‘Poison threat’ in N-tests

Press, 20 January 1982, Page 23

‘Poison threat’ in N-tests

NZPA Port Moresby

The French Government's refusal to end nuclear testing in French Polynesia was “extremely worrying to all Pacific Island nations,” the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (Sir Julius Chan) has said. Sir Julius said that Pacific nations understood that France felt threatened because of its proximity to the Soviet block and its nuclear arsenal. “But I am afraid that this is not a valid justification for threatening the Pacific peoples and our fishing grounds with radio active fall-out." he said. Sir Julius referred to a recent World Health Organisation report on the poisoning of marine fishing, completed by a working group in Suva last February.

The working group investigated the incidence of the highly toxic fish poison, ciguatera, a marine organism associated with coral. The poison enters the human food chain in algae, which are eaten by small reef fish, which are in turn eaten by larger fish caught for human consumption. Sir Julius said. "One of the most important sections of the W.H.O. report was the statement by French scientists in Tahiti that outbreaks of ciguatera are linked with environmental disturbances.

“Not surprisingly, the scientists made no mention

of nuclear explosions per se, but they did note that \iuman intervention’ was a likely cause.

"The scientists said that the outbreak of ciguatera in the Gambier Islands of French Polynesia followed the mass death of coral." Mururoa Atoll the French nuclear test site, is in the Gambier group. “The W.H.O. report said that the Gambiers had a high rate of ciguatera: 80 reported cases in a population of only 500 people,” Sir Julius said. “The official rate for all of French Polynesia is 57 cases per 10,000 people." Sir Julius referred to French nuclear tests when supporting the French Government's moves to improve conditions for the indigenous Melanesian people in its other South Pacific colony. New Caledonia. Sir Julius said that three days ago the Mitterrand Government approved a draft bill which would reform all aspects of life in the colony. An aide to President Mitterrand was quoted in Paris as saying that the new laws were’ expected to be approved by the French Parliament in iMarch. They would lead to changes in areas of land ownership, taxes, and minerals and energy. The French Government would also establish a new institute in New' Caledonia to promote the Melanesian culture.