PM Gonsalves tells Britain he is no water carrier

Jamaica Observer

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent (CMC) — Prime Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves said this week that he does not regard himself as a "water carrier" or the "president of a fitness club", as he defended his decision not to meet with two legislators from a "colonial country assembly".

Gonsalves was responding to Opposition questions in Parliament regarding the position taken by St Vincent and the Grenadines on the Falkland Islands dispute and whether it really intends to prevent Falkland Islands' flagged vessels from docking here.

Northern Grenadines parliamentary representative Dr Godwin Friday said the Gonsalves Government is "sending conflicting messages concerning its position in relation to the Falkland Islands.

"... On the one hand, it agreed with other Caricom (Caribbean Community) governments and the United Kingdom Government at the 2012 UK-Caribbean Forum to support the principle and the right to self-determination for all peoples, including the Falkland Islanders," said Friday. 

"And, on the other hand, at the ALBA (Bolivarian Alliance for the Americas) summit in Caracas in February 2012, it agreed to support Argentina in the dispute over the Falkland Islands and, in keeping with that support, agreed to prevent ships flying Falkland Islands flag from entering our ports," he added.

In his response, Prime Minister Gonsalves said at the time when the two legislators from the Falkland Islands visited the island, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeking to be diplomatic, then said he was unable to see them because of scheduling problems. But Gonsalves, who was acting as foreign affairs minister, told legislators that he had no reason to be diplomatic with the British Government and refused to meet with the legislators because there was no basis for such a meeting.

"As I made it plain to the British high commissioner, I did not refuse to see them because of any scheduling programme. That is what an official in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told them. I told them the truth. The persons in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the minister, wanted to tell them something that was diplomatic. The British are our friends. I am not going to go around in any diplomatic circles. I am going to tell you the truth why I am not seeing you," Gonsalves said.

The Falkland Islands legislators, along with the deputy British high commissioner, had arrived here as part of a campaign to sensitise regional governments about their quest for self-determination.

The islands, a self-governed British overseas territory, are at the heart of a 180-year-old dispute between Argentina and Britain.

ALBA nations, at their summit in Caracas earlier this month, supported a resolution by four South American nations, including Argentina, to ban Falkland Island flagged ships from their ports.

____________________________________________________________________
BOLIVARIAN ALLIANCE OF THE PEOPLES 

OF OUR AMERICA

SPECIAL COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE MALVINAS

Caracas, February 04, 2012

The Heads of State and Government of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA), gathered in Caracas, Venezuela, on February 4-5, 2012, reiterate their strongest support for the legitimate claim by the Republic of Argentina on its sovereign right over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, as well as the surrounding maritime areas;

Hope that the Republic of Argentina and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland resume negotiations to attain a peaceful and definite solution to said dispute, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the United Nations (UN), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CLACS);

Urge the parties to abide by Resolution 31/49 of the UN General Assembly, refraining from adopting decisions that entail introducing unilateral modifications into the situation while the aforementioned Islands are going through the process recommended by the General Assembly.

Praise the permanent constructive stance and willingness of the Argentinean Government to attain, through negotiations, a pacific and definite solution to this anachronistic colonial situation on American soil.

Support the decision made by the countries of the region to ban ships with the colonial flag imposed on the Malvinas from entering their ports.

_______________________________________________________________

Gonsalves said that the ALBA summit merely supported that resolution. He told legislators that he had rejected the request for a meeting with the legislators before attending the ALBA meeting, and defended himself against criticisms by Opposition Leader Arnhim Eustace that he was arrogant in refusing to see the Falkland Islands lawmakers.

"That is not arrogance. That is a simple question of defending the sovereignty and independence of this country," Gonsalves said, citing the 1648 Treaty of Westphalia, which identifies the state as the highest action in international affairs.

"To show you something, two colonial legislators came. The British high commissioner himself did not consider it worth his while to come to St Vincent. He sent somebody lower down the totem pole," Gonsalves said.

