Informazione
DOLLARI E FASCISTI A SOSTEGNO DI JUSCHENKO
Segnalazioni sulla situazione in Ucraina
=== LINK ===
# L'FMI HA SPONSORIZZATO LA "DEMOCRAZIA" IN UCRAINA
di Michel Chossudovsky - 28 novembre 2004
Centro ricerche sulla mondializzazione
L'originale in lingua inglese:
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO411D.html
Il candidato di opposizione Viktor Yushchenko nelle elezioni
presidenziali ucraine è fermamente appoggiato dal consenso di
Washington. Egli non solo è sostenuto dalla FMI e la comunità
finanziaria internazionale, ma ha anche l’avallo della Donazione
Nazionale per la Democrazia (NED), la Donazione Carnegie per la Pace
Internazionale, la Casa della Libertà e l’Istituto Società Aperta di
George Soros...
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n08.htm
# "EUROPA SUBALTERNA E IRRESPONSABILE. LA GUERRA CIVILE RESTA UN
RISCHIO CONCRETO"
Parla il deputato europeo Giulietto Chiesa , esperto di geopolitica
post-sovietica. Da "Liberazione", 2 dicembre 2004
"Gli Stati Uniti appoggiano Putin nella lotta al terrorismo, ma allo
stesso tempo sostengono i suoi avversari regionali. E' una
contraddizione?" "No, è un doppio gioco..."
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n03.htm
# UCRAINA: AI PIEDI DELLA NATO?
di Marcello Graziosi
Putin, la NATO e l’Ucraina
La lunga fase precedente le elezioni presidenziali
Tutto è rimandato al ballottaggio
Chi ha organizzato “gli arancioni” di Kiev?
La posta in palio e la funzione dei comunisti
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n05.htm
# “LA BATTAGLIA PER L’UCRAINA E’ FONDAMENTALE PER L’OPPOSIZIONE
ALL’EGEMONIA MONDIALE DEGLI USA”
Intervista a Selimkhan Mutzoyev, vicepresidente della commissione per
gli affari internazionali della Duma di Stato
29.11.04 - www.uralpolit.ru
l'originale in lingua russa al sito
http://www.iraq-war.ru/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=32126
--> http://www.lernesto.it/index.aspx?m=77&f=2&IDArticolo=3395
# PERCHE’ GLI AMERICANI SONO COSI’ INTERESSATI ALL’UCRAINA?
di Jef Bossuyt - 1 dicembre 2004
L'originale in lingua francese:
http://www.ptb.be/scripts/article.phtml?lang=2&obid=25322
"Tra il 2005 e il 2010, il principale nucleo della sicurezza in Europa
sarà costituito da: Francia, Germania, Polonia e Ucraina. Attraverso un
partneriato transatlantico, la testa di ponte americana sul continente
eurasiatico dovrà rafforzarsi...”
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n08.htm
# I COMUNISTI RUSSI SEGUONO CON PREOCCUPAZIONE GLI SVILUPPI DELLA
SITUAZIONE IN UCRAINA
- Dichiarazione di Ivan Melnikov, vicepresidente del Partito Comunista
della Federazione Russa (29 novembre 2004)
- Dichiarazione di Oleg Kulikov, segretario del Comitato Centrale del
Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa
(5 dicembre 2004)
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/ru/poru4n05.htm
# IMBARAZZO EUROPEO SU KIEV
Caso Ucraina - Bush e Putin, destini incrociati
da il manifesto dell'8 dicembre 2004
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/os/ep/osep4n09.htm
=== BREVI ===
Juschenko, sicuro di farcela con il sostegno occidentale, non rispetta
gli impegni con gli alleati, e i socialisti lo accusano di “tradimento”
http://www.strana.ru - 4 dicembre 2004
Il leader del Partito Socialista di Ucraina Aleksandr Moroz ha accusato
il blocco di Viktor Juschenko “Nostra Ucraina” “di tradimento”. “Ho
firmato un accordo con Juschenko di sostegno alla sua candidatura al
secondo turno delle elezioni presidenziali, solo perché egli aveva
promesso di appoggiare in parlamento un cambiamento costituzionale”, -
ha dichiarato Moroz dalla tribuna del parlamento.
I cambiamenti della Costituzione riguardano il riequilibrio delle
competenze tra i rami del potere (con maggiori prerogative al
parlamento). Il leader dei comunisti Piotr Simonenko ha aggiunto che
“l’opposizione vuole il potere assoluto, e per questa ragione rifiuta
la riforma politica”.
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
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DOLLARI E FASCISTI A SOSTEGNO DI JUSCHENKO
di Jef Bossuyt
8 dicembre 2004
http://www.ptb.be/scripts/article.phtml?lang=2&obid=25395
In Ucraina, la lotta per il potere prosegue. Quali sono le forze
politiche che inquadrano i manifestanti di Viktor Juschenko, il
candidato sostenuto dall’Occidente?
Nell’Est dell’Ucraina, centinaia di migliaia di persone manifestano per
la presidenza di Janukovic. Nell’Ovest e nella capitale, al contrario,
sono centinaia di migliaia a reclamare nuove elezioni. Masse di giovani
sono a ragione scontente della crisi economica seguita alle
privatizzazioni del 1991. Chiedono cambiamenti ed è facile mobilitarle.
I ministri e il parlamento di Kiev sono accerchiati e paralizzati dai
manifestanti che sventolano le bandiere arancioni di Juschenko ed anche
quelle rosse e nere dell’UNA-UNSO, i neonazisti ucraini. Le
manifestazioni a favore di Juschenko sono finanziate, tra gli altri,
dal multimiliardario Soros, che non è alla sua prima prova. Soros ha
già fatto ricorso a tale genere di scenari per i colpi di stato in
Serbia e in Georgia.
I nazisti dell’UNA-UNSO
L’OUN (Organizzazione dei Nazionalisti Ucraini) ha iniziato nel 1929 i
suoi attacchi armati contro il potere sovietico in Ucraina. Durante la
seconda guerra mondiale, il suo capo, Stepan Bandera, ha combattuto a
fianco degli occupanti tedeschi. Nel 1941. il suo principale generale,
Shuskievitch, indossando l’uniforme tedesca del “Nachtigall Bataljon”,
ha assassinato 7.000 ebrei. Dopo la guerra, i quadri dell’OUN sono
stati integrati nei servizi segreti americani e la diaspora ucraina
negli Stati Uniti ha costituito una lobby di estrema destra
antisovietica di massa.
Dopo la caduta dell’Unione Sovietica, i successori dell’OUN, restati in
Ucraina, hanno fondato l’UNA-UNSO (Assemblea nazionale ucraina –
Autodifesa popolare dell’Ucraina). Nel 1999-2000, questi neonazisti
hanno incendiato a Lviv (Leopoli) case di comunisti, russi ed ebrei. E’
in questa regione che l’ex dirigente dell’UNA-UNSO, Andry Shkil, è
stato eletto al parlamento con il sostegno di “Nostra Ucraina”, il
partito politico di Juschenko. Il governo ucraino ha discusso per due
anni della riabilitazione dei collaborazionisti. Nella regione di Lviv,
gli ex SS hanno alla fine ottenuto le stesse pensioni degli ex
combattenti contro il nazismo.
Il sito internet dell’UNA-UNSO conduce una grande battaglia
propagandistica a favore di Juschenko. Allo stesso tempo, vi si trovano
riferimenti agli articoli che riprendono i punti di vista di George
Bush e Zbignew Brzezinski, lo stratega americanoo che, fin dal 1997,
esige che l’Ucraina si prepari ad entrare nella NATO. Nel The Wall
Street Journal del 1 dicembre, Brzezinski ha richiesto che Juschenko
sia proclamato vincitore delle elezioni, se no che si ritorni al voto.
L’Alta Corte di Giustizia ucraina ha immediatamente eseguito
l’ingiunzione: ci saranno nuove elezioni il 26 dicembre.
Traduzione dal francese a cura del C.C.D.P.
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“PORA” SI AVVICINA A MOSCA
I radical-liberali russi sono già in contatto con il movimento ucraino
di Anastasja Kornja
“Nezavisimaja Gazeta”, 10 dicembre 2004
http://www.ng.ru
L’articolo di cui proponiamo la traduzione potrebbe sembrare una
velenosa insinuazione del “regime di Putin” nei confronti della propria
opposizione interna. Un’insinuazione simile a quelle (di segno
contrario) a cui ci ha abituato la propaganda di casa nostra funzionale
agli interessi dell’imperialismo (ce n’è per tutti i gusti, di destra,
di centro e di sinistra), quando, per giustificare interferenze,
sanzioni, embarghi e guerre “umanitarie”, “esibisce le prove” dell’
“avvelenamento di Juschenko”, delle “violazioni dei diritti umani da
parte di Castro e Chavez”, delle “crudeltà dei comunisti cinesi e
vietnamiti” o dei “rapimenti di oppositori di Lukashenko”.
In realtà, questo articolo è apparso su uno dei più diffusi organi di
stampa dell’opposizione liberale russa a Putin, “Nezavisimaja Gazeta”,
finanziata dal magnate Berezovskij, tra i principali responsabili del
saccheggio dell’economia russa nel decennio di “libertà” garantito da
Boris Eltzin e oggi “in esilio” a Londra.
“Nezavisimaja Gazeta” ha simpatizzato apertamente per la “rivoluzione
arancione” fin dal primo giorno.
Dall’articolo emergono chiaramente i legami esistenti tra gli ambienti
politici vicini alla borghesia compradora russa e gli autori del colpo
di stato in Ucraina.
Non sfuggirà neppure ai lettori il tono dell’appello lanciato dai
sostenitori russi di “Pora” alla gioventù russa perché “si sollevi” e
si rechi in massa a Kiev. Tanto paga qualcun altro!
M.G.
La dichiarazione di Julja Timoshenko in merito alla sua disponibilità a
trasmettere “gli ideali arancioni” ai russi non stanno più solo sulla
carta. Nei “media” è apparsa l’informazione circa l’apparizione in
Russia di filiali dell’organizzazione “Pora”, promotrice dei metodi
rivoluzionari di lotta in Ucraina. I suoi seguaci russi hanno già
trovato le denominazioni “Pora Rossa” e “Mosca Arancione”, anche se al
Ministero della Giustizia negano che siano state registrate
organizzazioni con tali nomi. Ma i rappresentanti dei partiti e dei
movimenti liberali affermano di avere già iniziato a coordinare le loro
azioni con i rivoluzionari ucraini.
L’informazione sull’apparizione in Russia di strutture chiamate “Pora
Rossa”, “Pora Russa” e “Mosca Arancione” è apparsa in alcuni siti, che
stanno propagandando l’attività dell’opposizione ucraina, e in
particolare proprio in quello di “Pora”. Rappresentanti delle nuove
organizzazioni hanno pubblicato un proclama “agli onesti giuristi,
politici, avvocati, deputati, uomini d’affari, imprenditori, banchieri,
giornalisti, editori, fotografi, cineoperatori, scrittori russi”, in
cui si fa appello a partecipare ad azioni dirette ad ottenere l’
“impeachment” di Vladimir Putin. I nomi e i numeri di telefono degli
autori non sono stati indicati, e non è stato possibile collegarsi
elettronicamente con essi.
Al dipartimento del Ministero della Giustizia per le questioni delle
associazioni sociali e religiose è stato comunicato al nostro giornale
che non risulta la registrazione di alcuna organizzazione sociale o “no
profit” dal nome “Pora”. Ma ciò non esclude la possibilità di una sua
apparizione in una delle regioni, con lo status di organizzazione
sociale regionale, anche se tale variante è ritenuta poco probabile.
(…) In ogni caso, i liberali moscoviti non negano di avere già avviato
consultazioni con i rivoluzionari ucraini. E’ così che un gruppo di
“jablocniki” (seguaci del partito liberale “Mela”, nota del
traduttore), guidato dal leader dell’organizzazione giovanile Ilja
Jashin, si è recato in Ucraina per partecipare alle azioni sul “Majdan”
(i moscoviti agitavano il tricolore russo, listato con i colori
arancione). Hanno collaborato a Kiev con gli oppositori anche i membri
del consiglio politico dell’Unione delle forze di destra Ivan Starikov
e Boris Nemtsov. Stando alle affermazioni di Ilja Jashin, in questo
momento le “idee arancione” circolano in Russia a livello di
maturazione delle coscienze. Al momento attuale non sarebbero ancora
state investite risorse organizzative e finanziarie. Nessuno ha ancora
trasferito in Russia istruttori dall’Ucraina e dalla Bielorussia, per
la semplice ragione che essi sono attualmente tutti impegnati in
Ucraina. “Cominciano a farsi sentire attivisti, piccoli gruppi di
iniziativa studentesca che, in linea di principio, non sono ostili”,
-spiega Jashin, - ma al momento il principale interlocutore in Russia
dell’organizzazione “Pora” rimane “Mela” giovanile, che, nell’immediato
futuro, conta di svolgere una parte da protagonista nel movimento
giovanile unitario di opposizione. Ma, almeno per ora, non sono
previste azioni in Russia. Tutti devono stare a Kiev.
Jashin ricorda che a Volgograd la scorsa settimana è stato notato un
gruppo di giovani particolarmente attivi con sciarpe arancione al
collo: essi hanno bloccato il palazzo dell’organizzazione locale del
partito “Russia unitaria”, hanno infranto i vetri dell’edificio e hanno
scagliato arance sulle insegne dell’entrata, senza che la polizia sia
stata in grado di fermare uno solo dei manifestanti.
Contemporaneamente, nel sito del Congresso civile panrusso “La Russia
per la democrazia, contro la dittatura” è apparso un appello agli
studenti con l’esortazione a recarsi, in previsione del terzo turno
elettorale, a Kiev, per sostenere gli oppositori: “Studente!
