Britain allegedly

exposed Fiji soldiers to radiation Cover-up claims as PCRC files compensation case in European Court

THE Pacific Concerns Resource Centre (PCRC) has filed a case with the European Court of Human Rights to establish British responsibili

ty for allegedly exposing Fijian soldiers

to radioactive material on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island in the 19505.

Outgoing Centre Director Lopeti Senituli says the organisation wants the court to compel the British Government to carry out a full-scale investigation into the alleged exposure that involves secret memos and cover-ups.

Senituli said they will present the case of an affected Fijian soldier before the European court this summer.

“We have conducted preliminary medical tests on the Fijian soldier which proved that he was exposed to radioactive material, but we will need a full-scale epidemiological test on oth ers that were exposed,” he said.

The Centre has hired New York based lawyer lan Anderson to fight its case. Anderson represented British sol diers in a similar case before the

European Court.

Senituli said the British allegedly covered up the exposure of soldiers to radioactive material and the Fiji Times reports there could be more concealed information.

Senituli said that once British responsibility on these exposures is

established, compensation costs will be discussed.

“We have looked at the compensa tion scheme the United States has set up for the Marshall Islands and hope to establish something similar,” he said.

Senituli said the planned compensa tion claim would range between US$ 39, 000 and US$ 117, 000 for serious complications such as leukemia and cancer.

In another case, a British magazine has reported that Britain’s Royal Air Force exposed Fijians to dangerous radioactive material during the 1950 s but deliberately concealed the informa tion from the Fijian authorities.

A military memo found in the Public Records Office and passed on to New Scientist magazine showed RAF bombers were ordered not to tell Fijians that the engines of the bombers they landed at airports on Fiji for refueling and maintenance in 1957 were radioac tive.

“There appear to be no regulations in force governing the transit of radioac tive aircraft through international civil airports such as Nandi and Canton,” Air Commodore W.P. Sutcliffe wrote in the memo dated October 13, 1957.

“The fact that an engine may be ‘hot’ should be concealed from the Nandi authorities unless they ask,” he added.

New Scientist said five aircraft from

the 76 Squadron were contaminated while flying through mushroom clouds in Australia collecting samples.

The outside of the engines had been cleaned but the interior was coated with radioactive material. There are no records of the radiation levels of the engines.

“The revelation has angered Fijian environmentalists and comes as more than 200 Fijian servicemen who took part in the nuclear testing program pre pare to take the British government to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg later this year,” the maga zine said.

The Fijian veterans claim they are suffering from skin diseases, anemia and leukemia because of their exposure to radiation.

No one from Britain’s Ministry of Defense was immediately available to comment.

Meanwhile, the acting head of the Marshall Islands Nuclear Claims Tribunal, Greg Danz, says he is confi dent the Tribunal’s members will be able to persuade the US Congress to increase compensation for victims of nuclear testing in the Micronesian country.

The US tests took place during the late 1940 s and early 19505, following World War 11.

The Tribunal is seeking an extra $22 million, in addition to the original US$45 million already received.

Danz says the “changed circum stances” provision of the Marshall Islands Compact of Free Association with the United States will be used to argue the Tribunal’s case.

“We’re hopeful that funding can be made available so that the Tribunal can pay off awards that it makes in a timely manner,” he said.

“We’re willing to stand on our record as to how we’ve made our . . . funding for the older people and people who have very serious conditions”. The Pacific currently operates under a South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty.(PAC NEWS/Reuters/Radio Australia) ■