British Nuclear Test Veterans Association
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Press Release - 26 September 2002
NUCLEAR VETRANS DAY
3 OCTOBER 2002
This date is the 50th Anniversary of Britain's first nuclear explosion that began Britains Nuclear Weapons Programme, therefore we have designated it - NUCLEAR VETERANS DAY.
On 3 October 1952, at the Monte Bello Island, off the N W Coast of Australia, Britain exploded its first atomic bomb. This meant that Britain was now a nuclear power alongside the USA and the then USSR.
When Margaret Thatcher was our Prime Minister in 1992 she stated that this action had 'kept the peace for forty years'. It is now fifty years and we are fortunate to still have that 'peace'.
However, the men who made this possible by taking part in the Nuclear Test Programme, both ex-servicemen and civilians, do not have peace. They are suffering or have already died, from illnesses that we firmly believe were caused by their involvement in the nuclear arms race and thus radiation!
The USA, New Zealand and Fijian Governments and shortly, also the Australian Government, have given their nuclear veterans war pensions. What has the UK Government done - they have held yet another statistical exercise and sadly, as with the previous two, it is flawed from the beginning!
The UK Government makes each individual veteran have to fight for a war pension - a 'precedence' is not allowed - and only very, very few pensions have been awarded.
The UK Government refuses to look into the ill health of the veteran's children, many of whom were born with genetic damage and like their fathers, many have died. We are told that we must prove that damage was done to the father before our children can be examined!
The UK Government refuses to have a medal struck to mark the historic occasion and so honour the men who made it possible.
The UK Government refuses to name the 3rd October as Nuclear Veterans Day - this too would have been a way of honouring the men who took part.
The UK Government has refused to fund a study to help discover whether or not the men were harmed through their involvement with radiation. We are willing to take the chance that we could be wrong but the Government will not take the same risk - WHY - do they know something they are not telling us?
We would like to put a question to our Government-
Should there be a war against Saddam Hussein, which we are being warned
could happen - and if Hussein DOES have nuclear weapons AND uses them
- in years to come, will the servicemen of today be treated with the same
callousness by being told they were protected against radiation fallout
and their illnesses - because they will have them - have nothing whatsoever
to do with their service to their country? Perhaps this should be pointed
out to them BEFORE they become involved with radiation!
When we were used in the experimental Nuclear Weapons Test Programme in
the 1950s - in our innocence we trusted our country to guard our safety,
sadly we now know our trust was misplaced. Now in these days of 'mistrust
and disbelief' hopefully, today's Service personnel, will not be so trusting!
When we were asked to serve our country, without question, to a man, we did so. Now that we need the help of our country why does it ignore us? Where is the honour in this. Don't let our country forget its nuclear veterans because - ALL WE SEEK IS JUSTICE!