Studentessa! Sveglia! E’ venuto il momento di sollevarsi! E’ venuto il
momento di dare un senso alla vita! Stiamo formando una squadra che tra
tre giorni sarà a Kiev, per prendere parte alla Storia, che si plasmerà
davanti ai tuoi occhi. Unisciti ai tuoi coetanei. Affrettati! Il
viaggio lo finanziamo noi”.
A tal proposito, ricordiamo che anche gli attivisti di “Pora” hanno
tratto frutto dall’esperienza dell’analoga organizzazione serba “Otpor”
e di quella georgiana “Kmara” (“Basta!”).
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
LA NEBBIA ARANCIONE NON DURERA’ PER L’ETERNITA’
di Dmitrij Jakushev
http://left.ru/2004/17/yakushev116.phtml
Il commento dello studioso marxista rivoluzionario russo alla decisione
di ripetere le elezioni presidenziali in Ucraina
In Ucraina verranno ripetute le elezioni. Ciò significa che la
“rivoluzione arancione” ha quasi vinto. La vittoria di Juschenko è
predeterminata. Nel nord-ovest dell’Ucraina le falsificazioni a favore
di Juschenko saranno ancora più vistose, mentre nel sud-est, dove una
parte significativa delle elite locali si è spaventata e si prepara a
convivere con Juschenko, il destino di Janukovic pare segnato. Con la
ripetizione delle votazioni, Janukovic sarà costretto ad una
competizione leale con un avversario che ha ricevuto il diritto di
frodare quanto gli pare. Ho molti dubbi che Janukovic sia nelle
condizioni d’animo per partecipare a questo gioco. L’accordo di
Janukovic di andare a una nuova votazione, subendo il ricatto
arancione, può essere interpretato come un adattamento alle condizioni
imposte da Juschenko, che ha bisogno dello stesso concorrente per dare
rilievo alla sua vittoria. Un vero colpo a Juschenko potrebbe infatti
essere rappresentato dal rifiuto di Janukovic di ripetere il turno e da
un appello al popolo a non partecipare alla farsa. Juschenko così
sarebbe scelto solo da Lvov e da Kiev, mentre la parte restante del
paese potrebbe non riconoscere questo presidente, imposto con la forza
dall’Occidente e dagli “arancioni” di Kiev. Temo purtroppo che
Janukovic non sia dotato della statura necessaria per compiere un
simile passo.
Ma tutto ciò non cambierà affatto il processo ormai avviato di
divisione dell’Ucraina, che è ancor più profondo di quanto non traspaia
dalle dichiarazioni “separatiste” di alcuni politici dell’est. Le
popolazioni che vivono nel sud-est del paese non dimenticheranno mai
che la Galizia e Kiev hanno sempre rifiutato la parità linguistica, che
hanno estromesso il presidente da esse eletto, che, senza chiedere il
loro consenso, hanno deciso di creare una “nazione unita”, i cui eroi
sono Bandera (il capo degli hitleriani ucraini, nota del traduttore) e
Donzov, che se ne sono infischiati del loro desiderio di riavvicinarsi
alla Russia, considerata da molti nel sud-est dell’Ucraina come la
propria patria. Tutto ciò ha ragioni profonde ed estremamente serie. Il
colpo di stato “arancione” a Kiev rappresenta l’inizio della lotta di
liberazione nazionale nel sud-est, che sicuramente si estenderà al
resto dell’Ucraina. La nebbia arancione non durerà certo per l’eternità.
Questa lotta produrrà politici radicali. I nuovi politici radicali
saranno espressi dal popolo, non dagli oligarchi, che passeranno dalla
parte di Juschenko. Così in “Nezavisimaja Gazeta”, il giornale
controllato da Berezovskij, è apparsa un’intervista al vicepresidente
del consorzio del Donetsk “Gruppo industriale”, Aleksandr Pilinenko, in
cui di fatto vengono prese le distanze da Janukovic:
“E’ certo che se i paesi occidentali ci chiudessero le porte, se ci
imponessero l’embargo, ciò rappresenterebbe un colpo fortissimo per la
nostra compagnia. Non nascondiamo certo che per noi non è tanto
importante chi sarà il vincitore delle elezioni, quanto il fatto che
l’Occidente ne riconosca la legittimità”.
Altro non si può aggiungere: non è importante come si vota, ma che
l’Occidente lo legittimi. E l’Occidente ha già detto che, comunque si
voti, riconoscerà solo Juschenko. Questa finta degli oligarchi del
Donetsk dimostra che, esattamente come in Russia, il grande capitale
privato in Ucraina è interamente compradore. Tutti questi Rinat
Akhmetov (grande magnate del Donetsk, nota del traduttore)sono pronti a
vendere il proprio popolo ai seguaci di Bandera, a privarlo della
propria lingua, della propria storia e cultura, solo per vedere
garantiti i propri interessi finanziari. Tali garanzie per costoro
vengono solo dall’Occidente. E ciò ancora una volta dimostra che non
esiste e che mai è esistito un imperialismo russo. Solo persone ingenue
e limitate, come alcuni moderni marxisti russi, possono disegnare
schemi grotteschi, secondo cui dietro a Juschenko starebbe il capitale
occidentale, mentre dietro a Janukovic quello russo. Le cose non stanno
affatto così. A fianco di Juschenko non si è schierato solo il capitale
occidentale, ma anche il grande capitale privato russo. Contro
Juschenko ha cercato di battersi la burocrazia di stato russa, che si
trova in stato di guerra con i compradori di casa propria.
La verità è che, al contrario di quella ucraina, la burocrazia russa
rappresenta una forza significativa, dal momento che controlla Gazprom,
i condotti energetici, e ora, dopo la disfatta della Jukos, si appresta
a controllare una quota cospicua dell’estrazione di petrolio. Tale
burocrazia è in grado di staccarsi dalla borghesia e di condurre il
gioco in autonomia. La burocrazia ucraina, invece, è meno indipendente.
Una pressione seria sul capitale compradore ucraino da parte
dell’Occidente ha dissolto velocemente tutto il sistema di sostegno
elettorale a Janukovic. Sottoposta a tale pressione, molto
semplicemente l’ “elite” ucraina ha “scaricato” Janukovic.
La quasi inevitabile vittoria di Juschenko rappresenterà la disfatta di
un progetto di sviluppo capitalistico autonomo per le ex repubbliche
sovietiche, promosso dalla burocrazia di stato russa. In realtà, tale
progetto era condannato al fallimento fin dall’inizio, dal momento che
non era e non poteva essere appoggiato dalla borghesia compradora
interna, che sostiene il controllo imperialista dei nostri paesi. Oggi
anche la Russia non ha scelta: o la trasformazione in colonia, o il
socialismo. E questa alternativa sarà di giorno in giorno sempre più
evidente.
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
Ucraina. 10 dicembre. «La sconfitta russa in Ucraina è quasi totale».
Lo sostiene Peter Zeihan, geopolitologo USA e studioso dell’area
dell’ex Unione sovietica. «Putin aveva cercato, dopo l’11 settembre
2001, di non diventare uno dei bersagli della rabbia americana. Ma nel
far ciò aveva concesso agli USA di installarsi militarmente in Georgia
e in aree dell’Asia centrale, da cui ben difficilmente se ne andranno».
E aveva fatto ciò per avere il consenso statunitense alla propria
politica accentratrice in patria e repressiva in Cecenia. Ma non per
questo Washington è disposta a mollare l’osso in Ucraina. Perdere
influenza in questa nazione, come probabilmente avverrà con la
ripetizione delle presidenziali a Kiev, sarebbe per la Russia
«disastroso». Per una serie di ragioni. In primo luogo, «tutte le
infrastrutture più importanti che legano la Russia all’Europa, tranne
una, passano attraverso l’Ucraina»; in secondo luogo, «tre quarti delle
esportazioni di gas naturale russo passano attraverso gasdotti dell’era
sovietica che attraversano l’Ucraina». E ancora: la Russia importa
grandi quantità di cibo dall’Ucraina, «la cui regione orientale è parte
integrante del cuore industriale russo». Ma non è tutto. Il fiume
Dniepr, una delle culle della civiltà medievale russa, è oggi una delle
vie di trasporto principali che collegano la Russia con l’alleato
bielorusso. E il fiume «passa attraverso l’Ucraina». Altri punti
rilevanti sono il fatto che, con 50 milioni di abitanti, il mercato
ucraino era uno dei pochi «ricettivi verso le merci russe»; il porto di
Sebastopoli, in Crimea (Ucraina), è il solo porto in acque calde della
costa sul Mar Nero dell’ex URSS. Senza contare che un’Ucraina ostile
alla Russia renderebbe molto difficoltoso il passaggio eventuale di
truppe russe verso il Caucaso. La perdita di influenza in Ucraina a
beneficio degli USA, quindi, ha «molto più di un valore simbolico» per
Mosca, ma si configura come un grave pericolo, suscettibile di
ridimensionare a tempo indeterminato il ruolo russo negli affari
mondiali, e di accrescerne enormemente la dipendenza economica e
militare dal mondo occidentale.
(fonte: info @...)
---
“KUCHMA HA SEMPRE LAVORATO PERCHE’ JUSCHENKO FOSSE ELETTO PRESIDENTE”
Intervento di Piotr Simonenko, leader del Partito Comunista di Ucraina
“Krimskaja Pravda”, 10 dicembre 2004
http://www.kp.crimea.ua/text/num5/dec_2004_10.html
Molti politici affermano che l’approvazione di cambiamenti
costituzionali apre la strada al varo di una riforma politica e
rasserena la società. E’ pura ipocrisia. Nel corso del prolungato
confronto tra la posizione ostinata di “Nostra Ucraina” (il blocco di
Juschenko, nota del traduttore) e quella opportunista delle frazioni
oligarchiche e del gruppo socialista, è emerso il progetto 4180, che in
sostanza afferma: una qualche limitazione dei poteri del presidente e
la formazione da parte del Soviet Supremo del Gabinetto dei ministri.
Viene mantenuta la norma vigente di formazione della Corte
Costituzionale e del Consiglio della Banca nazionale di Ucraina. In
realtà, nel documento viene solo prorogato fino a 5 anni il termine del
mandato del Soviet Supremo, viene introdotto un organo di sorveglianza
sull’osservanza dei diritti dell’uomo e viene esteso il sistema
elettorale proporzionale. Viene in pratica escluso il “mandato
imperativo”, vale a dire che i gruppi parlamentari vengono privati del
diritto di espellere quei deputati, eletti in liste di partito, che non
rispettano gli impegni presi nei confronti degli elettori, violando la
disciplina parlamentare.
In tal modo, nel corso della discussione in merito al progetto di
riforma politica, la lotta dei “nashisti” (da “Nasha Ukraina”) è stata
sempre condotta non certo nell’interesse di chi stava manifestando, ma
per il mantenimento dei poteri illimitati del presidente e per la sua
illimitata possibilità di arricchire la cerchia dei suoi collaboratori.
Con il contorno di slogan accattivanti sulla lotta per la democrazia,
sia i clan che aspirano al potere che quelli che già vi sono installati
hanno perseguito un solo obiettivo: difendere i propri “sporchi”
interessi. La loro lotta ha già conseguito il primo risultato di
provocare la divisione della società e di creare i presupposti per la
separazione territoriale dell’Ucraina. Come in passato, sono fermamente
convinto che Leonid Kuchma ha sempre lavorato perché Juschenko
ottenesse la presidenza dell’Ucraina. La ragione principale di ciò è
rappresentata dalla paura di perdere il capitale accumulato per sé e
per la sua famiglia e la paura nei confronti delle autorità americane,
che ha consentito agli USA di manovrarlo, soprattutto durante la crisi
politica che ha travagliato il paese.
La sua venuta al Soviet Supremo l’8 dicembre e la firma apposta ai
documenti approvati, non sono certo azioni dettate dai sentimenti
patriottici del presidente e dal suo desiderio di impedire la
contrapposizione nel paese. Sono piuttosto le mosse di un presidente
debole e molto dipendente, la cui condotta sconcertante sta a
testimoniare che agisce per compiacere i rappresentanti delle forze
nazionaliste di destra. A mio avviso, Leonid Kuchma ha deliberatamente
creato, coperto e approfondito la crisi che è andata acutizzandosi nel
paese nel periodo elettorale. Invitando i cosiddetti “costruttori di
pace”, da cui è venuta una posizione di sostegno agli “arancioni”,
conducendo innumerevoli trattative ed estenuanti “tavole rotonde”, egli
ha di fatto favorito gli interessi geopolitici degli USA, mentre la sua
maschera di “costruttore di pace” si è rivelata solo uno schermo per
nascondere i suoi autentici interessi.
Il mio personale punto di vista è che gli ultimi avvenimenti in Ucraina
rappresentano il finale scontato del tradimento degli interessi del
popolo ucraino attuato dal presidente Kuchma.
(...)
Testo fornito dall’Ufficio stampa
del Partito Comunista di Ucraina
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
L’UCRAINA SUD-ORIENTALE INTENZIONATA AD IMPEDIRE IL COLPO DI STATO DI
JUSCHENKO
http://www.kprf.ru
15 dicembre 2004
Il sito internet del Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa ha
ripreso la seguente notizia diffusa da “Reuters”:
Il candidato alla presidenza dell’Ucraina, il primo ministro Viktor
Janukovic, ha dichiarato oggi che migliaia di suoi sostenitori sono
pronti a recarsi a Kiev dopo le elezioni del 26 dicembre. Secondo il
capo del governo, in molte regioni orientali e meridionali dell’Ucraina
molti si iscrivono come volontari pronti “ad impedire un colpo di stato
nel paese”.