"So what am I? Am I the president of the fitness club," he said, dimissing those "who want to say I am arrogant. I am not a weak leader. I don't put water in my mouth... when I am speaking on matters of principle. Others may do that and hide and duck. I don't do that. You take me as you find me and I present an intellectually powerful argument based on principle. You may disagree with it, but I have a position."

Gonsalves said that while the Falkland Islanders, as a member of a "colonial assembly", had permission from the British government to visit him, Britain could not assume that he would agree to see them.

From Hawai`i to Palestine - A Lecture at the University of Hawai'i

From Hawai`i to Palestine:

Indigeneity, Settler Colonialism, and the Politics of Occupation

a public lecture by

J. Kēhaulani Kauanui

Monday, March 12, 2012

3:30-5:00pm

Saunders 624, The Friedman Room

University of Hawai`i at Mānoa

Co-Sponsored by American Studies, Ethnic Studies 

and Political Science

Local-Global Colloquium at the University of Hawai`i 

at Mānoa

Refreshments provided!

J. Kēhaulani Kauanui is an Associate Professor of American Studies and Anthropology at Wesleyan University. Kauanui’s first book is Hawaiian Blood: Colonialism and the Politics of Sovereignty and Indigeneity (Duke University Press, 2008). 

Her second book project (in-progress), Thy Kingdom Come? The Paradox of Hawaiian Sovereignty, is a critical study on land, gender and sexual politics and the disavowal of indigeneity in state-centered Hawaiian nationalism. 

Kauanui is the sole producer and host of a public affairs radio program, “Indigenous Politics: From Native New England and Beyond,” which airs across 10-US states, Additionally, she co-produces and co-hosts an anarchist radio program, Horizontal Power Hour.

From 2005-2008, Kauanui was part of a six-person steering committee that worked to found the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association (NAISA), for which she currently serves as an elected member of the inaugural council. 

For more information: http://jkauanui.faculty.wesleyan.edu/

Anguilla celebrates birthday of the ‘Father of the Nation’

Daily Herald
Sint Maarten

ANGUILLA--"Father of the Nation" Ronald Webster celebrated his 86th birthday in great style with many Anguillians Friday. His birthday celebrations started with a parade at Webster Park, after which there was also a boat race, a motorcade, and a visit to the Fun Day and Health Fair at East End.

Speaking at the parade, Governor Alistair Harrison hailed Webster as a revolutionary leader and paid tribute to him as Anguilla's first Chief Minister. He noted that during the revolution Webster had three important assets: unity, vision and courage. He said that all three remain important today and he congratulated Chief Minister Hubert Hughes and the Executive Council for aiming to live up to Webster's vision.

The Chief Minister reflected on the part that Webster played in the revolution in seeking a better life for the people. He remarked that as Webster looks on the affairs today, he must see that the nation "comes up short" and is not where Webster would want us to be. "Where we are now does not do justice to the integrity of us as a people," he said, adding that the people have seen the workings of a colonizer that does nothing to enhance the dignity of the people of the island. He went on to say that there is much work to be done and pledged to Webster that, as long as he is chief minister, he will fight for dignity and march on to free Anguilla.

Leader of the Opposition, Evans McNiel Rogers congratulated Webster on his birthday and thanked him for his contribution during the revolution and for guiding the people. He suggested that the majority of the population has no direct memory of the revolution, and therefore it is important to educate everyone about the events at that time. He spoke of a video he saw where Ronald was a young vibrant leader standing with his people and inspiring hope. He spoke of the different governments who have tried to maintain a focus on building a nation that is "proud, strong and free," and said it is important to remember the vision and legacy of Webster as "a symbol of our past and a beacon for our future."

Webster said he was touched by the parade in his honour and the number of people attending and is grateful to the government and the organizers of the event. He said that he is indebted to all who joined him in the revolution and their many achievements. "We must now march on with the same spirit of unity and determination with God as our Helper," he said. He noted that there is still much to be done and he is confident that the island will have a bright future. He spoke of the need to re-commit to freedom and justice for all and to have unity to make Anguilla a self-reliant and dignified nation.

