Nuke veterans write to French Polynesia election candidates

RNZ

A French Polynesian nuclear test veterans organisation has written an open letter to all election candidates urging them to stand up to France over the consequences of the tests.

Remnants of the testing infrastructure on Moruroa atoll Photo: AFP

The Association 193 has written to all candidates asking them to position themselves on four issues which center on getting France to assume full responsibility for the test legacy and the impact people's lives and the environment.

It called on all politicians to show the courage to challenge France as the health problems are widespread, with hundreds of new cancer cases being recorded each year.

The letter pointed to the last two presidents, Edouard Fritch and Gaston Flosse, who both said that they had told lied on behalf of France about the tests' risks.

It said it was not enough to concede to have lied.

This, it said, should be followed by an apology and concrete steps to make France honour its responsibilities.

France carried out 193 tests in Moruroa and Fangataufa between 1966 and 1996 - the last ones during the tenure of Flosse.