Intervenendo a Nikolajev, dove si trova per un giro di propaganda,
Janukovic ha dichiarato: “In molte regioni ci si sta registrando come
volontari. Ieri sono stato a Sebastopoli (in Crimea), dove hanno già
firmato in 35.000. Questi cittadini sono intenzionati a recarsi a Kiev
dopo la votazione del 26 dicembre”. (...)
---
SETTORI IMPORTANTI DEL “MOVIMENTO” IN POLONIA METTONO IN GUARDIA DA
FACILI OTTIMISMI NEI CONFRONTI DEI MOTI UCRAINI
di Mauro Gemma
Il sito “kprf.ru” del Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa ha
pubblicato la versione integrale in russo di un articolo di commento
agli avvenimenti di questi giorni in Ucraina, apparso nel sito polacco
www.lewica.pl, dal titolo “La lezione ucraina”.
“Lewica.pl” è uno dei siti che maggiormente esprimono le posizioni del
movimento “altermondialista” polacco e dei settori più vivaci del
movimento sindacale. L’intento dell’articolo sembra quello di prendere
le distanze dalle posizioni espresse da alcuni gruppi del “movimento”
ucraino, di sostanziale adesione alla cosiddetta “rivoluzione
arancione”.
E’ interessante rilevare come, pur esprimendo un giudizio non certo
lusinghiero del ruolo di Viktor Janukovic, considerato espressione
degli interessi oligarchici dell’oriente dell’Ucraina, il commento del
sito polacco definisca “ancora peggiore” la prospettiva della vittoria
di Viktor Juschenko, alfiere di un’opposizione “creata dalle forze
neoliberali e nazionaliste” che “potrebbe portare molto più velocemente
a compimento le riforme neoliberali, aprendo il mercato ucraino alle
corporazioni transnazionali”.
In base a tale analisi, “lewica.pl” esprime anche un giudizio durissimo
della posizione assunta a sostegno di Juschenko dal Partito socialista
di Aleksandr Moroz, che viene definito “una tipica socialdemocrazia
est-europea tecnocratica e opportunista”.
Viene anche criticata l’atteggiamento di sostanziale “neutralità”
assunto dalla parte maggioritaria del Partito Comunista di Ucraina,
che, secondo il commento del sito, avrebbe di fatto indotto la classe
operaia del sud-est del paese “ a scendere in strada a fianco di
Janukovic e non dei comunisti”.
“Pienamente corretto” viene invece definito il giudizio che del ruolo
di Juschenko (“una marionetta dell’Occidente”) formula il Partito
Progressista Socialista di Ucraina, anche se a questa organizzazione
viene rimproverato un allineamento acritico alle posizioni di Janukovic.
Una severa critica non viene neppure risparmiata a quella parte di
trotskisti e anarchici ucraini (ed anche stranieri) che ritengono che
le proteste di massa nel centro di Kiev “possano essere utilizzate per
realizzare delle trasformazioni sociali”, dal momento che essi
dimenticano di non disporre di “un potenziale sufficiente per ottenere
risultati da questa campagna politica”. “Prendendo parte alla
coalizione di liberali e nazionalisti” questi gruppi “hanno ripetuto
l’errore commesso in precedenza dai loro compagni in Serbia”, quando,
dopo aver espresso un grande attivismo nella lotta per rovesciare
Milosevic, “sono loro mancate le forze per intervenire contro il destro
Kostunica, che ha occupato il posto di presidente”. Uno dei risultati è
stato che oggi, ad esempio, “il sindacato anarco-sindacalista è
perseguitato dal potere, ed è stato praticamente sciolto con il
pretesto della lotta al terrorismo”.
“Lewica.ru” invita così anche il “movimento” ucraino a trarre lezione
dagli avvenimenti del passato, senza nutrire eccessivi entusiasmi circa
i possibili sviluppi di una situazione che è saldamente tenuta sotto
controllo dalle forze nazionaliste e liberiste. “La maggioranza dei
gruppi di sinistra polacchi”, - conclude il commento del sito, “non
manifestano alcuna ingenua fiducia nei confronti della “rivoluzione”
ucraina e non prenderanno certo parte al “sabba”, allestito dai
politici del potere nazionale “per aiutare l’Ucraina”.
Segnalazioni sulla situazione in Ucraina
=== LINK ===
# L'FMI HA SPONSORIZZATO LA "DEMOCRAZIA" IN UCRAINA
di Michel Chossudovsky - 28 novembre 2004
Centro ricerche sulla mondializzazione
L'originale in lingua inglese:
http://globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO411D.html
Il candidato di opposizione Viktor Yushchenko nelle elezioni
presidenziali ucraine è fermamente appoggiato dal consenso di
Washington. Egli non solo è sostenuto dalla FMI e la comunità
finanziaria internazionale, ma ha anche l’avallo della Donazione
Nazionale per la Democrazia (NED), la Donazione Carnegie per la Pace
Internazionale, la Casa della Libertà e l’Istituto Società Aperta di
George Soros...
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n08.htm
# "EUROPA SUBALTERNA E IRRESPONSABILE. LA GUERRA CIVILE RESTA UN
RISCHIO CONCRETO"
Parla il deputato europeo Giulietto Chiesa , esperto di geopolitica
post-sovietica. Da "Liberazione", 2 dicembre 2004
"Gli Stati Uniti appoggiano Putin nella lotta al terrorismo, ma allo
stesso tempo sostengono i suoi avversari regionali. E' una
contraddizione?" "No, è un doppio gioco..."
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n03.htm
# UCRAINA: AI PIEDI DELLA NATO?
di Marcello Graziosi
Putin, la NATO e l’Ucraina
La lunga fase precedente le elezioni presidenziali
Tutto è rimandato al ballottaggio
Chi ha organizzato “gli arancioni” di Kiev?
La posta in palio e la funzione dei comunisti
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n05.htm
# “LA BATTAGLIA PER L’UCRAINA E’ FONDAMENTALE PER L’OPPOSIZIONE
ALL’EGEMONIA MONDIALE DEGLI USA”
Intervista a Selimkhan Mutzoyev, vicepresidente della commissione per
gli affari internazionali della Duma di Stato
29.11.04 - www.uralpolit.ru
l'originale in lingua russa al sito
http://www.iraq-war.ru/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=32126
--> http://www.lernesto.it/index.aspx?m=77&f=2&IDArticolo=3395
# PERCHE’ GLI AMERICANI SONO COSI’ INTERESSATI ALL’UCRAINA?
di Jef Bossuyt - 1 dicembre 2004
L'originale in lingua francese:
http://www.ptb.be/scripts/article.phtml?lang=2&obid=25322
"Tra il 2005 e il 2010, il principale nucleo della sicurezza in Europa
sarà costituito da: Francia, Germania, Polonia e Ucraina. Attraverso un
partneriato transatlantico, la testa di ponte americana sul continente
eurasiatico dovrà rafforzarsi...”
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/uc/pouc4n08.htm
# I COMUNISTI RUSSI SEGUONO CON PREOCCUPAZIONE GLI SVILUPPI DELLA
SITUAZIONE IN UCRAINA
- Dichiarazione di Ivan Melnikov, vicepresidente del Partito Comunista
della Federazione Russa (29 novembre 2004)
- Dichiarazione di Oleg Kulikov, segretario del Comitato Centrale del
Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa
(5 dicembre 2004)
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/te/po/ru/poru4n05.htm
# IMBARAZZO EUROPEO SU KIEV
Caso Ucraina - Bush e Putin, destini incrociati
da il manifesto dell'8 dicembre 2004
--> http://www.resistenze.org/sito/os/ep/osep4n09.htm
=== BREVI ===
Juschenko, sicuro di farcela con il sostegno occidentale, non rispetta
gli impegni con gli alleati, e i socialisti lo accusano di “tradimento”
http://www.strana.ru - 4 dicembre 2004
Il leader del Partito Socialista di Ucraina Aleksandr Moroz ha accusato
il blocco di Viktor Juschenko “Nostra Ucraina” “di tradimento”. “Ho
firmato un accordo con Juschenko di sostegno alla sua candidatura al
secondo turno delle elezioni presidenziali, solo perché egli aveva
promesso di appoggiare in parlamento un cambiamento costituzionale”, -
ha dichiarato Moroz dalla tribuna del parlamento.
I cambiamenti della Costituzione riguardano il riequilibrio delle
competenze tra i rami del potere (con maggiori prerogative al
parlamento). Il leader dei comunisti Piotr Simonenko ha aggiunto che
“l’opposizione vuole il potere assoluto, e per questa ragione rifiuta
la riforma politica”.
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
DOLLARI E FASCISTI A SOSTEGNO DI JUSCHENKO
di Jef Bossuyt
8 dicembre 2004
http://www.ptb.be/scripts/article.phtml?lang=2&obid=25395
In Ucraina, la lotta per il potere prosegue. Quali sono le forze
politiche che inquadrano i manifestanti di Viktor Juschenko, il
candidato sostenuto dall’Occidente?
Nell’Est dell’Ucraina, centinaia di migliaia di persone manifestano per
la presidenza di Janukovic. Nell’Ovest e nella capitale, al contrario,
sono centinaia di migliaia a reclamare nuove elezioni. Masse di giovani
sono a ragione scontente della crisi economica seguita alle
privatizzazioni del 1991. Chiedono cambiamenti ed è facile mobilitarle.
I ministri e il parlamento di Kiev sono accerchiati e paralizzati dai
manifestanti che sventolano le bandiere arancioni di Juschenko ed anche
quelle rosse e nere dell’UNA-UNSO, i neonazisti ucraini. Le
manifestazioni a favore di Juschenko sono finanziate, tra gli altri,
dal multimiliardario Soros, che non è alla sua prima prova. Soros ha
già fatto ricorso a tale genere di scenari per i colpi di stato in
Serbia e in Georgia.
I nazisti dell’UNA-UNSO
L’OUN (Organizzazione dei Nazionalisti Ucraini) ha iniziato nel 1929 i
suoi attacchi armati contro il potere sovietico in Ucraina. Durante la
seconda guerra mondiale, il suo capo, Stepan Bandera, ha combattuto a
fianco degli occupanti tedeschi. Nel 1941. il suo principale generale,
Shuskievitch, indossando l’uniforme tedesca del “Nachtigall Bataljon”,
ha assassinato 7.000 ebrei. Dopo la guerra, i quadri dell’OUN sono
stati integrati nei servizi segreti americani e la diaspora ucraina
negli Stati Uniti ha costituito una lobby di estrema destra
antisovietica di massa.
Dopo la caduta dell’Unione Sovietica, i successori dell’OUN, restati in
Ucraina, hanno fondato l’UNA-UNSO (Assemblea nazionale ucraina –
Autodifesa popolare dell’Ucraina). Nel 1999-2000, questi neonazisti
hanno incendiato a Lviv (Leopoli) case di comunisti, russi ed ebrei. E’
in questa regione che l’ex dirigente dell’UNA-UNSO, Andry Shkil, è
stato eletto al parlamento con il sostegno di “Nostra Ucraina”, il
partito politico di Juschenko. Il governo ucraino ha discusso per due
anni della riabilitazione dei collaborazionisti. Nella regione di Lviv,
gli ex SS hanno alla fine ottenuto le stesse pensioni degli ex
combattenti contro il nazismo.
Il sito internet dell’UNA-UNSO conduce una grande battaglia
propagandistica a favore di Juschenko. Allo stesso tempo, vi si trovano
riferimenti agli articoli che riprendono i punti di vista di George
Bush e Zbignew Brzezinski, lo stratega americanoo che, fin dal 1997,
esige che l’Ucraina si prepari ad entrare nella NATO. Nel The Wall
Street Journal del 1 dicembre, Brzezinski ha richiesto che Juschenko
sia proclamato vincitore delle elezioni, se no che si ritorni al voto.
L’Alta Corte di Giustizia ucraina ha immediatamente eseguito
l’ingiunzione: ci saranno nuove elezioni il 26 dicembre.
Traduzione dal francese a cura del C.C.D.P.
---
“PORA” SI AVVICINA A MOSCA
I radical-liberali russi sono già in contatto con il movimento ucraino
di Anastasja Kornja
“Nezavisimaja Gazeta”, 10 dicembre 2004
http://www.ng.ru
L’articolo di cui proponiamo la traduzione potrebbe sembrare una
velenosa insinuazione del “regime di Putin” nei confronti della propria
opposizione interna. Un’insinuazione simile a quelle (di segno
contrario) a cui ci ha abituato la propaganda di casa nostra funzionale
agli interessi dell’imperialismo (ce n’è per tutti i gusti, di destra,
di centro e di sinistra), quando, per giustificare interferenze,
sanzioni, embarghi e guerre “umanitarie”, “esibisce le prove” dell’
“avvelenamento di Juschenko”, delle “violazioni dei diritti umani da
parte di Castro e Chavez”, delle “crudeltà dei comunisti cinesi e
vietnamiti” o dei “rapimenti di oppositori di Lukashenko”.
In realtà, questo articolo è apparso su uno dei più diffusi organi di
stampa dell’opposizione liberale russa a Putin, “Nezavisimaja Gazeta”,
finanziata dal magnate Berezovskij, tra i principali responsabili del
saccheggio dell’economia russa nel decennio di “libertà” garantito da
Boris Eltzin e oggi “in esilio” a Londra.
“Nezavisimaja Gazeta” ha simpatizzato apertamente per la “rivoluzione
arancione” fin dal primo giorno.
Dall’articolo emergono chiaramente i legami esistenti tra gli ambienti
politici vicini alla borghesia compradora russa e gli autori del colpo
di stato in Ucraina.
Non sfuggirà neppure ai lettori il tono dell’appello lanciato dai
sostenitori russi di “Pora” alla gioventù russa perché “si sollevi” e
si rechi in massa a Kiev. Tanto paga qualcun altro!
M.G.