Webster said the 30th anniversary of Social Security is also a celebration and that it is one of the best systems for the people. He remarked that under the influence of Britain, leaders have become weak and in a "state of infancy" and this must be changed in the constitutional reforms. He said there are many people in Anguilla of other countries and all are welcome to join in unity, love, strength of purpose and commitment for the future of the island. He remembered the contribution of all who fought in the revolution and asked for a moment of silence in their memory.

The parade included the Royal Anguilla Police Force, the Police Community Band, Prison Officers, Cub Scouts, Scouts, Girl Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Girls Brigade and Pathfinders. It was attended by members of the House of Assembly and other government officials as well as a large number of the population. The Chief Minister and Webster inspected the parade participants and took the salute at the March Past. The programme included a poem by Daisy Wong read by her daughter Shirley Gumbs, a musical tribute by Anguilla Time as well as King Dynamite and the cutting of a large birthday cake.

Actor Sean Penn says UK should not have sent William to Falklands (Malvinas)

Actor winds up Brits again - but now he faces call to hand back his Malibu estate to Mexico

BY TIM EDWARDS 

A DAY after accusing Britain of "ridiculous colonialism" over the Falkland Islands, Sean Penn has struck again, claiming London's decision to send Prince William to the overseas territory to join an RAF search and rescue team is insensitive.

The Hollywood actor was lampooned by the British media yesterday after calling on the UK to negotiate with Argentina over sovereignty of the Falklands during a meeting with President Cristina Kirchner.

Today, after meeting Uruguayan President Jose Mujica, he waded into the row again.

"Yesterday in Buenos Aires, I spoke to the press and did not expect to be immune to their paraphrases and hyperbolic statements," he began. "However, I will make a small clarification regarding Great Britain and the Falklands.

"My oh my, aren't people sensitive to the word colonialism, particularly those who implement colonialism?

"There are many kinds of colonialism... It's unthinkable that the United Kingdom can make a conscious decision to deploy a prince who is part of the military to the Malvinas, knowing the great emotional sensitivity both of mothers and fathers in the United Kingdom and in Argentina who lost sons and daughters in a war in those islands.

"There are many places to deploy the prince. It is not necessary, when the deployment of a prince is generally accompanied by warships, to send them into the seas of such shared blood."

Penn is on a tour of South America, hoping to persuade governments there to offer aid to Haiti, the earthquake-stricken Caribbean island which has named him its 'ambassador at large'. (He has not mentioned the fact that Argentina has given only $8.3m of the $17.8m aid it promised Haiti in the wake of the 2010 earthquake. The UK, on the other hand, promised $39m and has given a total of $40.5m.)

Meanwhile, on the subject of "colonialism", Penn is facing calls to give up his own land. In a tongue-in-cheek article in The Daily Telegraph today, historian Dr Tim Stanley calls for the actor to hand back his Malibu estate to Mexico.

"His continued occupation of Malibu is an unacceptable mockery of national self-determination," writes Stanley. "The Mexicans owned that stretch of real estate well into the early 19th century and it was stolen by the Americans in a naked act of imperialist aggression." · 

Indigenous Focus: Chile’s Indigenous Peoples Seek Government Protection of Languages

  Laura Seelau & Ryan Seelau

I Love Chile

Tuesday, February 21^st, was the “International Mother Language Day,” although in Chile it is sometimes referred to as “International Day of Indigenous Languages.” International Mother Language Day is a creation of UNESCO and has been celebrated each year since 2000 and, as its name implies, the purpose is to promote native languages around the globe. In Chile, Indigenous peoples took time during the day to promote their own languages and cultures in a variety of ways, including celebrations, marches and public statements.

