French nuclear commission to make recommendations this year

2:07 pm on 29 May 2018

A French commission looking at compensating nuclear weapons test victims says it will make its recommendations about a law change by the end of the year.

The law change eliminated the term 'negligible risk', opening the scope for more claimants to be compensated.

Picture taken in 1971, showing a nuclear explosion in Mururoa atoll.

Picture taken in 1971, showing a nuclear explosion in Mururoa atoll. Photo: AFP

The commission was to submit its report by the end of February 2018 but because of delays it only met for the first time this week.

The 12-strong commission includes three members of the National Assembly and three Senators and is headed by French Polynesia's Lana Tetuanui.

She said by the end of the year suggestions would be made on how to improve the law's application.

Fewer than a dozen French Polynesians have had their claims accepted until the end of last year.

Some 2,000 local and foreign anti-nuclear protesters march in the capital of Tahiti in French Polynesia, 02 September 1995, to denounce the French nuclear testing in Mururoa atoll, located some 1,000 kilometers southeast of Papeete.

Protesters march in the capital of Tahiti in French Polynesia, in September 1995, to denounce the French nuclear testing in Mururoa atoll. Photo: ROMEO GACAD / AFP

However, Radio1 reports that this year nine people have succeeded with their applications.

Between 1966 and 1996 France tested 193 nuclear weapons in the South Pacific.

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