The following is an archived copy of a message sent to a Discussion List run by the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
Views expressed in this archived message are those of the author, not of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq.
[Main archive index/search] [List information] [Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq Homepage]
To give some perspective on what '10,000' times normal level, I did some research (although I certainly can't be considered an expert on the subject!). An 8-inch piece of a fuel rod from the chenobyl reactor (about 15kg) measured 150,000 times normal. So the radiation level INSIDE SOMEBODY'S HOUSE is the same as it would be if you took a kilo of fuel rod from the chenobyl reactor. Belarus (the most affected country) spends 20% of its budget on dealing with Chenobyl. Doesn't sound so harmless when you think about it like that! Alun Harford --- AS-ILAS <AS-ILAS@gmx.de> wrote: > Hi all, > > The whopper: > > "The occupying forces have so far REFUSED TO > ALLOWthe UN nuclear experts, > the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to > carry out proper > documentation and decontamination in Iraq. The US > authorities in Baghdad > have insisted upon RETAINING RESPONSIBILITY FOR > PROTECTING HUMAN HEALTH but > consistently deny there is a risk to the local > population. " > > "Our team has only been surveying for eight days and > has discovered > frightening levels of radioactive contamination. The > IAEA must be allowed to > return with a full mandate to monitor and > decontaminate. They may believe > they have accounted for most of the uranium, but > what about the rest of the > radioactive material? If the inspectors are allowed > to come out from the > shadow of the occupying forces and into the > community, they can do the job > properly. " > > > Best > > Andreas > --------------- > > http://www.greenpeace.org/ > > Greenpeace International > 24 Jun 2003 > > > Deadly waste returned to US forces > > IRAQ/Baghdad - They claimed they were after weapons > of mass destruction, but > then allowed nuclear material to be carried off by > the barrel. They said > errant nuclear waste poses no health threat to the > people in Iraq, but then > denied access to experts. > > Today we delivered a dose of reality to the > occupying forces: villages > surrounding the Tuwaitha nuclear complex, just south > of Baghdad, are > contaminated with deadly radiation. Clean up must > begin now. > > A convoy of vehicles bearing Greenpeace banners that > read "Al Tuwaitha - > nuclear disaster - Act now!" with a single activist > walking at its head, > carrying a white flag, returned a large uranium > "yellow cake" mixing > canister to the US military guards stationed at the > heart of the nuclear > plant. The canister - the size of a small car - > contained significant > quantities of radioactive "yellowcake" and had been > dumped on a busy section > of open ground near the Tuwaitha plant. Despite the > military being aware of > its presence, locals say it has been left open and > unattended for more than > 20 days. > > "If this had happened in the UK, the US or any other > country, the villages > around Tuwaitha would be swarming with radiation > experts and decontamination > teams. It would have been branded a nuclear disaster > site and the people > given immediate medical check-ups. The people of > Iraq deserve no less from > the international community. That they are being > ignored is a scandal that > must be rectified without delay," said Mike Townsley > of Greenpeace > International. > > Our radiation experts have found abandoned uranium > "yellowcake" and > radioactive sources scattered across the community. > Much of the material was > looted from the facility by villagers who used it > for house building and > water and food storage. They did not realise the > potential danger. In a week > long survey, as well as the "yellow cake" canister, > Greenpeace uncovered: > > ==> radioactivity in a series of houses, including > one source measuring > 10,000 times above normal > ==> another source outside a 900 pupil primary > school measuring 3,000 times > above normal > ==> locals who are still storing radioactive > barrels and lids in their > houses > ==> another smaller radioactive source abandoned in > a nearby field > ==> consistent and repeated stories of unusual > sickness after coming into > contact with material from the Tuwaitha plant > several objects carrying > radioactive symbols discarded in the community > > The preliminary survey and this morning's action in > front of heavily armed > US troops highlights the total failure of the > occupying forces to address > the urgent need for a full assessment, containment > and clean up of missing > nuclear material from the Tuwaitha Nuclear facility. > > The occupying forces have so far refused to allow > the UN nuclear experts, > the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), to > carry out proper > documentation and decontamination in Iraq. The US > authorities in Baghdad > have insisted upon retaining responsibility for > protecting human health but > consistently deny there is a risk to the local > population. > > Our team has only been surveying for eight days and > has discovered > frightening levels of radioactive contamination. The > IAEA must be allowed to > return with a full mandate to monitor and > decontaminate. They may believe > they have accounted for most of the uranium, but > what about the rest of the > radioactive material? If the inspectors are allowed > to come out from the > shadow of the occupying forces and into the > community, they can do the job > properly. > > Latest update: > > The team went further inside the Tuwaitha nuclear > facility with the US army > to deliver the radioactive canister. They then > accompanied the army to the > house in the village where we found radiation up to > 10,000 times normal > levels. > > The US army surveyed the area and confirmed the > levels. They removed the > radioactive source and took it back to the Tuwaitha > plant. The head of the > radiation unit for the US army there said that the > WHO and the IAEA should > get there as soon as possible. > > At the same time, the IAEA tells us that their > inspectors are due to leave > today as their limited remit - to make an inventory > of the uranium at > Tuwaitha - is done. > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against > Sanctions on Iraq. > To unsubscribe, visit > http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss > To contact the list manager, email > casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk > All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? SBC Yahoo! DSL - Now only $29.95 per month! http://sbc.yahoo.com _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk