The Pacific

de Erich Weingärtner

"... During World War II the Pacific was a major battle ground. After the war it became a nuclear testing ground for the US in the Marshall Islands and for the UK in Austrlia and Christmas Island. In the Mid-1960s the French Government began its nuclear program in French Polynesia -- a programme which contiues with underground tests at Mororoa and Fangatoufa Atolls despite widespread international protest. Nuclear testing is almost certainly responsible for the abnormal deaths and sickness which now affectthe populations of the test areas. Yet ther have been few independent and open medical tests on the peoples and environment affected and. until recently in a few instances, compensation has been derisory ... Nuclear testing must be seen as a violation of the minority rights of the Pacific peoples ... Today the Pacific peoples face new threats of contaminaton from incineration of chemical and biological weapons at Johnston Atoll ..." -- Preface (page 5).