Radiation tragedy in Brazil - 20 years on
Greenpeace activists in Brazil today chained themselves to the gates of the National Commission of Nuclear Energy (CNEN), placing a memorial plaque in tribute to the victims of the Goiânia Cesium-137 tragedy, the worst radiation accident in an urban area, in history.
Twenty years ago workers at the Goiânia scrapyard took apart a metal machine, found abandoned in an old radiotherapy institute. The scrapyard owner, fascinated by the glowing blue powder stone inside, took it home to give as presents to his family and friends. His daughter ate some, sprinkled on bread.
The stone was Cesium-137, a highly radioactive element. 60 people died, 628 were contaminated, and over 6,000 exposed to radiation, which spread so far it was found in areas 100 miles away.
A week later the junk dealer's wife, suspicious of the sudden illnesses afflicting her friends and neighbours, went to the doctor. The diagnosis was acute radiation poisoning, for her and hundreds of others. The homes of the Cesium-137 victims had to be demolished, and their pets exterminated, 4 people died in the early days. Altogether 60 people died, among them the police and firemen left to clean up with no protection or training. Hundreds of others still live with the contamination.
See Greenpeace Brazil’s slideshow about the accident here http://www.greenpeace.org/brasil/nuclear/cesio137
20 years later the Brazilian government still refuse to recognise the victims of Goiania. CNEN the agency in charge of the Goiânia investigation, controls the Nuclear Industries of Brazil, an entirely immoral position that exposes how dangerous the situation remains.
This is why the activists took their message to CNEN today, and despite some police brutality, where some were sprayed with tear gas, they have maintained their vigil.
Cesium-137 is a devastating legacy, and yet Brazil still has no structural ability to deal with existing nuclear installations, and no way of storing radioactive waste. Unbelievably, the Brazilian government is committed to a nuclear expansion programme, pouring public funds into building a new nuclear plant the Angra 3, and into uranium enrichment.
What more will it take for the world to wake up to the dangers of nuclear power? This madness has to end, and the people of Goiânia must get justice, however belated it now is.
Comments
qui peut accepter de détruire l'avenir de ses enfants, la nature est notre mère et nous lui appartenons , essayons de la conserver et pour cela nous devrions résister et empêcher sa destruction .
Posted by: bentriki | September 16, 2007 7:51 PM
How this terrible can occur?
Posted by: nurussadad | September 18, 2007 5:47 AM
AN EXCELLENT REASON WHY WE SHOULD MOVE AHEAD WITH OTHER TECHNOLOGIES AND LEAVE NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN THE PAST. THERE IS NO GOOD WAY TO DISPOSE OF THE STUFF, AND IT STAYS AROUND FOREVER. IN RUSSIA,THE THIRD WORLD (EVEN THE US, REMEMBER THREE MILE ISLAND), IT HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE.
I HATE TO HEAR POLITICIANS (EVEN JOHN MCCAIN PUSHING NUCLEAR POWER).
Posted by: Michal Avraham | September 18, 2007 4:03 PM
" What more will it take for the world to wake up to the dangers of nuclear power? "
Some logic perhaps? The accident had nothing whatsoever to do with nuclear power, but with medical use of dangerous radioactive materials.
Why aren't you out protesting at cancer clinics?
Posted by: cyr | January 17, 2008 10:47 PM
This accident involved a radiation source used for medicine that was not handled properly.
Even when all nuclear power stations in the world are banned we will probably keep producing some radioisotopes for medical applications.
Thousands of children each are poisoned each year by drugs like paracetamol yet we keep using them because they do more good than harm. I expect that we will keep using some medical radioisotopes, too.
We look rather silly protesting the wrong things or presenting this kind of inconsistent message.
Posted by: I don't get it | January 29, 2008 10:26 PM