Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 12, Number 8, 1 August 1995 — Halt French nuclear madness in Polynesia [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Halt French nuclear madness in Polynesia

by Moanike'ala Akaka Trustee, Hawai'i As we celebrale the success of the Polynesian Voyaging Canoes, let us unite as Pacific peoples to stop the French resumption of nuclear-testing in Polynesia. Recently, before the canoes eame home, I stayed in Tahiti with Tea Hirshorn,

International spokesperson for Tavini Hui-Raatira, the largest Tahitian Independence Party. We had originally met in 1980 in Honolulu when we founded the Nuclear-Free and Independent Pacific Movement. Attending one of their Independence Conferences seven years ago, I took part in Raiatea's first Anti-Nuclear demonstration

led by Oscar Temaru, leader and founder of Tavini, as well as Mayor of Fa'a'a. Oscar, father of seven, is a true caring warrior of his people against the French colonizers. It wasn't until Oscar became Mayor in 1982 that the Tahitians heard about the Tahitian Independence Movement in their own language on television. While being inter-

viewed, he started speaking Tahitian. The power iinmediately was cut off and Oscar waited three hours before the power was returned and the program resumed. He continued speaking to his people in their mother tongue. After twenty years of atomic-bomb testing on Mururoa, due mueh to efforts of Tavini, the testing has stopped for three

years. The atoll has become a "swiss-cheese of fractured rocks" and scientists predicted leakage of radioactive waste from the underground test-site to surrounding water and air. Epidemic-like outbreaks in surrounding eommunities have already resulted in damage to nervous systems, paralysis, impaired vision and increased cancer

rates, especially amongst Tahitians. Criminally irresponsible, the French hide the high incidents of cancer related to their nuclear tests, send the Tahitians to France to await death as evidenced, in the BBC film "Tahiti Witness" made eight years ago. Tahitian workers at the test site had to scavenge in dumpsters for cast-off protec-

tive clothing and shoes while French workers were issued new protective gear from "head-to-toe" — a sign of the French colonists racial attitude and treatment of natives. BBC points out the high occurrence of radiation-induced cancer amongst Tahitian workers on Mururoa. The film was banned in Tahiti, but I have one! After a three-year moratorium, newlyelected French President Chirac has ordered a resumption of tests as of September. This decision has outraged Pacific nations, and responsible citizens worldwide. Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Philippines and the South Pacific Forum are strongly protesting France's decision to the U.N. According to China News — Taiwan, Austraha has banned and refused to service French ships and planes and has cut off French defense contracts. The French Embassy in Perth, Australia was fire-bombed. Maehiko Tanaka, Japan's cabinet minister referred to the French resumption as "Nonsense; if Chirac feels he must have nuclear testing, why doesn't he do it in the suburbs of Paris?" Fifteen thousand people have protested in streets of Tahiti with the arrival of Rainbow Warrior II (RW I was blown up.

and a Portuguese photographer killed by the French 10 years ago.) French scientist, Pierre Vincent fears that the resumption of bomb-tests by his government could be the "straw that breaks the camel's back." Mururoa is part of a voleanie crater that has been dormant for nine million years; the resumption could cause the volcano to erupt and spew nuclear waste from previous tests into the oeean and a radioactive cloud that would leave a destructive path over land and water throughout the Pacific, and the world, and a tsunami of unknown magnitude could ensue. No nation has the right to act so irresponsibly ! We have experienced enough nuclear-bomb madness in times of war and peaee to learn the lesson at hand — nuclear weapons must be eliminated worldwide and all peoples must cooperate to this end for if nuclear-bomb tests are resumed by any nation, it will give the "green light" to all countries to do likewise. •Pressure all Federal Representatives to strongly oppose the French decision. •Pressure loeal governments to issue position papers of opposition. •Boycott ALL French products and services.

We, Hawaiians must stand in support of our Tahitian 'Ohana. We are Polynesians!! But this is a global issue — all peoples regardless of racial origin who reside in the Pacific must resist this affront to global sanity. Mālama Pono. Ua mau ke ea o ka 'āina i ka pono.