In Santiago, one of the largest organizations dedicated to Indigenous languages—Red por los Derechos Educativos y Lingüísticos de los Pueblos Indígenas de Chile (Red EIB)—released a public statement summarizing the current state of  Indigenous languages in the country and calling on the government to take concrete steps to preserve those same languages. Red EIB indicated that Chile originally had eight spoken Indigenous languages, but now that number has dropped to four, and none of those four languages are spoken by more than one-third of their respective populations. The statement went on to say that action was required to reverse this trend.

CONADI meets with speakers of endangered Indigenous languages in Chile. Photo credit: Gobierno de Chile

Specifically, Red EIB made three policy suggestions. First, Red EIB asked that the national curriculum reinstate the Indigenous education units that used to be found in history, geography and social science classes, but that were cut out earlier this year. Second, Red EIB called for strengthening Indigenous language rights under Chilean law, which might include the creation of a “National Institute on Indigenous Languages.” And finally, the organization submitted a proposal to include intercultural education—including bilingual education—throughout the country.

Elsewhere, in the Araucanía Region of Chile, there was a march and several public statements requesting that the government make Mapuzungun—the language of the Mapuche people, and the most-spoken language in Chile outside of Spanish—an official language (along with Spanish) of the Region. For instance, members of the Mapuche organization Kolectivo We Newen, sent letters to local government leaders requesting that the change occur and that names of certain landmarks be expressed in Mapuzungun as well.  In Temuco—the largest city in the Araucanía Region—a peaceful march was organized in support of the Mapuche language being made official in that region of the country.

In other parts of Chile large celebrations were organized for International Mother Language Day. In Osorno, the main plaza held a two hour celebration during the afternoon which included singing and poetry readings in Indigenous languages. The celebrations were also a time to educate community memebers about Indigenous languages and provided an opportunity for Indigenous youth to hear the tongue of their ancestors. Similar celebrations took place in other Mapuche communities as well as Aymara, Quechua and Rapa Nui communities throughout the country.

Meanwhile...

Spokesperson for Rapa Nui family upset that hotel has opened on dispute site

Radio New Zealand International

A New York-based Rapa Nui man says he is saddened and disappointed by the opening of a luxury hotel on his ancestral land in Easter Island.

The Hangaroa Eco Village opened this month, a year after Chile sent police units from the mainland to end protests by Rapa Nui on several sites including the former Hangaroa Hotel.

Santi Hitorangi’s family staged a protest at the hotel over several months until being forcibly dispersed.

Their legal challenge against the use of their land by the Chilean/German consortium which owns the hotel is still in the courts.

However Mr Hitorangi says the government has done little to help resolve the issue:

“The government has been in bed with the owners of the Hangaroa Hotel and they’re in fact using their police, their local justice system, to criminalise my people, my family, and use the local police as the private guards to keep out any protest and any attempt to re-take the Hangaroa Hotel.”

Guam, American Samoa Governors Cooperate on Capacity Building

Press Release

Governors Calvo and Tulafono build regional workforce training partnership 

Guam will welcome 30 participants from American Samoa who will be the first workers to benefit from a regional workforce center created because of the support provided by the Governor of American Samoa to Governor Calvo’s vision for a center where Guamanians and residents of Micronesia can obtain short term training that results in employment. 

Governor Eddie Baza Calvo has been working with American Samoa Governor Togiola Tulafono to establish a workforce training program that will be made available for both the local community as well as communities throughout the region to prepare for the military realignment and the reconstruction of American Samoa still struggling to recover from the devastating Tsunami it experienced in 2009.

 “We really are stronger when we work together and I’m proud to work with Governor Tulafono,” Governor Calvo said.  “We’re both committed to strengthening our workforce and making sure that through a shared vision of utilizing scarce resources together we can both create a workforce center for Guamanians and train workers from American Samoa to return to rebuild their island’s economy.”  

Governor Calvo went on to add, “This collaborative partnership provides a model for training programs in a variety of different industries that we plan to make available for the people of Guam and our island neighbors.”  The Governor explained that because of the trust that Governor Tulafono placed in Guam a new regional workforce center has been created for our people. 