La dichiarazione di Julja Timoshenko in merito alla sua disponibilità a
trasmettere “gli ideali arancioni” ai russi non stanno più solo sulla
carta. Nei “media” è apparsa l’informazione circa l’apparizione in
Russia di filiali dell’organizzazione “Pora”, promotrice dei metodi
rivoluzionari di lotta in Ucraina. I suoi seguaci russi hanno già
trovato le denominazioni “Pora Rossa” e “Mosca Arancione”, anche se al
Ministero della Giustizia negano che siano state registrate
organizzazioni con tali nomi. Ma i rappresentanti dei partiti e dei
movimenti liberali affermano di avere già iniziato a coordinare le loro
azioni con i rivoluzionari ucraini.
L’informazione sull’apparizione in Russia di strutture chiamate “Pora
Rossa”, “Pora Russa” e “Mosca Arancione” è apparsa in alcuni siti, che
stanno propagandando l’attività dell’opposizione ucraina, e in
particolare proprio in quello di “Pora”. Rappresentanti delle nuove
organizzazioni hanno pubblicato un proclama “agli onesti giuristi,
politici, avvocati, deputati, uomini d’affari, imprenditori, banchieri,
giornalisti, editori, fotografi, cineoperatori, scrittori russi”, in
cui si fa appello a partecipare ad azioni dirette ad ottenere l’
“impeachment” di Vladimir Putin. I nomi e i numeri di telefono degli
autori non sono stati indicati, e non è stato possibile collegarsi
elettronicamente con essi.
Al dipartimento del Ministero della Giustizia per le questioni delle
associazioni sociali e religiose è stato comunicato al nostro giornale
che non risulta la registrazione di alcuna organizzazione sociale o “no
profit” dal nome “Pora”. Ma ciò non esclude la possibilità di una sua
apparizione in una delle regioni, con lo status di organizzazione
sociale regionale, anche se tale variante è ritenuta poco probabile.
(…) In ogni caso, i liberali moscoviti non negano di avere già avviato
consultazioni con i rivoluzionari ucraini. E’ così che un gruppo di
“jablocniki” (seguaci del partito liberale “Mela”, nota del
traduttore), guidato dal leader dell’organizzazione giovanile Ilja
Jashin, si è recato in Ucraina per partecipare alle azioni sul “Majdan”
(i moscoviti agitavano il tricolore russo, listato con i colori
arancione). Hanno collaborato a Kiev con gli oppositori anche i membri
del consiglio politico dell’Unione delle forze di destra Ivan Starikov
e Boris Nemtsov. Stando alle affermazioni di Ilja Jashin, in questo
momento le “idee arancione” circolano in Russia a livello di
maturazione delle coscienze. Al momento attuale non sarebbero ancora
state investite risorse organizzative e finanziarie. Nessuno ha ancora
trasferito in Russia istruttori dall’Ucraina e dalla Bielorussia, per
la semplice ragione che essi sono attualmente tutti impegnati in
Ucraina. “Cominciano a farsi sentire attivisti, piccoli gruppi di
iniziativa studentesca che, in linea di principio, non sono ostili”,
-spiega Jashin, - ma al momento il principale interlocutore in Russia
dell’organizzazione “Pora” rimane “Mela” giovanile, che, nell’immediato
futuro, conta di svolgere una parte da protagonista nel movimento
giovanile unitario di opposizione. Ma, almeno per ora, non sono
previste azioni in Russia. Tutti devono stare a Kiev.
Jashin ricorda che a Volgograd la scorsa settimana è stato notato un
gruppo di giovani particolarmente attivi con sciarpe arancione al
collo: essi hanno bloccato il palazzo dell’organizzazione locale del
partito “Russia unitaria”, hanno infranto i vetri dell’edificio e hanno
scagliato arance sulle insegne dell’entrata, senza che la polizia sia
stata in grado di fermare uno solo dei manifestanti.
Contemporaneamente, nel sito del Congresso civile panrusso “La Russia
per la democrazia, contro la dittatura” è apparso un appello agli
studenti con l’esortazione a recarsi, in previsione del terzo turno
elettorale, a Kiev, per sostenere gli oppositori: “Studente!
Studentessa! Sveglia! E’ venuto il momento di sollevarsi! E’ venuto il
momento di dare un senso alla vita! Stiamo formando una squadra che tra
tre giorni sarà a Kiev, per prendere parte alla Storia, che si plasmerà
davanti ai tuoi occhi. Unisciti ai tuoi coetanei. Affrettati! Il
viaggio lo finanziamo noi”.
A tal proposito, ricordiamo che anche gli attivisti di “Pora” hanno
tratto frutto dall’esperienza dell’analoga organizzazione serba “Otpor”
e di quella georgiana “Kmara” (“Basta!”).
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
LA NEBBIA ARANCIONE NON DURERA’ PER L’ETERNITA’
di Dmitrij Jakushev
http://left.ru/2004/17/yakushev116.phtml
Il commento dello studioso marxista rivoluzionario russo alla decisione
di ripetere le elezioni presidenziali in Ucraina
In Ucraina verranno ripetute le elezioni. Ciò significa che la
“rivoluzione arancione” ha quasi vinto. La vittoria di Juschenko è
predeterminata. Nel nord-ovest dell’Ucraina le falsificazioni a favore
di Juschenko saranno ancora più vistose, mentre nel sud-est, dove una
parte significativa delle elite locali si è spaventata e si prepara a
convivere con Juschenko, il destino di Janukovic pare segnato. Con la
ripetizione delle votazioni, Janukovic sarà costretto ad una
competizione leale con un avversario che ha ricevuto il diritto di
frodare quanto gli pare. Ho molti dubbi che Janukovic sia nelle
condizioni d’animo per partecipare a questo gioco. L’accordo di
Janukovic di andare a una nuova votazione, subendo il ricatto
arancione, può essere interpretato come un adattamento alle condizioni
imposte da Juschenko, che ha bisogno dello stesso concorrente per dare
rilievo alla sua vittoria. Un vero colpo a Juschenko potrebbe infatti
essere rappresentato dal rifiuto di Janukovic di ripetere il turno e da
un appello al popolo a non partecipare alla farsa. Juschenko così
sarebbe scelto solo da Lvov e da Kiev, mentre la parte restante del
paese potrebbe non riconoscere questo presidente, imposto con la forza
dall’Occidente e dagli “arancioni” di Kiev. Temo purtroppo che
Janukovic non sia dotato della statura necessaria per compiere un
simile passo.
Ma tutto ciò non cambierà affatto il processo ormai avviato di
divisione dell’Ucraina, che è ancor più profondo di quanto non traspaia
dalle dichiarazioni “separatiste” di alcuni politici dell’est. Le
popolazioni che vivono nel sud-est del paese non dimenticheranno mai
che la Galizia e Kiev hanno sempre rifiutato la parità linguistica, che
hanno estromesso il presidente da esse eletto, che, senza chiedere il
loro consenso, hanno deciso di creare una “nazione unita”, i cui eroi
sono Bandera (il capo degli hitleriani ucraini, nota del traduttore) e
Donzov, che se ne sono infischiati del loro desiderio di riavvicinarsi
alla Russia, considerata da molti nel sud-est dell’Ucraina come la
propria patria. Tutto ciò ha ragioni profonde ed estremamente serie. Il
colpo di stato “arancione” a Kiev rappresenta l’inizio della lotta di
liberazione nazionale nel sud-est, che sicuramente si estenderà al
resto dell’Ucraina. La nebbia arancione non durerà certo per l’eternità.
Questa lotta produrrà politici radicali. I nuovi politici radicali
saranno espressi dal popolo, non dagli oligarchi, che passeranno dalla
parte di Juschenko. Così in “Nezavisimaja Gazeta”, il giornale
controllato da Berezovskij, è apparsa un’intervista al vicepresidente
del consorzio del Donetsk “Gruppo industriale”, Aleksandr Pilinenko, in
cui di fatto vengono prese le distanze da Janukovic:
“E’ certo che se i paesi occidentali ci chiudessero le porte, se ci
imponessero l’embargo, ciò rappresenterebbe un colpo fortissimo per la
nostra compagnia. Non nascondiamo certo che per noi non è tanto
importante chi sarà il vincitore delle elezioni, quanto il fatto che
l’Occidente ne riconosca la legittimità”.
Altro non si può aggiungere: non è importante come si vota, ma che
l’Occidente lo legittimi. E l’Occidente ha già detto che, comunque si
voti, riconoscerà solo Juschenko. Questa finta degli oligarchi del
Donetsk dimostra che, esattamente come in Russia, il grande capitale
privato in Ucraina è interamente compradore. Tutti questi Rinat
Akhmetov (grande magnate del Donetsk, nota del traduttore)sono pronti a
vendere il proprio popolo ai seguaci di Bandera, a privarlo della
propria lingua, della propria storia e cultura, solo per vedere
garantiti i propri interessi finanziari. Tali garanzie per costoro
vengono solo dall’Occidente. E ciò ancora una volta dimostra che non
esiste e che mai è esistito un imperialismo russo. Solo persone ingenue
e limitate, come alcuni moderni marxisti russi, possono disegnare
schemi grotteschi, secondo cui dietro a Juschenko starebbe il capitale
occidentale, mentre dietro a Janukovic quello russo. Le cose non stanno
affatto così. A fianco di Juschenko non si è schierato solo il capitale
occidentale, ma anche il grande capitale privato russo. Contro
Juschenko ha cercato di battersi la burocrazia di stato russa, che si
trova in stato di guerra con i compradori di casa propria.
La verità è che, al contrario di quella ucraina, la burocrazia russa
rappresenta una forza significativa, dal momento che controlla Gazprom,
i condotti energetici, e ora, dopo la disfatta della Jukos, si appresta
a controllare una quota cospicua dell’estrazione di petrolio. Tale
burocrazia è in grado di staccarsi dalla borghesia e di condurre il
gioco in autonomia. La burocrazia ucraina, invece, è meno indipendente.
Una pressione seria sul capitale compradore ucraino da parte
dell’Occidente ha dissolto velocemente tutto il sistema di sostegno
elettorale a Janukovic. Sottoposta a tale pressione, molto
semplicemente l’ “elite” ucraina ha “scaricato” Janukovic.
La quasi inevitabile vittoria di Juschenko rappresenterà la disfatta di
un progetto di sviluppo capitalistico autonomo per le ex repubbliche
sovietiche, promosso dalla burocrazia di stato russa. In realtà, tale
progetto era condannato al fallimento fin dall’inizio, dal momento che
non era e non poteva essere appoggiato dalla borghesia compradora
interna, che sostiene il controllo imperialista dei nostri paesi. Oggi
anche la Russia non ha scelta: o la trasformazione in colonia, o il
socialismo. E questa alternativa sarà di giorno in giorno sempre più
evidente.
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
Ucraina. 10 dicembre. «La sconfitta russa in Ucraina è quasi totale».
Lo sostiene Peter Zeihan, geopolitologo USA e studioso dell’area
dell’ex Unione sovietica. «Putin aveva cercato, dopo l’11 settembre
2001, di non diventare uno dei bersagli della rabbia americana. Ma nel
far ciò aveva concesso agli USA di installarsi militarmente in Georgia
e in aree dell’Asia centrale, da cui ben difficilmente se ne andranno».
E aveva fatto ciò per avere il consenso statunitense alla propria
politica accentratrice in patria e repressiva in Cecenia. Ma non per
questo Washington è disposta a mollare l’osso in Ucraina. Perdere
influenza in questa nazione, come probabilmente avverrà con la
ripetizione delle presidenziali a Kiev, sarebbe per la Russia
«disastroso». Per una serie di ragioni. In primo luogo, «tutte le
infrastrutture più importanti che legano la Russia all’Europa, tranne
una, passano attraverso l’Ucraina»; in secondo luogo, «tre quarti delle
esportazioni di gas naturale russo passano attraverso gasdotti dell’era
sovietica che attraversano l’Ucraina». E ancora: la Russia importa
grandi quantità di cibo dall’Ucraina, «la cui regione orientale è parte
integrante del cuore industriale russo». Ma non è tutto. Il fiume
Dniepr, una delle culle della civiltà medievale russa, è oggi una delle
vie di trasporto principali che collegano la Russia con l’alleato
bielorusso. E il fiume «passa attraverso l’Ucraina». Altri punti
rilevanti sono il fatto che, con 50 milioni di abitanti, il mercato
ucraino era uno dei pochi «ricettivi verso le merci russe»; il porto di
Sebastopoli, in Crimea (Ucraina), è il solo porto in acque calde della
costa sul Mar Nero dell’ex URSS. Senza contare che un’Ucraina ostile
alla Russia renderebbe molto difficoltoso il passaggio eventuale di
truppe russe verso il Caucaso. La perdita di influenza in Ucraina a
beneficio degli USA, quindi, ha «molto più di un valore simbolico» per
Mosca, ma si configura come un grave pericolo, suscettibile di
ridimensionare a tempo indeterminato il ruolo russo negli affari
mondiali, e di accrescerne enormemente la dipendenza economica e
militare dal mondo occidentale.
(fonte: info @...)
---
“KUCHMA HA SEMPRE LAVORATO PERCHE’ JUSCHENKO FOSSE ELETTO PRESIDENTE”
Intervento di Piotr Simonenko, leader del Partito Comunista di Ucraina
“Krimskaja Pravda”, 10 dicembre 2004
http://www.kp.crimea.ua/text/num5/dec_2004_10.html
Molti politici affermano che l’approvazione di cambiamenti
costituzionali apre la strada al varo di una riforma politica e
rasserena la società. E’ pura ipocrisia. Nel corso del prolungato
confronto tra la posizione ostinata di “Nostra Ucraina” (il blocco di
Juschenko, nota del traduttore) e quella opportunista delle frazioni
oligarchiche e del gruppo socialista, è emerso il progetto 4180, che in
sostanza afferma: una qualche limitazione dei poteri del presidente e
la formazione da parte del Soviet Supremo del Gabinetto dei ministri.
