French institute admits Mururoa cancer link - The Dominion Post August 1 2006

A French health institute has offically acknowledged for the first time that nuclear testing at Mururoa atoll led to an increase in cases of thyriod cancer in French Polynesia.

The admission came in a letter from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm), which was read out to the French Polynesia Assembly at the weekend.

Tahitipresse reported that Territoral President Oscar Temaru read the letter, sparking fierce debate.

The session was suspended yesterday.

France conducted 41 atmospheric nuclear tests over Mururoa and Fangataufa between 1966 and 1974. It then held 134 underground tests at the same sites between 1975 and 1991. Eight more tests took place in 1995 and 1996.

Inserm scientist Florent de Vathaire directly linked the number of thyroid cancer cases between 1985 and 2002 to the French atmospheric nuclear tests.

The link was based on a "significant statistical relationship" between the total radiation doses detected in thyriods and the nuclear tests.

"Thus, we now consider as established fact . . . that the atmospheric nuclear tests conducted by France contributed to increasing the incidence of Thyriod cancer in French Polynesia." The findings, yet to be formally published, were based on a study of 239 people with thyroid cancer and 363 people without.

Tahitipresse said the letter was the first time a French public institution has officially established a cause and effect relationship between thyroid cancer and the nuclear tests.

President Temaru's government has been campaigning for Paris to accept the nuclear tests harmed the people of French Polynesia. Earlier this year a Tahiti Government commission of inquiry claimed that the French Government had covered up the impact of the tests for 40 years.