Questions Remain as France Marks 60 Years Since Nuclear Tests
2020-02-19
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1This month, France marks the 60th anniversary of nuclear weapons tests that made the country one of the world's first nuclear powers.
2But critics claim more than 30 years of testing in Algeria and French Polynesia left many suffering from the effects of harmful radiation.
3On February 13, 1960, France held its first nuclear test in Algeria's southern Sahara desert.
4"Hurray for France," then-French President Charles de Gaulle wrote at the time.
5But Jean-Claude Hervieux has other memories.
6He joined the French testing efforts in Algeria as an electrician.
7He remembers a nuclear test in 1962 that did not go according to plan.
8Radioactive dust and rock escaped from underground.
9Hervieux and others observing the testing ran for shelter.
10Two French ministers were among them.
11The group washed themselves in a military housing area to decontaminate.
12France held more than 200 nuclear tests until a later president, Jacques Chirac, ended testing in 1996.
13Most tests took place in French Polynesia.
14But 17 took place in Algeria between 1960 and 1966, ending four years after Algeria's independence from France.
15Brahim Oumansour is a North Africa expert at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris.
16He said, "It's part of the whole issue of decolonization and Algerians in general asking for recognition of colonization crimes."
17He added that official recognition and financial compensation for the Algerian tests could cost millions of dollars.
18Hervieux spent 10 years working on nuclear test areas in Algeria and later French Polynesia.
19Now 80 and living in France's Lyon area, he says he is physically fine.
20But he used to receive some questionable radioactive testing results from the French government.
21Roland Desbordes is a former French physicist and spokesman for an independent French atomic safety research group called CRIIRAD.
22He has visited the Algerian test areas.
23Desbordes said he discovered very high radiation levels in some places.
24He believes the French government should release important information about the explosions.
25But he also blames Algerian officials for failing to correctly secure the desert testing areas.
26France's nuclear compensation commission, CIVEN, said more than 1,600 claims have been filed under a 2010 French law that finally recognized health problems related to the testing.
27Only about one-third have met the requirements needed to receive financial benefits.
28The requirements include about 24 possible radiation-related cancers.
29Almost all the claims came from France and French Polynesia.
30Of the 51 claims from Algeria, only one has been compensated.
31CIVEN Director Ludovic Gerin said the commission can judge only the Algerian claims it receives.
32He said the sicknesses described in the few claims that did come in did not match the requirements for compensation.
33He added the commission could not actively go out and search for other victims.
34I'm Jonathan Evans.
1This month, France marks the 60th anniversary of nuclear weapons tests that made the country one of the world's first nuclear powers. But critics claim more than 30 years of testing in Algeria and French Polynesia left many suffering from the effects of harmful radiation. 2On February 13, 1960, France held its first nuclear test in Algeria's southern Sahara desert. "Hurray for France," then-French President Charles de Gaulle wrote at the time. 3But Jean-Claude Hervieux has other memories. He joined the French testing efforts in Algeria as an electrician. He remembers a nuclear test in 1962 that did not go according to plan. 4Radioactive dust and rock escaped from underground. Hervieux and others observing the testing ran for shelter. Two French ministers were among them. The group washed themselves in a military housing area to decontaminate. 5France held more than 200 nuclear tests until a later president, Jacques Chirac, ended testing in 1996. Most tests took place in French Polynesia. But 17 took place in Algeria between 1960 and 1966, ending four years after Algeria's independence from France. 6Brahim Oumansour is a North Africa expert at the French Institute of International Relations in Paris. He said, "It's part of the whole issue of decolonization and Algerians in general asking for recognition of colonization crimes." He added that official recognition and financial compensation for the Algerian tests could cost millions of dollars. 7Hervieux spent 10 years working on nuclear test areas in Algeria and later French Polynesia. Now 80 and living in France's Lyon area, he says he is physically fine. But he used to receive some questionable radioactive testing results from the French government. 8Roland Desbordes is a former French physicist and spokesman for an independent French atomic safety research group called CRIIRAD. He has visited the Algerian test areas. 9Desbordes said he discovered very high radiation levels in some places. He believes the French government should release important information about the explosions. But he also blames Algerian officials for failing to correctly secure the desert testing areas. 10France's nuclear compensation commission, CIVEN, said more than 1,600 claims have been filed under a 2010 French law that finally recognized health problems related to the testing. 11Only about one-third have met the requirements needed to receive financial benefits. The requirements include about 24 possible radiation-related cancers. Almost all the claims came from France and French Polynesia. Of the 51 claims from Algeria, only one has been compensated. 12CIVEN Director Ludovic Gerin said the commission can judge only the Algerian claims it receives. He said the sicknesses described in the few claims that did come in did not match the requirements for compensation. He added the commission could not actively go out and search for other victims. 13I'm Jonathan Evans. 14Lisa Bryant reported this story for VOA News. Jonathan Evans adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. 15___________________________________________________________ 16Words in This Story 17compensation - n. something that is done or given to make up for damage, trouble, etc. 18decontaminate - v. to remove dirty or dangerous substances such as radioactive material from a person, thing, place, etc. 19hurray - interj. used to express joy, approval, or encouragement 20radioactive - adj. having or producing a powerful and dangerous form of energy called radiation