Viene mantenuta la norma vigente di formazione della Corte
Costituzionale e del Consiglio della Banca nazionale di Ucraina. In
realtà, nel documento viene solo prorogato fino a 5 anni il termine del
mandato del Soviet Supremo, viene introdotto un organo di sorveglianza
sull’osservanza dei diritti dell’uomo e viene esteso il sistema
elettorale proporzionale. Viene in pratica escluso il “mandato
imperativo”, vale a dire che i gruppi parlamentari vengono privati del
diritto di espellere quei deputati, eletti in liste di partito, che non
rispettano gli impegni presi nei confronti degli elettori, violando la
disciplina parlamentare.
In tal modo, nel corso della discussione in merito al progetto di
riforma politica, la lotta dei “nashisti” (da “Nasha Ukraina”) è stata
sempre condotta non certo nell’interesse di chi stava manifestando, ma
per il mantenimento dei poteri illimitati del presidente e per la sua
illimitata possibilità di arricchire la cerchia dei suoi collaboratori.
Con il contorno di slogan accattivanti sulla lotta per la democrazia,
sia i clan che aspirano al potere che quelli che già vi sono installati
hanno perseguito un solo obiettivo: difendere i propri “sporchi”
interessi. La loro lotta ha già conseguito il primo risultato di
provocare la divisione della società e di creare i presupposti per la
separazione territoriale dell’Ucraina. Come in passato, sono fermamente
convinto che Leonid Kuchma ha sempre lavorato perché Juschenko
ottenesse la presidenza dell’Ucraina. La ragione principale di ciò è
rappresentata dalla paura di perdere il capitale accumulato per sé e
per la sua famiglia e la paura nei confronti delle autorità americane,
che ha consentito agli USA di manovrarlo, soprattutto durante la crisi
politica che ha travagliato il paese.
La sua venuta al Soviet Supremo l’8 dicembre e la firma apposta ai
documenti approvati, non sono certo azioni dettate dai sentimenti
patriottici del presidente e dal suo desiderio di impedire la
contrapposizione nel paese. Sono piuttosto le mosse di un presidente
debole e molto dipendente, la cui condotta sconcertante sta a
testimoniare che agisce per compiacere i rappresentanti delle forze
nazionaliste di destra. A mio avviso, Leonid Kuchma ha deliberatamente
creato, coperto e approfondito la crisi che è andata acutizzandosi nel
paese nel periodo elettorale. Invitando i cosiddetti “costruttori di
pace”, da cui è venuta una posizione di sostegno agli “arancioni”,
conducendo innumerevoli trattative ed estenuanti “tavole rotonde”, egli
ha di fatto favorito gli interessi geopolitici degli USA, mentre la sua
maschera di “costruttore di pace” si è rivelata solo uno schermo per
nascondere i suoi autentici interessi.
Il mio personale punto di vista è che gli ultimi avvenimenti in Ucraina
rappresentano il finale scontato del tradimento degli interessi del
popolo ucraino attuato dal presidente Kuchma.
(...)
Testo fornito dall’Ufficio stampa
del Partito Comunista di Ucraina
Traduzione dal russo di Mauro Gemma
---
L’UCRAINA SUD-ORIENTALE INTENZIONATA AD IMPEDIRE IL COLPO DI STATO DI
JUSCHENKO
http://www.kprf.ru
15 dicembre 2004
Il sito internet del Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa ha
ripreso la seguente notizia diffusa da “Reuters”:
Il candidato alla presidenza dell’Ucraina, il primo ministro Viktor
Janukovic, ha dichiarato oggi che migliaia di suoi sostenitori sono
pronti a recarsi a Kiev dopo le elezioni del 26 dicembre. Secondo il
capo del governo, in molte regioni orientali e meridionali dell’Ucraina
molti si iscrivono come volontari pronti “ad impedire un colpo di stato
nel paese”.
Intervenendo a Nikolajev, dove si trova per un giro di propaganda,
Janukovic ha dichiarato: “In molte regioni ci si sta registrando come
volontari. Ieri sono stato a Sebastopoli (in Crimea), dove hanno già
firmato in 35.000. Questi cittadini sono intenzionati a recarsi a Kiev
dopo la votazione del 26 dicembre”. (...)
---
SETTORI IMPORTANTI DEL “MOVIMENTO” IN POLONIA METTONO IN GUARDIA DA
FACILI OTTIMISMI NEI CONFRONTI DEI MOTI UCRAINI
di Mauro Gemma
Il sito “kprf.ru” del Partito Comunista della Federazione Russa ha
pubblicato la versione integrale in russo di un articolo di commento
agli avvenimenti di questi giorni in Ucraina, apparso nel sito polacco
www.lewica.pl, dal titolo “La lezione ucraina”.
“Lewica.pl” è uno dei siti che maggiormente esprimono le posizioni del
movimento “altermondialista” polacco e dei settori più vivaci del
movimento sindacale. L’intento dell’articolo sembra quello di prendere
le distanze dalle posizioni espresse da alcuni gruppi del “movimento”
ucraino, di sostanziale adesione alla cosiddetta “rivoluzione
arancione”.
E’ interessante rilevare come, pur esprimendo un giudizio non certo
lusinghiero del ruolo di Viktor Janukovic, considerato espressione
degli interessi oligarchici dell’oriente dell’Ucraina, il commento del
sito polacco definisca “ancora peggiore” la prospettiva della vittoria
di Viktor Juschenko, alfiere di un’opposizione “creata dalle forze
neoliberali e nazionaliste” che “potrebbe portare molto più velocemente
a compimento le riforme neoliberali, aprendo il mercato ucraino alle
corporazioni transnazionali”.
In base a tale analisi, “lewica.pl” esprime anche un giudizio durissimo
della posizione assunta a sostegno di Juschenko dal Partito socialista
di Aleksandr Moroz, che viene definito “una tipica socialdemocrazia
est-europea tecnocratica e opportunista”.
Viene anche criticata l’atteggiamento di sostanziale “neutralità”
assunto dalla parte maggioritaria del Partito Comunista di Ucraina,
che, secondo il commento del sito, avrebbe di fatto indotto la classe
operaia del sud-est del paese “ a scendere in strada a fianco di
Janukovic e non dei comunisti”.
“Pienamente corretto” viene invece definito il giudizio che del ruolo
di Juschenko (“una marionetta dell’Occidente”) formula il Partito
Progressista Socialista di Ucraina, anche se a questa organizzazione
viene rimproverato un allineamento acritico alle posizioni di Janukovic.
Una severa critica non viene neppure risparmiata a quella parte di
trotskisti e anarchici ucraini (ed anche stranieri) che ritengono che
le proteste di massa nel centro di Kiev “possano essere utilizzate per
realizzare delle trasformazioni sociali”, dal momento che essi
dimenticano di non disporre di “un potenziale sufficiente per ottenere
risultati da questa campagna politica”. “Prendendo parte alla
coalizione di liberali e nazionalisti” questi gruppi “hanno ripetuto
l’errore commesso in precedenza dai loro compagni in Serbia”, quando,
dopo aver espresso un grande attivismo nella lotta per rovesciare
Milosevic, “sono loro mancate le forze per intervenire contro il destro
Kostunica, che ha occupato il posto di presidente”. Uno dei risultati è
stato che oggi, ad esempio, “il sindacato anarco-sindacalista è
perseguitato dal potere, ed è stato praticamente sciolto con il
pretesto della lotta al terrorismo”.
“Lewica.ru” invita così anche il “movimento” ucraino a trarre lezione
dagli avvenimenti del passato, senza nutrire eccessivi entusiasmi circa
i possibili sviluppi di una situazione che è saldamente tenuta sotto
controllo dalle forze nazionaliste e liberiste. “La maggioranza dei
gruppi di sinistra polacchi”, - conclude il commento del sito, “non
manifestano alcuna ingenua fiducia nei confronti della “rivoluzione”
ucraina e non prenderanno certo parte al “sabba”, allestito dai
politici del potere nazionale “per aiutare l’Ucraina”.
(english / deutsch / italiano)
GRANDE UNGHERIA
1. DOPPIA CITTADINANZA
Un grimaldello per annettersi una buona fetta della popolazione della
Vojvodina, e non solo...
2. BREVI
3. WAHNSINN
Deutschland unterstützt die neuerliche Zuspitzung der ungarischen
Ethno-Politik und erhofft sich weitere Vorteile für seine
Minderheitenarbeit in Osteuropa...
(La Germania sostiene la nuova aggressivita' della etno-politica
ungherese e spera attraverso di essa di procacciarsi ulteriori vantaggi
per il proprio lavoro sulle minoranze nell'Europa orientale...)
4. In english:
- Habsburg legacy haunts EU (The Times)
- Uneasy echo in Hungary (International Herald Tribune)
=== 1 ===
Fonte: http://www.ansa.it/balcani
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM SU DOPPIA CITTADINANZA OLTREFRONTIERA
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 29 OTT - Gli elettori ungheresi voteranno il 5
dicembre prossimo su due quesiti referendari: la doppia cittadinanza
degli ungheresi oltre frontiera e il divieto della privatizzazione
degli ospedali ed ambulatori. La data dei referendum e' stata fissata
oggi dal presidente dell'Ungheria, Ferenc Madl. Il referendum sulla
doppia cittadinanza oltre frontiera e' stato chiesto dall'Associazione
mondiale degli ungheresi, che hanno raccolto le 200mila firme
necessarie. Oltre 3,5 milioni di ungheresi vivono attualmente nei paesi
confinanti - Romania, Slovacchia, Ucraina, Serbia. All'origine di
queste concentrazioni, il collasso della monarchia austro-ungarica dopo
il 1918, quando l'Ungheria perse due terzi del suo territorio. La
proposta di dare la cittadinanza, e quindi il passaporto del paese agli
ungheresi di oltre frontiera e' molto discussa dai partiti e
dall'opinione pubblica in Ungheria, e non e' benvista dai paesi
confinanti. L'Ungheria e la Slovacchia fanno gia' parte dell'Ue, mentre
la Romania dovrebbe entrare nel 2007. L'Ucraina non consente la doppia
cittadinanza. (ANSA). COR-QI
29/10/2004 15:50
UNGHERIA: DOPPIA CITTADINANZA, DIBATTITO SI ACCENDE
(di Peter Magyar) (ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 11 NOV - Rancori e sentimenti
nazionali, ma anche interessi concreti sono parte integrante in
Ungheria del dibattito sempre piu' acceso in vista della consultazione
popolare fra 25 giorni sulla doppia cittadinanza da accordare ai 2,5
milioni ungheresi di oltre frontiere.
A tre quarti di secolo dalla fine della prima guerra mondiale, concluso
da un armistizio proprio l'11 novembre 1918, e dopo l'adesione
dell'Ungheria alla Nato ed all'Unione Europea, il tema ha riportato in
superficie sentimenti legati alla storia millenaria nel Paese magiaro.
Secondo sondaggi pubblicati oggi dal quotidiano ungherese Nepszabadsag,
il 55% degli elettori al momento e' favorevole, il 33% contrario ed il
12% indeciso in tema di doppia nazionalita'.
L'iniziativa che ha portato al referendum del 5 dicembre e' dell'
Associazione mondiale degli ungheresi, un'organizzazione civica, che i
partiti di centrodestra appoggiano pienamente, facendo campagna per il
si', mentre la coalizione governativa (centrosinistra) ha chiamato i
suoi elettori a votare no. ''Si tratta anche di soldi, non solo di
responsabilita' storica verso la nazione'' - ha detto in un intervista
il nuovo primo ministro, Ferenc Gyurcsany.
Il governo calcola che la cittadinanza doppia (per gli esponenti delle
minoranze ungherese nei Paesi limitrofi, soprattutto Serbia, Romania e
Slovacchia) costera' 537 miliardi di forint (2,2 miliardi di euro) allo
Stato ungherese per l'aumento delle spese per l'istruzione, per la
sanita', pensione, sussidi di disoccupazione, sovvenzioni per la casa.
Come controproposta, il governo propone un passaporto speciale per dare
agli ungheresi all'estero la possibilita' di ingresso privilegiato in
Ungheria, rimuovendo tutti gli ostacoli burocratici come negli accordi
per il piccolo traffico di frontiera.
La proposta e' venuta dalla Commissione europea, ma non e' stata ancora
approvata dal Parlamento europeo.Inoltre con un capitale di partenza di
4 milioni di euro dovrebe essere istutito un 'Fondo patriottico' per il
sostegno delle minoranze ugnheresi all'estero. Il governo si impegna a
onorare con la stessa cifra tutti i contributi privati raccolti dal
fondo.
Altri 80 milioni di euro saranno destinati a creare posti di lavoro
nelle zone abitate dagli ungheresi oppure ad appoggiare le imprese di
ungheresi in quelle aree. Sul tema una riunione del governo con i
rappresentasti delle organizzazioni all'estero si svolgera' domani a
Budapest.
Viktor Orban, il leader dell'opposizione di destra dice che gli
elettori ungheresi ''dovranno decidere se vogliono dare un pezzo di
liberta' agli ungheresi di oltre frontiera, ed ogni cittadino onesto
non potra' dire che si' a questa domanda''.
Orban nega che la doppia cittadinanza comportera' spese nuove, ma i
giuristi del governo rispondono che non potranno esistere due tipi di
cittadinanza ungherese, uno per i cittadini ''veri'' e un' altra per
quelli oltre frontiera. ''Ci sono diritti e benefici sociali che vanno
a tutti i cittadini, e Orban dovrebbe saperlo'' gli ha risposto
Gyurcsany, che ha anche ricordato come il governo Orban (premier dal
1998 al 2002) non abbia mai appoggiato la proposta di doppia
cittadinanza.
