nuclear-news

Navajo uranium mine workers seek health assistance

Navajo uranium mine workers seek health assistance— By Brendan Giusti — The Daily Times 4/22/2009  — A grassroots effort to help uranium mine workers’ children affected by diseases and birth defects is picking up steam on the Navajo Nation.The Navajo Nation Dependents of Uranium Workers Committee will meet for the second time in a month to update community members and hear feedback from residents who suffer from cancer, kidney disease, birth defects and other illnesses resulting from prolonged radon exposure from uranium mines……………………

uranium mine workers were exposed to high levels of radon, which has caused inter-generational bouts of illnesses in communities across the Navajo Nation.

“A lot of people don’t want to talk about this in the public,” Harrison said………………………….

momentum in the fair-compensation movement is growing.

Community members, especially those directly affected by the lingering health issues, are ready to travel to Washington to lobby the federal government for compensation, said Gilbert Badoni, president of the Navajo Nation Dependents of Uranium Workers Committee, a co-sponsor of the meeting.

The group plans to hold meetings across the Navajo Nation before making the trek to the nation’s capital later this year.

Badoni estimates there are 15,000 dependents of uranium mine workers affected today from various diseases and birth defects.

From 2004 to 2005 only 8 percent of Navajo claims were paid, Harrison said.

This, according to Harrison, is because many Navajo don’t have the proper medical records, marital records, birth certificates, proof of residency or work history required under the act.

Navajo uranium mine workers seek health assistance – Farmington Daily Times

April 23, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | indigenous issues, USA | antinuclear, indigenous, nuclear, radioactive, uranium