2 April 2009

MURUROA VETERANS SEEK JUSTICE.

We would appreciate your interest and intervention in resolving a long-running case by Mururoa naval veterans and their dependents for support in dealing with the consequences of atmospheric nuclear fallout.

Successive governments have, for 36 years, failed to officially acknowledge the effects on our people.

The Mururoa Veterans' Society represents surviving members of the crews of HMNZS Otago and HMNZS Canterbury and their dependents.

Introduction.

You may recall that between June - August 1973 the then Labour Government despatched the RNZN frigate Otago, and then the Canterbury, to draw international attention to continued atmospheric nuclear testing by France at Mururoa atoll.

 The vessels carried crews of 240 and 250 respectively, plus the then Immigration Minister Fraser Colman ( who served on both vessels) and NZPA-Reuter and NZBC correspondents.

Each warship was present upwind of the outer edge of the 12-mile territorial limit around Mururoa atoll for one atmospheric nuclear explosion and the crews, dressed in anti-flash gear (but not anti-fallout gear), were allowed on deck after the flash to see the mushroom clouds develop.

Generally, the tests were in the 1 - 5 kiloton range.

Crews were not prevented or discouraged from viewing the blasts and radioactive fallout was not regarded as an issue.

France conducted 41 atmospheric nuclear tests over Mururoa and neighbouring Fangataufa Atolls between 1966 and 1974 before international pressure, spearheaded by New Zealand's protest action, forced it underground with France conducting another 142 tests at the same sites between 1985 - 1996.

In August 2006 the French Institute of Health and Medical Reserch officially acknowleged for the first time that atmospheric nuclear testing at Mururoa led to an increase in cases of thyroid cancer in French Polynesia.

In March 2009 the French Government announced draft legisilation to set aside $13.5 million to compensate its military personnel and the peoples of French territoroes in the South Pacific who suffered health consequences including Leukemia and other forms of cancer.

New Zealand Reaction.

 Between 1973 - 2009 successive New Zealand governments have failed to formally accept a link between atmospheric nuclear testing and significant cancer or cancer-related diseases suffered by our naval personeel.

The Agent Orange effects on New Zealand veterans of the Vietnam War were swept under the carpet by successive governments for 40 years before being formally, and very publicly, redressed in 2008.

The effects of atmospheric nuclear testing at Mururoa on our naval veterans continue to be ignored after 36 years.

The Mururoa Veterans' Society estimates that 90 percent of the returned sailors, and many of their dependents, have complained of health health consequences as a result of exposure to the nuclear tests.

In fairness, we do not have the medical resources or access to official records to prove our case but, living as we do with day-to-day medical and anecdotal reports, there is little doubt we have a serious issue.

You will be aware of substantial evidence presented through Operation Grapple project to show cause-and-effects from Christmas Island and other 1950-60s nuclear test sites.

Between Operation Grapple and Mururoa testing, "the bomb" became more miniaturised, more powerful, and more devastating.

As an example of its effects, we ask you to consider the fallout in terms of contamination not just of the air, but of the seawater we ended up drinking every day.

Both frigates made 25 tons of freshwater daily through their desalination plants, with 24 tons used in the boilers and the remaining ton for drinking, cooking, and washing.

What to do?

The Mururoa Veterans' Society believes that the French Government has now set an international precedent which would be difficult for New Zealand gainsay.

  As Prime Minister of a new government we ask you to determine whether justice has been done for the 1973 crews of the frigates Otago and Canterbury and those of their dependents who have inherited cancer-related illnesses.

The French Government has decided that injustice has been done to its people and is prepared to compensated them.

The Mururoa Veterans' Society propses a review group be established, representative of all interests including our Society, to determine whether there is sufficient evidence and, if there is, to propose a course of action for the government to consider.

We hope you share our view that it is time for justice to be done - and to be seen to be done.

This is a group of people never formally welcomed home from an epic long range naval action which won international acclaim for New Zealand's anti-nucclear resolve - and who now suffer consequences for which thy had no forewarning and for which there has been little support from our own country.

Justice is not too strong a word.

Yours sincerely

Peter Mitchell