Un altro argomento favorevole al no sarebbe, secondo i sondaggi, il
calcolo che almeno il 15% degli ungheresi in Romania, Ucraina e Serbia
si trasferirebbe subito in Ungheria in caso di cittadinanza automatica,
percentuale che fra i giovani potrebbe raggiungere il 90%.
''Il nostro obiettivo e' di conservare la lingua e la cultura ungherese
anche in Transilvania (ora parte della Romania), e tutelare i diritti
della minoranza ungherese, non lo svuotamento di questa regione''
dicono coloro che temono l'ondata indesiderata degli ungheresi oltre
frontiera, e ricordano come la Slovacchia e l'Ungheria facciano gia'
parte dell'Ue, mentre la Romania vi entrera' presto (prevedibilmente
dal 2007): cosi' la liberta di movimento sara' totale, e la doppia
cittadinanza non avra' piu' senso.
L'Ucraina invece non la consente per legge, cosi' il referendum
interessa veramente solo gli ungheresi della Voivodina in Serbia (300
mila persone), attaccati nella loro terra dai nazionalisti serbi. ''La
cittadinanza doppia non e' la soluzione per i problemi dei nostri
connazionali in Serbia, bisogna fare in modo che possano rimanere nella
loro terra natale'' ha detto Vilmos Szabo, sottosegretario della
Presidenza del consiglio di Budapest, responsabile per gli ungheresi
d'oltre frontiera. (ANSA). COR*STE 11/11/2004 15:58
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM, GOVERNO RITIRA INVITO A VOTARE ''NO''
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 23 NOV - Il primo ministro dell'Ungheria, Ferenc
Gyurcsany, in un'intervista alla radio pubblica ha dichiarato di ''non
voler piu' influenzare'' la volonta' degli elettori per l'imminente
referendum nazionale del 5 dicembre sulla doppia nazionalita' e sulla
privatizzazione del servizio nazionale. Finora il governo aveva fatto
campagna a favore del ''no'' ad ambedue le domande del referendum,
cioe' alla proposta di dare la doppia cittadinanza agli ungheresi
d'oltre frontiera e al divieto di privatizzare il servizio sanitario.
L'opposizione di centrodestra fa campagna intensa per un doppio si'. I
sondaggi prevedono molti astensioni, con l'affluenza che dovrebbe
toccare minimi storici, tuttavia sembra che andranno a votare in
maggioranza i sostenitori del si'. Secondo il premier Gyurcsany il
referendum e' diventato ''una trappola per tutti''. ''Non esiste una
riposta buona a domande mal poste. Qualsisasi sia il risultato, saranno
molti i perdenti'' ha detto, rammaricandosi che l'opposizione di destra
non abbia chiarito ancora come intende formulare la legge che dara'
eventualmente la doppia cittadinanza a 2,5 milioni di ungheresi che non
vivono nel paese, con tutte le conseguenze che cio' comportera'. In
Ungheria, su una superficie di poco inferiore ad un terzo dell'Italia,
vivono attualmente circa dieci milioni di abitanti. (ANSA). COR*STE
23/11/2004 17:05
UNGHERIA: DOMENICA ALLE URNE PER DOPPIO REFERENDUM
(di Peter Magyar)
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 4 DIC - Circa 8 milioni di elettori sono chiamati a
votare domani in Ungheria per due referendum: uno riguarda la doppia
cittadinanza per gli ungheresi all'estero, soprattutto quelli che
vivono in Slovacchia, Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, mentre il secondo e'
sulla privatizzazione o meno degli ospedali. Il voto e' un test
cruciale per il nuovo primo ministro socialista Ferenc Gyurcsany che
affronta per la prima volta in questa consultazione elettorale il
leader carismatico della destra, l'ex primo ministro Viktor Orban.
In una campagna accesa, non priva di toni populistici, Orban ha chiesto
di rispondere si' alle due domande sulla scheda, mentre Gyurcsany ha
consigliato agli elettori di votare no o astenersi, perche ''a domande
mal poste non si puo' dare una risposta chiara''.
La destra fa appello ai sentimenti nazionali degli ungheresi: secondo
il capo dello Stato, Ferenc Madl (conservatore), una vittoria del si'
sarebbe addirittura ''una riparazione dell' ingiustizia storica'',
subita nel 1920 con il trattato del Trianon che tolse all'Ungheria due
terzi del territorio.
Attualmente in Slovacchia, Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, vivono circa
2,5-3 milioni di ungheresi che aspettano ''un segno di accettazione da
parte della madrepatria''. Secondo gli analisti, la vittoria del si'
giochera' a favore di Orban, in quanto gli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera
- una volta cittadini ungheresi - potranno votare a suo favore nel
2006, aiutandolo a riconquistare il potere contro i socialisti. Il voto
sara' valido se almeno il 50% degli elettori partecipera' oppure - in
assenza del quorum - almeno il 25% degli aventi diritto al voto avra'
scelto il si' o il no.
I sondaggi prevedono un'affluenza bassa (inferiore al 40%), ma e'
probabile che il si' si aggiudichi il 25%, cioe' due milioni di voti.
In caso della vittoria del si', il parlamento sara' obbligato a
promulgare una legge (da approvare con la maggioranza dei due terzi)
che accordera' la cittadinanza agli ungheresi che lo domandano, anche
se risiedono all'estero, in qualsiasi parte del mondo.
I socialisti e gli alleati di governo chiedono di votare no, perche' le
conseguenze del si', dicono, sono ''imprevedibili''. Si puo' temere
un'ondata di immigrazione con aumento oltre misura delle spese per
l'istruzione, per la sanita', pensione, sussidi di disoccupazione,
sovvenzioni per la casa. Inoltre si teme una reazione degli governi dei
paesi vicini.
Adrian Nastase, primo ministro (e forse futuro presidente) romeno ha
gia definito ''insensata'' la doppia cittadinanza per gli ungheresi ora
cittadini romeni, ed ha minacciato che la Romania potrebbe togliere la
cittadinanza a quelli che chiederanno quella ungherese. Politici
ungheresi hanno protestato per l'interferenza di Nastase nella campagna
in Ungheria, ma Gyurcsany ha riconosciuto che la vittoria del si'
potra' aumentare la tensione fra Budapest e i paesi vicini (anche la
Slovacchia intende fare passi del caso). ''C'e da temere l'insorgenza
del nazionalismo nella regione, abbiamo visto quale risultato ha dato
questo nell'ex Jugoslavia, i conflitti etnici non hanno dato nessun
buon risultato da nessuna parte'' - ha detto Gyurcsany.
Non e' privo di conflitti nemmeno l'altro argomento del referendum. La
destra populista argomenta che la privatizzazione degli ospedali e
degli enti sanitari pubblici ''mettera' in pericolo il servizio per
tutti'', mentre la sinistra si aspetta dal capitale privato un
miglioramento nel servizio sanitario, adesso molto carente, con fonti
insufficienze.(ANSA). COR-STE
04/12/2004 15:05
UNGHERIA: DUE REFERENDUM, NON VALIDI PER BASSA AFFLUENZA
(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, 5 DIC - I due referendum svoltisi oggi in
Ungheria, sulla concessione della doppia cittadinanza agli ungheresi
all'estero - soprattutto quelli che vivono in Slovacchia, Romania,
Ucraina e Serbia - e sulla privatizzazione degli ospedali non sono
validi data la troppo scarsa partecipazione popolare. Lo ha reso noto
in serata la Commissione elettorale centrale a Budapest. La legge
elettorale prevede che, perche' un referendum sia valido, debba recarsi
alle urne almeno il 50 per cento degli aventi diritto o, in
alternativa, almeno il 25 per cento si pronunci per il si' o per il no.
Secondo dati non ancora definitivi, la partecipazione e' stata del 40
per cento circa. Al referendum sulla doppia nazionalita' per gli
ungheresi che vivono all'estero, quando il 75 per cento delle schede
erano state scrutinate, il si' e il no erano circa alla pari con una
leggerissima maggioranza per il si' (cosi' risicata da non consentire
di arrivare al quorum del 25 per cento degli aventi diritto). Piu'
netto il vantaggio del si' per il referendum in cui si chiedeva che la
privatizzazione degli ospedali venisse sospesa. Il voto era considerato
un test cruciale per il nuovo primo ministro socialista Ferenc
Gyurcsany che affrontava per la prima volta in questa consultazione
elettorale il leader carismatico della destra, l'ex primo ministro
Viktor Orban. In una campagna accesa, non priva di toni populistici,
Orban ha chiesto di rispondere si' alle due domande sulla scheda,
mentre Gyurcsany ha consigliato agli elettori di votare no o astenersi,
perche' ''a domande mal poste non si puo' dare una risposta chiara''.
La destra faceva appello ai sentimenti nazionali degli ungheresi:
secondo il capo dello Stato, Ferenc Madl (conservatore), una vittoria
del si' sarebbe stata addirittura ''una riparazione dell' ingiustizia
storica'', subita nel 1920 con il trattato del Trianon che tolse
all'Ungheria due terzi del territorio. Attualmente in Slovacchia,
Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, vivono circa 2,5-3 milioni di ungheresi che
aspettano ''un segno di accettazione da parte della madrepatria''.
Secondo gli analisti, la vittoria del si' avrebbe giocato a favore di
Orban, in quanto si ritiene che gli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera - una
volta cittadini ungheresi - simpatizzino in maggioranza per lui.
(ANSA-AFP) TF
05/12/2004 21:33
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM, PREMIER GYURCSANY FELICE PER RISULTATO
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 6 DIC - ''E' fallita l'iniziativa di chi voleva
ottenere vantaggi elettorali dagli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera: gli
elettori hanno scelto un patriottismo responsabile''. Cosi' il premier
ungherese Ferenc Gyurcsany ha commentato il mancato raggiungimento del
quorum nei due quesiti del referendum svoltosi ieri, una circostanza
vista dagli osservatori come una vittoria del premier sul leader dei
conservatori Viktor Orban. Gli ungheresi dovevano decidere se dare la
doppia nazionalita' alle persone di lingua ungherese che vivono
all'estero (soprattutto alle minoranze magiare di Ucraina, Serbia e
Romania, cioe' di Stati che ancora non fanno parte dell'Unione europea)
e se bloccare il processo gia' avviato di privatizzazione degli enti
ospedalieri. Al referendum di domenica l'affluenza complessiva e' stata
del 37% (3 milioni voti espressi su 8 milioni di aventi diritto). I si'
al divieto di privatizzazione degli ospedali sono stati il 25% dei
votanti, per la doppia cittadinanza il 51,5%. In assenza del quorum
superiore al 50% a rendere valido il referendum sarebbe stato
necessario, in alternativa, avere almeno 2 milioni di voti (25% degli
aventi diritto) a favore di una risposta. Ma cio' non e' avvenuto in
nessuno dei due casi. I dirigenti della destra hanno preso atto del
risultato, e sottolineano che il si' per la doppia cittadinanza ha
ricevuto comunque piu' voti (51,5%) del no (48,5%). I leader dei
partiti e le associazioni degli ungheresi in Slovacchia, Romania e
Serbia invece hanno accolto il risultato con grande rammarico. ''Gli
elettori ungheresi hanno accreditato il trattato di Trianon (concluso
alla fine della I guerra mondiale e che tolse vari territori
all'Ungheria sconfitta)'' ha detto Miklos Duray, vicepresidente del
Partito ungherese in Slovacchia, mentre Bela Marko, presidente
dell'Unione democratica degli ungheresi in Romania ha detto che il
problema della doppia cittadinanza dovra' essere riaffrontato in
qualche modo perche' gli ungheresi della Transilvania ci contano molto.
Jozsef Kasza, sindaco di Subotica (Serbia) invece da' la colpa ai
promotori del referendum, perche' ''hanno portato la questione in un
vicolo cieco''. Gyurcsany ha promesso comunque che il suo governo si
impegnera' per una politica nuova verso gli ungheresi d'oltre
frontiera, aumentando le risorse di aiuto e appoggiando meglio le loro
richieste per un'autonomia dei loro territori natali, nonche' per una
politica di riforma della sanita' pubblica in Ungheria. (ANSA). COR*STE
06/12/2004 17:15
UNGHERIA: CITTADINANZA, PER ALCUNI SARA' PIU' FACILE AVERLA
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 9 DIC - Il governo di Budapest intende facilitare il
riconoscimento della cittadinanza agli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera, in
caso di trasferimento in Ungheria ed il primo ministro Ferenc Gyurcsany
ha incaricato il ministro della Giustizia di elaborare una modifica
della legge in questo senso. L'iniziativa di Gyurcsany si spiega con le
condizioni pesanti imposte dalla legge attuale, una procedura che dura
uno o due anni. Proprio per ovviare alle difficolta' la scorsa
settimana si era svolto un referendum popolare, su richiesta della
destra, che pero' e' fallito per mancanza del quorum di votanti. Anche
se il referendum di domenica scorsa che ha spaccato in due il paese
sulla questione della doppia cittadinanza per gli ungheresi residenti
oltre frontiera non ha dato un risultato valido, tuttavia l'opposizione
di destra non molla, e insiste nel voler dare la cittadinanza anche ai
non residenti in Ungheria, come ''gesto di riparazione per il trattato
del Trianon'' (il trattato, considerato ingiusto dall'Ungheria che nel
1920 ha perso due terzi del territorio ungherese come conseguenza della
sconfitta nella Prima guerra mondiale). Il presidente della Repubblica,
Ferenc Madl, (conservatore) ha chiesto questa modifica in una lettera
indirizzata al presidente della Camera dei deputati, e la presidente
del Foro democratico (Mdf, opposizione) Ibolya David ha chiesto al
Parlamento di fare una legge con questo contenuto fino al 15 marzo
prossimo. ''Se il Parlamento non sara' capace di fare questa legge,
dovra' sciogliersi'' ha minacciato David. (ANSA). COR*STE 09/12/2004
14:18
=== 2 ===
L'SRS e i RV condannano la rinascita del nazismo in
Vojvodina
NOVI SAD - Il Partito Radicale Serbo (SRS) e i Riformisti di Vojvodina
(RV) condannano fermamente la rinascita del nazismo in Vojvodina.
