http://www.greenpeace.org/~comms/rw/aug22d.html (Einblicke ins Internet, 10/1995)
A lush tropic island faintly stains the horizon to the south- east, notifying us that tomorrow morning we shall be in Papeete harbour nestling under the verdant green mountains of Tahiti.
The island of Tahiti is very steep, with only the coastal fringes supporting human settlements. Tahiti is one of the Society Islands, so called by Captain Cook because of the warmth and sociability of its people. Today they are still warm and friendly but their good humour has been tried, both psychologically and physically, by the pollution of nuclear bomb testing. However, they are fighting hard - and have been for many, many years -- to end this maelevolence.
As we are due in port tomorrow morning, we must prepare the ship
after the voyage. Things are stowed neatly again after the
disturbances of the storm; the decks are scrubbed and hosed; and
the mooring lines snake out of their nest (though unfortunately
not under their own steam -- they are heavy ropes) and find their
places around the bollards fore and aft. The alley ways are
given a good clean and everything generally gets a dash of spring
cleaing in readiness for the inevitable rush of visitors that
Tahiti will bring -- assuming the authorities let us in.
Alice (Richard) Leney.
South Africa has expressed grave concern about the effect of China's nuclear test last week on the pace of nuclear disarmament by the nuclear powers. It said the test could lead to non- nuclear countries showing renewed interestt in developing their own nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, the South Pacific Forum, which has spear-headed regional protest at testing at Moruroa, has also condemned China's test.
Meanwhile, the Prime Ministers of Australia and the Philippines President met in Canberra yesterday to discuss both China's test and France's plans to resume testing next month. France has called on Australia and New Zealand not to protest against French testing any more strongly than they have against the Chinese tests, threatening that Paris would "ill understand" it if Australia and NZ reactions were stronger to French tests than to China's test. This follows threats of economic retaliation by France against Australia because of public boycotts there of French goods.
President Chirac has suffered another blow to his popularity, with the latest opinion polls in France showing 55 percent of voters were confident Chirac could deal with France's major problems, down from 61 percent in May when he took office. Those lacking confidence in him leapt from 24 percent in May to 37 percent in August.
A Fijian vessel chartered by Fijian anti-nuclear groups, the Caunitoni, left Suva tonight, while a traditional canoe from the Cook Islands, Te Au o te Tonga left Rarotonga yesterday (August 21) to sail for Moruroa to join the international peace flotilla. Meanwhile, Parliamentarians for a Nuclear Free Pacific, which had hoped to organise a vessel of international MPs, is now focussed on activities in Papeete on September 2nd and 3rd. The Japanese Finance Minister, Masayoshi Takemura, along with Australian, New Zealand, Italian, German, British, Danish, Norwegian and other MPs will gather in Tahiti on the 2nd of September for a rally and protest.
In Britain, a coalition of anti-nuclear groups has launched an
advertising campaign urging consumers to boycott French wines.
Britain is the second largest importer of French Bordeaux wines,
with 17 percent of volume and sales. In Japan, a citizens groups
have demanded that Japan cancel its bilateral nuclear agreements
for plutonium reprocessing with France because of the possible
use of Japanese nuclear material in France's military programme.
A report commissioned by the groups says that France does not
distinguish nuclear power's civilian use from its military use,
and that plutonium extracted from Japanese spent fuel could be
used for nuclear warheads to be tested next month at Moruroa.