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Polynesian nuclear victims distrust French government on compensation

PACIFIC ISLANDS REPORT Pacific Islands Development Program/East-West Center With Support From Center for Pacific Islands Studies/University of Hawai‘i 

TAHITI NUCLEAR ATOLL COMPENSATION CHANGES DISMISSED
French president’s amendments ‘an election-related move’ WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Feb. 15, 2012) – The Moruroa e tatou veterans group in French Polynesia is dismissive of a French decree loosening the compensation criteria for victims of the nuclear weapons tests.

The release of the decree to amend a two-year old law was announced by the French President, Nicolas Sarkozy, in a televised video address to Tahitians last month.

The veterans’ leader Roland Oldham says the changes are minimal, suggesting they are merely an election-related move.

Mr. Oldham says while there is an extension of the eligible fall-out zone to include Tahiti, claims are restricted to the effects measured during five months in 1974.

He says the situation remains scandalous.

“We are called to come to Paris. There is a decree. They already decided about it. We’re only going to go there to have the photo taken, meaning that we’ve been to Paris and that’s it. But it’s not good enough.”

Radio New Zealand International: www.rnzi.com     http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2012/February/02-16-18.htm

February 17, 2012 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | OCEANIA, politics