  

Investment for the program is made possible through a $665,000 National Emergency Grant given to American Samoa after a tsunami that devastated the territory in 2009.  The program is public/private partnership between the Government of American Samoa, the Ukudu Workforce Housing and Training Village and the Center for Micronesian Empowerment.  

The project is a true collaboration between industry and the government to provide assistance to the people of American Samoa while at the same time creating a lasting workforce development opportunity for the people of Guam and Micronesia. 

Saharawi Republic President calls for implementation of U.N. mandate on Western Sahara

In search of justice for the Saharawi people

Speech of Mohamed Abdelaziz

President of the Saharawi Republic

37th European Conference of Coordination and Support to the Sahrawi People (EUCOCO)

Seville, Spain

As we start the proceedings of this 37th international conference of solidarity with the Sahrawi people in Seville, I would like, on behalf of the Government and people of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, to extend our most sincere thanks and gratitude to the solidarity movement in Spain in general and in Andalusia and Seville in particular for the energetic efforts that they have made to organise this remarkable solidarity meeting in this ancient city.

Whilst we celebrate with the European Coordination its 37th conference, we remember with respect and awe the pioneers of the solidarity movement in Europe and in the world, and we bow to the memory of those that have departed us leaving behind a glorious history of friendship and solidarity between peoples, which is embodied by the international character, which has marked this conference over the years, whose demonstration today is the broad and diverse participation of representatives coming from all continents of the world.

Read the full statement at Pambazuka News.

U.N. Special Committee on Decolonisation begins 2012 session to examine remaining sixteen non self-governing territories

23 February 2012

General Assembly GA/COL/3229

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York

Special Committee on Decolonization

1^st Meeting (AM)

SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON DECOLONIZATION CAN EVOLVE ‘INNOVATIVE APPROACHES, GENERATE NEW DYNAMICS’, SAYS SECRETARY-GENERAL IN MESSAGE TO ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING

He Calls for Constructive Involvement, Improved Communication

Between Committee, Administering Powers, Non-Self-Governing Territories

In a message to the first meeting of the 2012 substantive session of the Special Committee on Decolonization, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called today for “constructive involvement” between the Committee, the administering Powers and the Non-Self-Governing Territories.

“The Special Committee is in a position to develop innovative approaches and generate new dynamics,” said Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs, on Mr. Ban’s behalf.  In that, emphasizing the importance of sustained and improved official and informal communication between the Committee and administering Powers.

The Special Committee then went on to elect its officers for the year:  Diego Morejón Pazmino ( Ecuador), Chair; Pedro Núñez Mosquera ( Cuba) and Shekou M. Touray ( Sierra Leone), Vice-Chairs; and Bashar Ja’afari ( Syria), Rapporteur.

Speaking after the elections, Mr. Morejón Pazmino said that it was necessary to develop new strategies to ensure the “final disappearance of the archaic concept of colonialism”.  Frank and sincere dialogue was necessary, as was a focus by the Special Committee on economic and environmental considerations.  The populations of the 16 Non-Self-Governing Territories on the United Nations list had suffered and continued to suffer from the financial crisis and climate change.  A prime aspect of the Committee’s work was the gathering of information, he added, and that would take place during the annual seminar, to be held this year in the Pacific region, and at various round tables, as well as informal dialogues in New York.

Taking the floor in support of the Special Committee’s work, various delegations pledged their commitment to its success.  The representative of Papua New Guinea called on the administering Powers to work with the Committee to facilitate “concrete results”.  He also suggested that the annual seminar, set to take place in the Pacific region this year, could be held in Papua New Guinea.

The representative of Cuba stated that the election of his delegation to the Bureau was a symbol of his nation’s ongoing commitment to combating colonialism.

The Special Committee also heard brief statements by the representatives of Sierra Leone and Mali.

