Report on the consequences of French
Press release: The Report of the Inquiry Commission concerning the consequences of the aerial nuclear testing places France in front of her responsibilities Papeete – January 25, 2006 The Inquiry Commission investigating the consequences of the nuclear testing by France in Polynesia, formed in July 2005 by the Territorial Assembly, submitted its report on Tuesday January 24 2006, ten years after the last aerial test in Fangataufa on January 27, 1996. In their report, the elected members of the Assembly show proof that the 46 aerial tests which took place from 1966 to 1974 did, at each test, provoke radio active fallout over all of the inhabited archipelagos of Polynesia, contrary to what has always been affirmed by the French military authorities. The Minister of Defense, who today claims voluntary and total transparency, has refused any contact and thus no cooperation with the Inquiry Commission. In order to respond to the official silence, the Inquiry Commission has decided to contribute alone to the transparency. Due to independent contributions, the Commission is publishing 25 secret military documents from 1966 to 1967 in their entirety. These documents show evidence that not only did the military authorities lie about the reality of the radioactive fallout, but they, under orders, contributed to the silence concerning the dangers to which the inhabitants of the islands near to Moruruoa where exposed. Today the members of the Polynesian Assembly consider that their people were simply abandoned to radioactive fallout even though the military affirmed to be in control of the situation. The important health problems – thyroid cancer, leukemia, and other cancers – from which the Polynesian people suffer today must be carefully examined in regard to the considerable risks to which they were exposed. The Inquiry Commission, who has interviewed more than 35 people; politicians, medical personal and professionals, and who has consulted a number of medical records and received a number of letters, esteems that certain promises for development made to the Polynesian government in exchange for nuclear testing have not been honored. Today, durable development in Polynesia is essentially non-existent. The members of the Assembly of French Polynesia recommend that the government of M. Oscar Temaru continue its own analysis of thirty years of nuclear testing and establish a method by which former workers in Moruroa, as well as the populations of islands close to the former testing sites, are assured of adequate healthcare and follow-up. They recommend that the government of French Polynesia and the French authorities cooperate in establishing truth and justice in the matter of the nuclear testing. Contacts for English speaking media:
- John Taroanui Doom (Tahiti) tel + 689 430905
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