COMMENTARY ON
CHERNOBYL VICTIMSRussell Hoffman and Pamela O'Brien
The theory that the Ukrainian Ministry of Heath inflates the number of dead from Chernobyl in order to increase funding to them is false. First, we now have plenty of data to show that there are significantly increased rates of radiation-induced diabetes, thyroid cancer (especially in children), leukemia, chromosome aberrations and a long list of other illnesses (thyroid cancer in children has increased ten-fold around Chernobyl, for example).
Second, the idea that the Ukrainian Ministry of Health was exaggerating the deaths is an idea being pushed within the official halls of the nuclear mafia because the truth was and is so devastating to their industry. Indeed, Alla Yaroshinskaya in her book "Chernobyl: The Forbidden Truth" (Jon Carpenter Publishing Co., PO Box 129, Oxford, OX1 4PH England, distributed in the U.S.A. by InBook, PO Box 120261, 140 Commerce St., East Haven, CT 06512) provides what I think is ample documentation to indicate that deaths and other health effects have been purposefully and seriously UNDERestimated around Chernobyl (the book has a forward by eminent physician Dr. John W. Gofman).
Epidemiological data is available from the Belarus Institute for Hereditary Diseases in Minsk (zip code 220053), and published in the Japanese publication Gijutsu-To-Ningn #283, January - February 1998. (Hiroshima Bunker Woman's Junior College helped with the document, at Asaminami - Ku in Hiroshima.)
It is entirely possible that the true number of dead far exceeds the numbers estimated by even the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, who after all are only counting the deaths within a very localized area. They are not counting the random cancers, leukemias and birth defects that occur an extremely difficult-to-measure (low) rates around the world, but among billions and billions of people.
The Ukrainian Ministry of Health estimates are stunning: From Page 8, Permanent Peoples' Tribunal Session on Chernobyl: Environmental, Health and Human Rights Implications, Vienna, Austria, 12-15 April, 1996:
"The minister of health for the Ukraine has estimate that about 125,000 deaths attributable to the disaster have occurred over the last 10 years".
The panel was full of distinguished persons and the testimony was likewise from highly qualified individuals -- the list goes on for pages and pages. The Tribunal also explored in detail the worldwide cover-up about the effects of all forms of radiation. And the deaths go on and on too --150,000 by now? Probably that many, if not more.
WHO alone is insufficient to produce yet another report. We need outside experts in the medical, biological, environmental and financial consequences of radiological dispersals. WHO are part of the global structure that, as Pamela put it, "hasn't exactly come out condemning the entire global nuclear situation in a loud voice".
ALARA stands for "As Low As Reasonably Achievable". It's definition is in part 20 of the U.S. code of Federal Regulation of the U. S. NRC for exposure to radiation. All ALARA means is that, depending on the amount of money that any nuclear industry wishes to spend on protection of the environment and people, and depending on available technology, that is what they can use! So if you say, as a nuclear producer, "I only intend to spend $10 on keeping emissions as low as reasonably achievable, and that's all the technology that is available" its OKAY!
Dr. John W. Gofman has stated in front of federal judges in U.S. Federal courts that this constitutes "planned deaths":
Question by the court:
"What does ALARA..."Answer:
"It permits deaths."Question:
"Permits human deaths?"Answer:
"Yes, because ALARA does not say -- see, the only way you could avoid deaths from the nuclear fuel cycle is to have zero releases. ALARA says keep the releases as low as you can reasonably achieve with the economics that you want to spend on it, and the equipment that you have available and so forth. So it is a planned emission of radioactivity, and that in effect means planned deaths." -- Dr. John Gofman, in conversation with the court, October 2nd, 1978, Jeannine Honicker versus the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Federal Court, Nashville, Tennessee, seeking an injunction to shut down the nuclear fuel cycle.The judge found out that he had no jurisdiction and that it had to go instead in front of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission/NRC judges. The petition was denied. (It can be found in "Shut Down: Nuclear Power on Trial: Experts Testify in Federal Court" ISBN 0-913990-21-3, published in 1979 in the U. S. by The Book Publishing Company, 156 Drakes Lane, Summertown, Tennessee, 38483.)
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