After inviting the delegations of Argentina, Azerbaijan, Liberia, and Spain to participate in the Committee’s opening session as observers, the Committee went on to approve, by consensus, as orally amended, resolutions and decisions relevant to its work, as contained in a note by the Secretary-General (document A/AC.109/2012/L.1); and the organization of its work, programme of work and timetable (document A/AC.109/2012/L.2).  The Chair indicated that on 14 June, the Committee would hold hearings on the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) with the participation of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Worship of Argentina and his delegation.

Remaining on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories are Western Sahara, Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Montserrat, Saint Helena, Turks and Caicos, United States Virgin Islands, Gibraltar, American Samoa, Guam, New Caledonia, Pitcairn and Tokelau.

The Special Committee will reconvene at a date and time to be announced.

*****

Secretary-General's message to opening of the 2012 session of the Special Committee on Decolonization [Delivered by Mr. Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs]

New York, 23 February 2012 

 

I am pleased to greet the Special Committee as it begins its work for 2012.

The creation of new sovereign nations was once described as one of the great liberating movements of history.

Yet the process of decolonization is not complete.

Sixteen Non-Self-Governing Territories across the globe -- home to nearly 2 million people -- remain to be decolonized.

In keeping with the principles of the Charter and subsequent mandating resolutions, the international community continues it efforts to make tangible progress in assisting those territories to achieve self-determination.

To do so, we will need the constructive involvement of all concerned – notably this Committee, the administering Powers and the Non-Self-Governing Territories themselves.

The Special Committee is in a position to develop innovative approaches and generate new dynamics among all concerned.

Together with the administering Powers and the Territories, suitable pragmatic partnerships leading to the full implementation of the decolonization process should be elaborated on a case-by-case-basis.

Sustained and improved official and informal communication between the Special Committee and the administering Powers will be essential.

The Secretariat, for its part, will continue to assist the Committee in implementing its annual programme of work. 

I wish you every success.  

Also see: 

UN Releases Report on Territories

Governance Expert Analyses Implementation of Decolonisation Decade

UN Decolonisation Committee Faces Serious Issues

Innovative Plan for International Decolonisation Proposed to UN

U.N. Resumes Struggle To Meet Contemporary Decolonisation Target

Maohi Nui/Fr. Polynesia Veterans say compensation for victims of French nuclear testing inadequate

Moruroa e tatou veterans critical of French decree

The Moruroa e tatou veterans group in French Polynesia says a decree, which the French government says loosens the compensation criteria for victims of nuclear weapons testing is inadequate. It says the changes are minimal and are merely election related. The group says the legislation extends the eligible fall out zone to include Tahiti, but claims are restricted to effects measured during five months in 1974. However, France carried nuclear testing on the Mururoa and Fangataufa atolls between 1966 and 1996. In February last year the French Defence Ministry admitted it's possible the Mururoa Atoll could cave in because it has been sapped by the underground tests.

Presenter: Geraldine Coutts 

Speaker:Roland Oldham, leader of the Moruroa e tatou veterans

OLDHAM: Because we have been waiting for more than 45 years for justice and I would like to be recognised by the French government and until today, it's still not kind of drop by drop sort of thing and especially before the elections, so that's why to us it's not the solution. I mean the French government have to be honest with us, had to recognise what had been done in this country, had to carry on the responsibility about the health program of the people and about the environment problem. Because this is just some kind of a job, one you're saying that these fatalities taken into account about the zone. I mean the document that we have from the French Ministry, every island of French Polynesia had had fall out from the atmospheric test, so why is it only Tahiti, and then that's the first point. So we are not moving forward. This is only some kind of it is some kind of common action to the manipulation of the mass people, you know. They made it last year, France make a big declaration to the world that compensation will be paid to every victim. I mean one year later, just about nobody had compensation, nobody mentioned had compensation. The fine we'd submit to this committee all have been turned down for some reason. So we are not happy with what the announcements Sarkozy is making, because to us it's not moving forward. They have to be honest about do they want to compensate or not the people of French Polynesia.

