The legacy of French atomic tests
Sixty years ago, the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were leveled by two atomic bombs that ended world war two and herald a new terrible era in human warfare. The atrocities of these bombings will be marked this weekend, with Hiroshima Day. However, an activist from to Australia from French-controlled Polynesia who will be speaking at these events, will aim to remind listeners that the horror of nuclear weapons are still being felt today. From 1966 until 1996, the French government conducted nuclear tests at two Tahitian sites: Moruroa and Fangtaufa. While international outcry brought the tests to an end a decade ago, many believe that as a direct result of these tests, Polynesians continue to suffer from much higher rates of cancer. While data on the problem is scarce, a 2005 study by independent epidemiologists found that chromosome abnormalities of those suffering from thyroid cancer were three times higher in Polynesians, when compared to a control group of Europeans. Roland Oldham is the president of Moruroa e Tatou which means Moruroa and Us. This group represents the workers from the French nuclear test sites, who are seeking redress for their health problems, which they claim are a result of the nuclear tests. In Sydney for Hiroshima Day ceremonies, Roland Oldham spoke to the Wire about poor health of the workers in Moruroa e Tatou and the groups aims.