Wylfa B Rally: Family's fight is Welsh language fight
 The struggle to protect a local family's land on Ynys Mon is a microcosm of the fight for Welsh language communities, that will be the message of a rally opposing a new nuclear power station on the island today (Saturday, 21st January).
Richard Jones, a local farmer and member of the Caerdegog family who face losing their land because of the new nuclear power plant, will address protestors in Llangefni, at a rally organised by PAWB (People Against Wylfa B) and Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg, with Greenpeace's support. The family are in a major battle with developers Horizon who want to build Wylfa B: the company could force the family to sell land to them so they can build the new nuclear power station.
The campaigners' intention is to show support for Richard Jones and his family and raise awareness of the dangers of the power station for the environment and the Welsh language. The developers also intend on providing 6,000 extra homes on the island, and Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg warns that the development could be the "death knell for the Welsh language on Ynys Mon", as it will promote in-migration.
The language group has also raised questions about the independence of the development's language impact assessment - an assessment funded by the developers. Speaking ahead of the rally, Menna Machreth, Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg's spokesperson for Gwynedd-Môn commented:
"The Caerdegog family have taken an extremely brave stand - a stand to keep their livelihoods and their homes out of the hands of these huge companies. The farm has been in the family's possession for seven generations, and the intention is for Owain, the farm's son to continue to work there. If Horizon succeeds in buying 65 acres of farmland, that would be the end of Caerdegog as a place which offers a living. This family's struggle is an integral part of the fight for the future of the language on a community level in this county."
"Everyone claims that the whole island is in favour of nuclear, but that does not stand up to scrutiny. Wylfa B will be the death knell of the language on Ynys Môn. The next census will show a further decline in the percentage of people who speak Welsh in the area, and in-migration of 16,000 people on top of that would be fatal for the language and its communities on the island. It's history repeating itself - the British Government letting a private company do what they want with our resources. Who's protecting the Caerdegog family? Where are their rights to survive? Where are the politicians standing up for them?"
"There are other energy options: green energy, an option that could mean economic prosperity for the island instead of staying in poverty like after the current Wylfa station was built."
The Fukushima disaster forced countries to back away from nuclear: in Europe, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Switzerland have decided not to build new nuclear power station and close the present stations. According to the plans, Wylfa B would produce almost four times more electricity than the present station, creating waste twice as hot and two times more radioactive, with waste staying on the site for 160 years.
Speaking on behalf of PAWB, Dr.Carl Clowes added:
"2012 will be an important year for the campaign to stop Wylfa B. In the current economic climate, it won't be easy for Horizon to raise the capital needed for sucha a big project. Horizon will be holding community consulation on their plans before long, but the rally is a chance for people to take sides and join with us Cymdeithas yr Iaith and Greenpeace in the work to show how dangerous, extremely expensive, threatening nuclear energy is to the language, culture, community and environment."
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