COUTTS: Well, Sarkozy has thrown his hat in the ring, he has announced his intention to run in the upcoming elections in France. So do you think that this is tokenism because of that, including Tahiti, but restricting it to five months in 1974, but the tests were 1966 and 1996?

OLDHAM: Pardon, what was the question?

COUTTS: Is it tokenism with the elections coming up?

OLDHAM: Oh, I mean that's for sure. I mean he had made promises. He had five years presidency and he has promised to come to Tahiti, but he had postponed all the time and he'd been trying to escape about the real problem here in Tahiti. There's probably some problem about the inscription of Polynesia on the list of countries to be decolonised, it is probably the problem a big issue on nuclear and in avoiding all this sort of issues. And strangely, two months before or two or three months before election and he's promised us things, but no we are not down about that, but he's for sure, because of the election, probably trying to get some voices in the election the president from the Polynesian people.

COUTTS: How many people, victims does Mururoa e tatou claim have been affected by the French nuclear testing programs on Mururoa and Fangataufa?

OLDHAM: Well, it's of people, it's really hard to know, because through many years to 66 to now, a lot of people have died and a lot of dead of the people in those days are not we don't have clear diagnostics of what they died of and.

COUTTS: Well, what's the best guesstimate then?

OLDHAM: What's the best what?

COUTTS: Guess as to how many people are still alive and affected?

OLDHAM: This is also is mostly a kind of cancer, sort often. In some of those islands, there was no doctors and once one died it just died, but most of those people that have died are also islands just next to Mururoa and about 100 kilometres from Mururoa. Today we can tell that some of those people that dying today, they have leukaemia maybe or they had thyroid, but that's today. But 20 years ago or more than that in these island there was no doctor and the real doctor that they have in this island was a doctor from military doctor and the difficulty that we have all these files have been hidden, because considered by the Ministry of Defence and Secretary of Defence and until today, we cannot we don't have access to these files for the victims, so it's very hard for the victims to prove in front of tribunal or court that there is a scientific link between this cancer and the nuclear test. So one of the solutions is to completely free the defence archives, the military archives and then so and then giving access to the victim to consult with these archives, because all the evidence are in those archives.

COUTTS: What I was really driving at is if we know how many people have been affected, then we know how many people aren't getting the compensation that they require?

OLDHAM: Well right now, about a few hundred files have been sent to the Ministry of Defence and none of them have and these people have died, some of them have died or some are still alive. They have two or three kind of cancer and there is a lot of how do you call it. There's a lot of little things we find and there's a lot of very intelligent calculation that made then we cannot tell you or your cancer is not due to the nuclear test. I mean it's very frustrating for the people here and the worst thing of all that is that people are dying, dying of more cancer and dying especially in the islands. I've been visiting one of the islands through the year and in one family you can get seven cases of cancer onto three generations, the grandfather and the parent and the children and that's a lot in one family, but nothing is being done. It seems to me that the strategy of the French government is to delay, delay as much as they can and then because the amount of ten years goes like this. I mean we'll be much survivor, I mean people that have worked on Mururoa will survive. I mean they will all be dead and that's what makes me feel very bad about the strategy of the French government.

COUTTS: Well just very quickly Mr Oldham, because we're just about out of time. A study of the pollution caused is expected to be released in June this year. Have you got any forward thinking or has any of it been leaked as to what the results are and I guess what I'm asking is will that give you more clout to push your compensation claim?

OLDHAM: Yeah, it all depends who is doing this study. If this study needs doing under the control of the French military, we won't have access to all the files. I mean Mururoa, for example, is impossible to go there unless you get a special authorisation by the Ministry of Defence and you can only go to the place that they tell you you can go and not other places. But the fact is that Mururoa is in a very bad state at the moment, because even one of the military have announced two years ago or one year ago that Mururoa is about to collapse and there is fears of tsunami to happen after this collapse if Mururoa collapse and it's hard for us to imagine all the leaking of radioactive material that is in the soil of Mururoa. But that will be a real catastrophe that will affect the food chain and fish and all this sort of thing. So it's very serious matter.