Secondo il SRS, una riunione di seguaci dell'organizzazione di quisling
ungherese basata a Budapest, che occupò la Vojvodina durante la Seconda
Guerra Mondiale, è stata tenuta il 7 maggio come aveva annunciato il
giornale Magyar Szo, e i suoi rappresentati hanno tenuto una conferenza
stampa giovedì e distribuito volantini che mostravano nuovi confini che
penetravano all'interno della provincia del nord della Serbia; il
Movimento Giovanile delle 64 Contee ha avuto un meeting giovedì.
http://www.tanjug.co.yu/ - Tanjug - 28 maggio 2004
(Traduzione di AL, revisione a cura del CNJ)
---
Canak: La Serbia ha già dato il suo consenso all'indipendenza del Kosovo
Lo Speaker della Assemblea della Vojvodina Nenad Canak [separatista,
appartenente alla coalizione filo-occidentale DOS] ha detto che
Belgrado ha già dato l'assenso all'indipendenza del Kosovo per il 2006.
Secondo l'informazione che ho avuto da fonti diplomatiche, ha detto, lo
scenario per l'indipendenza del Kosovo per il giugno 2006 già esiste.
Data la fonte di tale informazione, che non posso rivelare, credo che
questo scenario sia assai realistico.
Secondo la controversa dichiarazione del politico vojvodino, il Governo
Serbo sarebbe stato informato del piano e sarebbe pronto a dare il suo
consenso, ma adesso starebbe provando a mantenere lontano ciò dalla
pubblica opinione per continuare a vendere le sue favole sulla
integrità territoriale della Serbia.
Beta / Apis Group - Belgrado 26 Giugno 2004
(Traduzione di AL, revisione a cura del CNJ)
---
SLOVACCHIA: PARLAMENTO RESPINGE USO UNGHERESE NELLE SEDUTE
(ANSA) - BRATISLAVA, 21 OTT - Si respira aria di crisi nel governo
slovacco dopo che ieri il Parlamento di Bratislava ha respinto una
proposta di legge avanzata dal Partito della coalizione ungherese (Smk,
fa parte del governo di centrodestra) di utilizzare anche l'ungherese
come lingua ufficiale in Parlamento. ''Siamo molto delusi per quanto e'
successo e credo sia emblematico di quelli che sono i rapporti
all'interno della coalizione di governo'' ha detto il rappresentante
del Smk Gyulia Bardos al quotidiano slovacco 'Sme' a proposito del
fatto che solo un esponente del governo del premier
cristiano-democratico Mikulas Dzurinda abbia votato a favore della
proposta, insieme con tre deputati dell'opposizione. Anche il
costituzionalista Peter Kresak ritiene che sia un diritto per i
deputati ungheresi poter parlare la loro lingua in Parlamento: ''Fino
al 1996 questa possibilita' era contemplata e non credo davvero che ne
sia stato fatto un abuso da parte dei deputati ungheresi''. Il partito
della coalizione ungherese (Smk), espressione della folta minoranza
ungherese ancora presente in Slovacchia (rappresenta il 9,7%
dell'intera popolazione) fa parte della coalizione di centro destra al
governo dal 1998 e nelle ultime elezioni del 2003 ha ottenuto l'11,16
per cento dei voti aggiudicandosi 20 dei 150 seggi del Parlamento
unicamerale slovacco.(ANSA). RED*STE
21/10/2004 16:40
=== 3 ===
http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1102546943.php
09.12.2004
Wahnsinn
BUDAPEST/BERLIN (Eigener Bericht) - Deutschland unterstützt die
neuerliche Zuspitzung der ungarischen Ethno-Politik und erhofft sich
weitere Vorteile für seine Minderheitenarbeit in Osteuropa. Dort
propagiert Berlin ein völkisches Blutsrecht, das aus deutschsprachigen
Staatsbürgern ,,Auslandsdeutsche" macht, sofern sie eine deutschblütige
Abstammung nachweisen können. Als Schutzmacht der ,,Volksgruppen" tritt
Berlin auf. Nach diesem deutschen Vorbild plant Budapest neue
Sonderrechte für Ungarisch sprechende Minoritäten in den Nachbarstaaten
(,,Auslandsungarn"). Zuvor war ein Referendum gescheitert, das den rund
2,5 Millionen ,,Auslandsungarn" ungarische Pässe zusprechen und sie
Budapest direkt unterstellen sollte. Die ungarische
,,Volksgruppen"-Politik wird zum Teil in unmittelbarer Abstimmung mit
Berlin umgesetzt. Maßgebliche ungarische Politiker deuten an, ihre
ethnizistische Auslandsarbeit diene einer Revision der Pariser
Friedensverträge.
Am vergangenen Sonntag ist das Referendum, mit dem die Bevölkerung
Ungarns über die Verleihung der ungarischen Staatsbürgerschaft an die
,,Auslandsungarn" entschied, an zu geringer Wahlbeteiligung
gescheitert. Als hauptsächliche Ursache gilt die verbreitete
Befürchtung, die ,,Auslandsungarn" könnten die neue Staatsbürgerschaft
nutzen, um in großer Zahl aus Rumänien oder der Ukraine nach Ungarn
überzusiedeln, und damit den Wohnungs- und Arbeitsmarkt zum
Zusammenbrechen bringen. Das Referendum hatte massive Proteste in der
Slowakei und Rumänien hervorgerufen, deren Ungarisch sprechende
Bürgerinnen und Bürger mit der neuen Staatsbürgerschaft der Regierung
in Budapest unterstellt worden wären; der rumänische Ministerpräsident
Adrian Nastase bezeichnete die mögliche doppelte Staatsbürgerschaft als
,,Wahnsinn".1) Die geplante Regelung entspricht der Praxis Berlins, das
inzwischen allein in der Tschechischen Republik 60.000 deutsche
Personalausweise vergeben hat.2)
Sonderpass, Heimatland-Fonds
Die ungarische Regierung plant nun, den ,,Auslandsungarn" auf andere
Weise zu Sonderrechten zu verhelfen und damit die völkische Subversion
in den Nachbarstaaten zu verschärfen. Im Gespräch ist ein
,,Sonderpass", der den ,,Auslandsungarn" die ungehinderte Einreise in
das ,,Mutterland" ermöglichen und damit ihre Bindung an Budapest
festigen soll. Neben dem ,,Sonderpass", der mit Brüssel abgestimmt ist,
will Ungarn mit einem neuen ,,Heimatland-Fonds" die Tätigkeit der
,,ungarischen Volksgruppen" unterstützen. Der ,,Heimatland-Fonds" soll
ein Startkapital von rund vier Millionen Euro umfassen, die Regierung
sichert zu, jede Spende mit einer Summe in gleicher Höhe zu ergänzen.
Mit 80 Millionen Euro will Budapest die Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen in
Gebieten fördern, die von ,,Auslandsungarn" bewohnt werden.3)
Kampagne
Die geplanten Regelungen entsprechen in hohem Maße den Methoden, mit
denen Berlin die ,,deutschen Volksgruppen" in den Nachbarstaaten
unterstützt. Auch praktisch kooperieren Berlin und Budapest bei der
Durchsetzung ihrer Ethno-Politik innerhalb der Europäischen Union.4)
Erst kürzlich hatten Vertreter der im deutschen Flensburg ansässigen
,,Föderalistischen Union Europäischer Volksgruppen" (FUEV) mit dem
ungarischen Staatssekretär für Minderheitenfragen, Vilmos Szabo, eine
gemeinsame Kampagne vereinbart. Zu dem Treffen, das im ,,Amt für Ungarn
außerhalb der Landesgrenzen" stattfand, war neben einem Vertreter der
rumänischen Regierung auch der Ministerialrat im Bundesinnenministerium
Detlev Rein eingeladen.5) Von einer Erweiterung der Sonderrechte der
,,Auslandsungarn" würden auch die deutschsprachigen Minderheiten in den
Nachbarstaaten der Bundesrepublik profitieren, da sie dieselben
Sonderrechte für sich in Anspruch nehmen könnten.
Revision
Ungarns konservative Opposition führt die Radikalisierung der
völkischen Politik einen Schritt weiter und verlangt, trotz des
gescheiterten Referendums die ungarische Staatsbürgerschaft an die
,,Auslandsungarn" zu verleihen. Zur Planung der Verwaltungsmodalitäten
sollten diese nach Budapest einberufen werden, verlangt der
Oppositionschef und ehemalige Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán6); von
einer eventuellen Abstimmung mit den betroffenen Nachbarstaaten ist
nicht die Rede. Nach der ,,Rückgabe" der Staatsbürgerschaft könne
Ungarn wieder ,,eine stolze und starke Nation werden", erklärt Orban.7)
Er spielt damit auf eine Revision der Pariser Friedensverträge an, die
darauf abzielten, die Aggressoren des Ersten Weltkriegs (Deutschland
und Österreich-Ungarn) von einem erneuten Angriff abzuhalten. Der
Ungarn betreffende Teil der Verträge wurde 1920 abgeschlossen und
übertrug mehrere Gebiete Ungarns den Nachbarländern. Vor dem jetzt
abgehaltenen Referendum waren in Ungarn Plakate zu sehen, die das Land
in den Grenzen von 1919 zeigten.8) Bereits im vergangenen Jahr hatte
ein Mitarbeiter Orbans die Autonomiebestrebungen der ,,Auslandsungarn"
in einen Zusammenhang mit blutigen Exzessen im Kosovo gestellt und
doppeldeutig erklärt: ,,Wir sehen jedoch, dass diejenigen, die sich
nicht scheuten, zu Waffen und Gewalt zu greifen, binnen viel, viel
kürzerer Zeit viel mehr erreichen konnten als wir".9)
1) Volksabstimmung: Niederlage für Auslandsungarn; Die Presse 07.12.2004
2) s. dazu Berlin ruft ,,Auslandsdeutsche" an die Urnen
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1031474030.php%5d
3) ,,Sonderpass" für Auslandsungarn; Der Standard 12.11.2004
4) s. auch Deutschland - Ungarn: ,,Spiel mit der völkischen Karte"
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1012863600.php%5d
und Besser als wir
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1075158000.php%5d
sowie Sonderstellung
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1084661498.php%5d
5) s. dazu ,,Begegnung der Völker"
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1100744308.php%5d
6) Ungarn zeigen Referendum die kalte Schulter; taz 07.12.2004
7) Nationalisten setzen auf Auslands-Ungarn; Frankfurter Rundschau
04.12.2004
8) Referendum in Ungarn gescheitert; Neues Deutschland 07.12.2004
9) s. dazu Wert der Waffen
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1074207600.php%5d
s. auch Déja vu
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1093039200.php%5d
Informationen zur Deutschen Außenpolitik
© www.german-foreign-policy.com
=== 4 ===
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/85393
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1387579,00.html
THE TIMES (London)
December 04, 2004
Habsburg legacy haunts EU
From Adam LeBor in Budapest
THE spirit of the Habsburg Empire will hover over
central Europe as Hungarians vote tomorrow on a
proposal to offer citizenship to three million of
their ethnic brethren across the borders.
The plan has split the country down the middle,
angered its neighbours and raised the prospect of an
influx of Magyars to the EU, which Hungary joined just
seven months ago.
But to groups like Fidesz, the right-wing opposition
party, it is seen as a way to right the wrongs of the
1920 Treaty of Trianon, which reduced Hungary’s
territory by almost two thirds as the old
Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismantled after the First
World War.
The referendum was triggered under Hungarian law after
a petition demanding citizenship for the diaspora
gathered 200,000 signatures.
Ferenc Gyurcsany, the Socialist Prime Minister, has
called for a “no” vote. He told The Times recently:
“It will reshape Hungarian social life, but it will
also reshape the situation of the Hungarian minorities
abroad who will be told by Romanians and Serbs: ‘You
are Hungarian citizens? What do you want here? Don’t
you think you should go home?’”
A “yes” vote, if endorsed by Parliament, which has the
final say, would make all Magyars outside the borders
eligible for a Hungarian passport, and thus to the
right of free travel throughout the EU. But they would
not automatically receive Hungarian identity cards and
the right to vote.
Fidesz, led by Viktor Orban, the former Prime
Minister, has been campaigning hard for a “yes” vote.
Fidesz has produced 3.5 million copies of Igen Magazin
(Yes Magazine), to be distributed to every household
in the country.
The debate between the two sides has been bitter. The
Government has raised fears of a mass influx of
immigrants who would then have to be housed and fed
from the public purse.
Supporters of a “yes” vote yesterday called for white
signs or bedsheets to be hung in every window, with a
large Igen (yes) painted on them. Opponents circulated
photographs over the internet of a group of swarthy,
badly dressed men raising their glasses in celebration
with the phrase Szilvesterkor egyutt leszunk (We will
be together on New Year’s Eve).
Even those who would be given citizenship are divided.
Attila Cseh, 43, a building contractor living in
Targul Secuiesc, Transylvania, says: “I am against
this. I tell you frankly, those who wanted to move to
Hungary have already done so. Those who do not will
stay in their homes. Dual citizenship will be taken
advantage of by people who won’t want to work and only
line up for the dole.”
But Istvan Kovacs, 25, a construction worker from
Horgos, in Serbia Montenegro, just south of the
Hungarian border, said: “I am hoping people will vote
yes. I myself and a lot of people I know will not make
the move but it’s good to know, especially if you have
had problems from the Serbs, that you can cross the
border officially.”
