A nuclear test veterans group in French Polynesia has again asked the French president for special recognition for their services to develop France's atomic weapons.
The explosion from a French nuclear test at Mururoa in French Polynesia. France conducted 193 tests between 1966 and 1996. Photo: AFP
Tahiti-infos reports the association Tamarii Moruroa has sent another letter to Emmanuel Macron after an earlier approach was rebuffed.
The group wants every test veteran to be attributed the Nation's Recognition Title, which has been given to those serving in the world wars as well as in France's colonial wars in Indochina and North Africa.
Such a title also gives access to material benefits to the veterans' immediate family.
The association's head, Yannick Lowgreen, said they were not after a medal but wanted to rectify an injustice.
He said while the veterans allowed France to become a nuclear power, they had run the risk of getting a radiation-induced illness.
Tamarii Moruroa said it hoped President Macron would give a favourable reply when he visited Tahiti in April.
More than 100,000 people were involved in France's nuclear weapons testing programme, which ran from 1960 to 1996 in first Algeria and then French Polynesia.
