Long awaited nuclear compensation case begins in French Polynesia
Updated
The long awaited hearing of a compensation case for eight former workers of France's nuclear testing site in French Polynesia is due to get underway in the Papeete Labour Court on Monday. The former workers, only three of which are still alive, accuse the French government of failing to protect French Polynesians from the fall out of nearly 200 nuclear bomb tests carried out between 1966 and 1996 on Mururoa atoll. They claim that about 80 per cent of the 15-thousand people employed at the site during that time developed health problems as a result of the exposure.
Presenter Helene Hofman
Speaker: President of the Moruroa E Tatou Association Roland Oldham
- Listen:
- Windows Media
OLDHAM: Today finally after two years there will be the first court case where the French Government have to give an explanation about the fact that our people, in particular former workers has been exposed to radiation and that they did not have any protection. Also for the first time, there is not only one worker, but eight cases to be in court, so at this occasion, is a historical occasion and also this occasion we are also calling a lot of former workers to come and the court cases, we are calling trade union people and our people from different organisation to be there. Because for us, it is very important to have popular pressure.
HOFMAN: I understand that you had also asked for a bigger court room for the hearing?
OLDHAM: We had to ask for a bigger room, because the court case here is just a small one where there is only about 20 people and this room can have 200 people inside, but we are waiting for 400, 500, maybe more, people to be present.
HOFMAN: There will be eight cases heard. Obviously this is just the first step for you?
OLDHAM: On the eight cases that we have presented to the court, most of them have died, former workers have died and there is only three survivors. The same kind of situation have been in court in France and the same situation have won their cases, so for us it will be unbelievable if Polynesian people in the same situation cannot win their cases.
HOFMAN: I understand that there are 220 more cases, at least, of workers. What are you hoping will come out of it?
OLDMAN: There is two situation that can come out or maybe three. One, the French Government or the court may decide at the last minute to report to another date, and I think that would be a very, very bad and very dangerous decision. The second situation is that according to the law here, maybe they are going to finally say that the Polynesian people cannot have compensation like the decision that has been taken in France, because of the law in the in the court in France are different, that will confirm us in our thinking that the law is different for the French people, it is not the same for the French people as it is for the Polynesian people. The third situation they might say, okay it will be half-half, which mean of the eight cases in court maybe they are going to decide three will win their cases and four may not and that will be probably the situation, the less dangerous for them to choose.
