
We are equally concerned about sponsorship money from Cwmni Egino who are eyeing up facilitating a new nuclear development at Trawsfynydd. There is current speculation about developing modular nuclear reactors and one company having such a plan on paper is Rolls Royce with their large 470MW modular reactor. Rolls Royce are deeply involved in the British State’s nuclear submarine programme armed with nuclear weapons of mass destruction. The link between nuclear power and nuclear weapons is abundantly clear in the case of Rolls Royce.
To accept sponsorship money from Westinghouse and Cwmni Egino for the Science Pavilion seems to us grossly hypocritical. The Eisteddfod commendably has ‘peace’ at the heart of its Gorsedd ceremonies every year with one of the most prominent Druidic ceremonies involving the Archdruid returning a massive sword into its sheath as the audience are asked ‘Is there peace?’ to which the audience responds by shouting ‘Peace’.
This year that sacred peace has been undermined by taking money from a manufacturer involved in the production of weapons of mass destruction, and the credibility of Eisteddfod has been damaged as a result.
We earnestly call upon you as the Eisteddfod Council to reject any future sponsorship from Westinghouse, Cwmni Egino or any other company engaged in developing nuclear power and the manufacture of weapons, especially armaments of mass destruction.
Thank you for your consideration of our appeal.
Yours faithfully
Ardystiadau / Endorsements
Sam Bannon, Heddwch ar Waith / Wales Peace in Action
Rhun Dafydd, Cymdeithas y Cymod / Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales
Deilwen Evans, Cymdeithas Atal Dinistrio Niwclear Tragwyddol / Society for the Prevention of Everlasting Nuclear Destruction (CADNO)
Joseff Gnagbo, Cadeirydd, Cymdeithas yr Iaith / Chairman, The Welsh Language Society
Sioned Huws, Pobol Atal Wylfa-B / People against Wylfa-B (PAWB)
Cllr Elin Hywel, Cyngor Gwynedd, Gogledd Pwllheli / Gwynedd Council, Pwllheli North, Plaid Cymru
Brian Jones, Is-Gadeirydd, CND Cymru / Co-Chair, CND Cymru
Elfed Jones, ICAN, WE CAN, CYMRU CAN
Cllr Sue Lent, Awdurdodau Lleol Di-Niwclear Cymru / Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities (NFLAs)
Dylan Morgan, Cynghrair Gwrth-Niwclear Cymru / Welsh Anti-Nuclear Alliance (WANA)
Linda Rogers, Heddwch a Chyfiawnder Bangor ac Ynys Môn / Bangor and Ynys Mon Peace and Justice
Cllr Meilyr Tomos, Cyngor Tref Frenhinol Caernarfon / Caernarfon Royal Town Council, Canol Tref Caernarfon, Plaid Cymru and Awdurdodau Lleol Di-Niwclear Cymru / Welsh Nuclear Free Local Authorities
