Jepara, Central Java – Some 1,500 residents of Balong subdistrict, Kembang district, staged a rally over the weekend protesting against a government plan to build a nuclear powered electric generator (PLTN) in their village.

The rally, also held to commemorate the 1986 Chernobyl, Ukraine, nuclear reactor tragedy, was started from Proliman Balong. Wearing bandages bearing writings saying "No to PLTN" they marched on trucks, heading to a site near Kembang district administration office.

There they spread a 500-meter banner, on which they signed names to express support for the refusal of the nuclear project.

"We want to show to the government and the community that Jepara people really refuse the PLTN," Sardi Elbayano of the people's and student's coalition refusing the PLTN said.

Protests have been repeatedly expressed by the residents to the PLTN project, projected to start operation by 2016. The PLTN is designed to produce between four to six megawatts of electricity to meet with five percent of the total national need.