Questions Remain as France Marks 60 Years Since Nuclear Tests

 

This 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.

On 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.

But 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.

Radioactive 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.

France 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.

Brahim 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 colonization¹ crimes." He added that official recognition and financial compensation for the Algerian tests could cost millions of dollars.

Hervieux 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 physically² fine. But he used to receive some questionable³ radioactive testing results from the French government.

Roland Desbordes is a former French physicist⁴ and spokesman for an independent French atomic safety research group called CRIIRAD. He has visited the Algerian test areas.

Desbordes 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.

France'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.

Only 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 compensated⁵.

CIVEN 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 actively⁶ go out and search for other victims.

Words in This Story

compensation – n. something that is done or given to make up for damage, trouble, etc.

decontaminate – v. to remove dirty or dangerous substances such as radioactive material from a person, thing, place, etc.

hurray – interj. used to express joy, approval, or encouragement

radioactive – adj. having or producing a powerful and dangerous form of energy called radiation

1 colonization   

殖民地的开拓，殖民，殖民地化； 移殖

参考例句：

• Colonization took place during the Habsburg dynasty. 开拓殖民地在哈布斯堡王朝就进行过。
• These countries took part in the colonization of Africa. 这些国家参与非洲殖民地的开发。

2 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

3 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

4 physicist   

n.物理学家，研究物理学的人

参考例句：

• He is a physicist of the first rank.他是一流的物理学家。
• The successful physicist never puts on airs.这位卓有成就的物理学家从不摆架子。

5 compensated   

补偿，报酬( compensate的过去式和过去分词 )； 给（某人）赔偿（或赔款）

参考例句：

• The marvelous acting compensated for the play's weak script. 本剧的精彩表演弥补了剧本的不足。
• I compensated his loss with money. 我赔偿他经济损失。

6 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。