Fallout on Tahitian nuclear tests
Following the publication in Papeete, Tahiti, of the results of the independent inquiry into the consequences of the nuclear tests on the Tahitian people, several members of Hiti Tau, a Polynesian non-governmental organisation which contributed to the inquiry, recently toured Europe. One of them, GABRIEL TETIARAHI, was interviewed by LAURENT DUROSE for the October 23 issue of the French left weekly, Rouge. The translation is by STUART RUSSELL.
Question: What do you hope to achieve with this tour?
We'll be participating in a number of seminars. We hope to improve our dialogue with funding bodies, evaluate our partnership with them and increase it as part of alternative economic solutions to the economy of the bomb (development of cooperatives for the production of monoi, vanilla etc.).
We're also here to finalise arrangements for a German volunteer, who will be working on development programs. Finally, we want to publicise the inquiry, inform the public, politicians and political groups.
Question: What are the highlights of this inquiry?
Of the children who worked in Moruroa [the test location], 10% of workers were less than 18 years old, 6% less than 16, and 0.3% less than 13, who worked primarily in the subcontracting sector.
Only 48.5% of former workers had a medical examination after leaving Moruroa, as opposed to 92% upon their arrival on the site. Former workers had two desires: the establishment of an independent organisation to defend their right to workplace health and safety, and independent medical research.
The powers that be in Tahiti denounced this inquiry. However, it was well reported in the media of the Pacific region. The civil society of Polynesia is thankful to the former workers who broke the wall of silence. The state must now assume its responsibilities.
Question: The visit of the German volunteer Maren Richter has not been authorised so far.
For a number of years, the NGOs have suffered intimidation and political harassment. The police arrived in our office with shields and batons to demand the list of former workers at Moruroa who testified at the inquiry. No visa of any real duration is granted to foreign visitors. The authorities do not look favourably upon the alternative vanilla and monoi programs.
In Maren's case, the authorities refused her visa on the pretext that she would play a role in the inquiry, although she was supposed to come to help our people with the economic development programs.
However, her visa application is going to be reviewed. A second refusal would be unthinkable when you consider that the Japanese and Filipinos come to work in the large hotels, some for as long as five or even 10 years.
Question: Has the change of government in France altered the situation in the Pacific?
One of the changes is that the Pacific is a special region for the Elysee Palace. The main representative of France in the Pacific is Gaston Flosse, the "brother" of President Chirac, president of the French Polynesian Territory.
The same policy is being carried out. A billion francs are given to Flosse annually, without control, without any development projects resulting, unless it's construction in the hospitality sector, under the control of multinationals like Lyonnaise des Eaux.
The second development is between France and the United States. The Americans have allowed France to assume a leadership role in the Pacific, probably in exchange for other regions. France has become the primary source of funding.
At the last Pacific Forum in Fiji, we saw a true sell-out. As during the "best" colonial period, France exchanged financial aid against the abandonment of support by these states to indigenous peoples like the Kanaks in New Caledonia and the Maohis.
In the final declaration, there is not even mention of the future of these peoples and their right to self-determination. Of course the Fijian army trains in Kanaky. In Polynesia, France is constructing the largest military base in the Pacific in Hao.
While in France, we met parliamentary attaches of the French Communist Party and the Greens. Our priority is putting written questions to the ministers of defence and health, challenging them on the conclusions of the inquiry and the demand for a parliamentary commission of inquiry into the consequences of the nuclear tests.
A meeting was also held with an adviser to another politician, D. Voynet. We have insisted upon the right of the independent investigators to have access to military medical files and also the right of access to Moruroa and Fangataufa, to undertake independent scientific investigations. We'll soon be meeting other French and European politicians to force France to live up to its responsibilities.