Despite the prospect of more than a million non-EU
citizens being granted EU passports, the European
Union has stepped back from the fray. “This is not an
issue at the political level, as few of the ethnic
Hungarians are actually likely to move to Hungary. The
numbers are not significant,” one diplomatic source
said. “The sensitivities are more about presentation,
and the message it sends to those member states who
are considering lifting the restrictions on workers
from the new member states. There are also questions
over the type of passport that will be issued, and how
this will work once Hungary joins the Schengen zone.”
For those who plan to vote “no”, the referendum
conjures unwelcome memories of the far-Right
irredentist campaigns of the inter-war era that sought
to reverse the Treaty of Trianon. Gabriella Kovacs, a
teacher, said: “I am very angry about this. I would
vote “no” 15 times if I could. The conservative press
presents this as an issue of the Hungarian soul, but
they use the same language as they did in the 1930s.
This is about the borders that were decided at
Trianon.”
But ethnic Hungarians already living in Budapest
reject such claims.
Ildiko Andras, 34, left Tirgu Mures in Romania in 1990
and now works as a business consultant. She said:
“There is no danger of a flood and even if they do
come it will benefit Hungary, as they will be young
and educated people who want to work. It is important
for the Hungarians abroad to feel they belong to the
mother nation.”
But neighbouring countries do not share the hands-off
attitude of the EU. Adrian Nastase, the Prime Minister
of Romania, views it as interference in his country’s
internal affairs. “We do not like Fidesz or other
political forces in Hungary playing on Romanian
territory. If they want to play elections in Hungary,
it is all right, but they should do that without
getting Romanian citizens involved.”
Slovakia has also threatened to protest to the EU if
Hungary grants citizenship to its ethnic Magyar
minority.
Mr Gyurcsany said: “It means you open the window and
you don’t know what will come through.”
---
http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2004/12/05/news/
hung.html
Uneasy echo in Hungary
By Nicholas Wood International Herald Tribune
Monday, December 6, 2004
ORADEA, Romania Like it or not, Frenc Alafi could become a European
Union passport holder sooner than he had expected. The 43-year-old
tailor from this city situated just inside Romania's Hungarian border
is among at least two and half million ethnic Hungarians who could be
offered dual citizenship by Hungary, depending on the results of a
referendum held Sunday in that country.
If approved, the Hungarian ballot could give Alafi, and tens of
thousands like him, visa-free travel throughout the European Union, the
prospect of better-paid jobs and, perhaps more controversially, a sense
of national unity that Hungarians have not seen in 74 years.
"I am 100 percent Hungarian, and it is quite hard for me to realize how
we can be separated," said Alafi, referring to the estimated one and
half million ethnic Hungarians living in Romania. Romania is to join
the EU in 2007, but apart from giving him access to an EU member
state's passport ahead of time, he said dual nationality would give him
a sense of belonging once again to the "motherland."
But just as the referendum has encouraged a feeling of national pride
among ethnic Hungarians throughout central Europe, it also has created
unease among many people, Alafi included, reviving memories of the
empire Hungary once had.
The ballot is the project of the World Federation of Hungarians, an
organization that fights for ethnic Hungarian rights, and has the
support of the main Hungarian opposition party, the conservative Young
Democrats-Civic Party. The two groups succeeded in gathering 200,000
signatures required for a national referendum. At the same time a
proposal to stop the privatization of hospitals is also being
considered.
Final results were not expected to be announced for several days. But
the measure appeared likely to be invalidated because of low voter
turnout, the national election office said late Sunday night, after
more than 90 percent of the votes had been counted.
Whatever the results, most observers agree the vote has stirred up an
uncomfortable debate between Hungary and its neighbors.
Until 1920 Hungarians were united under the Austro-Hungarian Empire,
but the victors of World War I broke up the empire and Hungarians found
themselves in eight separate states.
The largest group, around 1.5 million, lives in Romania.
About 600,000 Hungarians are in Slovakia, 300,000 in Serbia and
possibly 200,000 in Ukraine. Smaller numbers are in Croatia, Slovenia
and Austria.
Talk of the re-unification of Hungarian lands has been raised by
nationalists, particularly in the inter-war years.
Most observers here acknowlege, however, that this latest proposal has
nothing to do with territorial pretensions, and more to do with
Hungary's internal politics. Nevertheless, many of those who would
benefit from the dual nationality say the proposal has put them in a
difficult position.
"I know I would benefit, but what about the people I live with," said
Alafi, referring to his Romanian neighbors.
According to Mark Percival, director of the Romanian Think Tank, a
political research center in Bucharest, Alafi's concern is a common one.
"Many Hungarians are not happy about it, and are worried about the
reflection it will have on them," he said, and that it could create
what he called an "irrational fear" in territories that were once part
of the Hapsburg Empire.
Before the Romanian elections held last week, Romania's prime minister,
Adrian Nastase, warned his government would react "very hard" to any
attempt to revive the spirit of the 19th century.
Conversely, the leader of the Young Democrats-Civic Party, the former
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, implied Hungary risked cutting
itself off from its ethnic kin if the referendum failed. He said a "no"
vote would erect a psychological barrier that might "turn out to be
more impenetrable than the Berlin Wall."
Opinion polls conducted by the main Hungarian political party, the
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, here show the majority of
the community here would like dual nationality. The idea is also
popular in Serbia where there has been a recent increase in reported
attacks on ethnic Hungarians, as well as in Ukraine.
However, members of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
are critical about the way the issue has been tackled.
"The referendum would not have been necessary had the Hungarians passed
a law on dual citizenship" and held negotiations with neighboring
governments, said Peter Lakatos, the leader of the alliance.
Copyright © 2004 The International Herald Tribune
GRANDE UNGHERIA
1. DOPPIA CITTADINANZA
Un grimaldello per annettersi una buona fetta della popolazione della
Vojvodina, e non solo...
2. BREVI
3. WAHNSINN
Deutschland unterstützt die neuerliche Zuspitzung der ungarischen
Ethno-Politik und erhofft sich weitere Vorteile für seine
Minderheitenarbeit in Osteuropa...
(La Germania sostiene la nuova aggressivita' della etno-politica
ungherese e spera attraverso di essa di procacciarsi ulteriori vantaggi
per il proprio lavoro sulle minoranze nell'Europa orientale...)
4. In english:
- Habsburg legacy haunts EU (The Times)
- Uneasy echo in Hungary (International Herald Tribune)
=== 1 ===
Fonte: http://www.ansa.it/balcani
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM SU DOPPIA CITTADINANZA OLTREFRONTIERA
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 29 OTT - Gli elettori ungheresi voteranno il 5
dicembre prossimo su due quesiti referendari: la doppia cittadinanza
degli ungheresi oltre frontiera e il divieto della privatizzazione
degli ospedali ed ambulatori. La data dei referendum e' stata fissata
oggi dal presidente dell'Ungheria, Ferenc Madl. Il referendum sulla
doppia cittadinanza oltre frontiera e' stato chiesto dall'Associazione
mondiale degli ungheresi, che hanno raccolto le 200mila firme
necessarie. Oltre 3,5 milioni di ungheresi vivono attualmente nei paesi
confinanti - Romania, Slovacchia, Ucraina, Serbia. All'origine di
queste concentrazioni, il collasso della monarchia austro-ungarica dopo
il 1918, quando l'Ungheria perse due terzi del suo territorio. La
proposta di dare la cittadinanza, e quindi il passaporto del paese agli
ungheresi di oltre frontiera e' molto discussa dai partiti e
dall'opinione pubblica in Ungheria, e non e' benvista dai paesi
confinanti. L'Ungheria e la Slovacchia fanno gia' parte dell'Ue, mentre
la Romania dovrebbe entrare nel 2007. L'Ucraina non consente la doppia
cittadinanza. (ANSA). COR-QI
29/10/2004 15:50
UNGHERIA: DOPPIA CITTADINANZA, DIBATTITO SI ACCENDE
(di Peter Magyar) (ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 11 NOV - Rancori e sentimenti
nazionali, ma anche interessi concreti sono parte integrante in
Ungheria del dibattito sempre piu' acceso in vista della consultazione
popolare fra 25 giorni sulla doppia cittadinanza da accordare ai 2,5
milioni ungheresi di oltre frontiere.
A tre quarti di secolo dalla fine della prima guerra mondiale, concluso
da un armistizio proprio l'11 novembre 1918, e dopo l'adesione
dell'Ungheria alla Nato ed all'Unione Europea, il tema ha riportato in
superficie sentimenti legati alla storia millenaria nel Paese magiaro.
Secondo sondaggi pubblicati oggi dal quotidiano ungherese Nepszabadsag,
il 55% degli elettori al momento e' favorevole, il 33% contrario ed il
12% indeciso in tema di doppia nazionalita'.
L'iniziativa che ha portato al referendum del 5 dicembre e' dell'
Associazione mondiale degli ungheresi, un'organizzazione civica, che i
partiti di centrodestra appoggiano pienamente, facendo campagna per il
si', mentre la coalizione governativa (centrosinistra) ha chiamato i
suoi elettori a votare no. ''Si tratta anche di soldi, non solo di
responsabilita' storica verso la nazione'' - ha detto in un intervista
il nuovo primo ministro, Ferenc Gyurcsany.
Il governo calcola che la cittadinanza doppia (per gli esponenti delle
minoranze ungherese nei Paesi limitrofi, soprattutto Serbia, Romania e
Slovacchia) costera' 537 miliardi di forint (2,2 miliardi di euro) allo
Stato ungherese per l'aumento delle spese per l'istruzione, per la
sanita', pensione, sussidi di disoccupazione, sovvenzioni per la casa.
Come controproposta, il governo propone un passaporto speciale per dare
agli ungheresi all'estero la possibilita' di ingresso privilegiato in
Ungheria, rimuovendo tutti gli ostacoli burocratici come negli accordi
per il piccolo traffico di frontiera.
La proposta e' venuta dalla Commissione europea, ma non e' stata ancora
approvata dal Parlamento europeo.Inoltre con un capitale di partenza di
4 milioni di euro dovrebe essere istutito un 'Fondo patriottico' per il
sostegno delle minoranze ugnheresi all'estero. Il governo si impegna a
onorare con la stessa cifra tutti i contributi privati raccolti dal
fondo.
Altri 80 milioni di euro saranno destinati a creare posti di lavoro
nelle zone abitate dagli ungheresi oppure ad appoggiare le imprese di
ungheresi in quelle aree. Sul tema una riunione del governo con i
rappresentasti delle organizzazioni all'estero si svolgera' domani a
Budapest.
Viktor Orban, il leader dell'opposizione di destra dice che gli
elettori ungheresi ''dovranno decidere se vogliono dare un pezzo di
liberta' agli ungheresi di oltre frontiera, ed ogni cittadino onesto
non potra' dire che si' a questa domanda''.
Orban nega che la doppia cittadinanza comportera' spese nuove, ma i
giuristi del governo rispondono che non potranno esistere due tipi di
cittadinanza ungherese, uno per i cittadini ''veri'' e un' altra per
quelli oltre frontiera. ''Ci sono diritti e benefici sociali che vanno
a tutti i cittadini, e Orban dovrebbe saperlo'' gli ha risposto
Gyurcsany, che ha anche ricordato come il governo Orban (premier dal
1998 al 2002) non abbia mai appoggiato la proposta di doppia
cittadinanza.
Un altro argomento favorevole al no sarebbe, secondo i sondaggi, il
calcolo che almeno il 15% degli ungheresi in Romania, Ucraina e Serbia
si trasferirebbe subito in Ungheria in caso di cittadinanza automatica,
percentuale che fra i giovani potrebbe raggiungere il 90%.
''Il nostro obiettivo e' di conservare la lingua e la cultura ungherese
anche in Transilvania (ora parte della Romania), e tutelare i diritti
della minoranza ungherese, non lo svuotamento di questa regione''
dicono coloro che temono l'ondata indesiderata degli ungheresi oltre
frontiera, e ricordano come la Slovacchia e l'Ungheria facciano gia'
parte dell'Ue, mentre la Romania vi entrera' presto (prevedibilmente
dal 2007): cosi' la liberta di movimento sara' totale, e la doppia
cittadinanza non avra' piu' senso.
L'Ucraina invece non la consente per legge, cosi' il referendum
interessa veramente solo gli ungheresi della Voivodina in Serbia (300
mila persone), attaccati nella loro terra dai nazionalisti serbi. ''La
cittadinanza doppia non e' la soluzione per i problemi dei nostri
connazionali in Serbia, bisogna fare in modo che possano rimanere nella
loro terra natale'' ha detto Vilmos Szabo, sottosegretario della
Presidenza del consiglio di Budapest, responsabile per gli ungheresi
d'oltre frontiera. (ANSA). COR*STE 11/11/2004 15:58
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM, GOVERNO RITIRA INVITO A VOTARE ''NO''
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 23 NOV - Il primo ministro dell'Ungheria, Ferenc
Gyurcsany, in un'intervista alla radio pubblica ha dichiarato di ''non
voler piu' influenzare'' la volonta' degli elettori per l'imminente
referendum nazionale del 5 dicembre sulla doppia nazionalita' e sulla
privatizzazione del servizio nazionale. Finora il governo aveva fatto
campagna a favore del ''no'' ad ambedue le domande del referendum,
cioe' alla proposta di dare la doppia cittadinanza agli ungheresi
d'oltre frontiera e al divieto di privatizzare il servizio sanitario.
L'opposizione di centrodestra fa campagna intensa per un doppio si'. I
sondaggi prevedono molti astensioni, con l'affluenza che dovrebbe
toccare minimi storici, tuttavia sembra che andranno a votare in
maggioranza i sostenitori del si'. Secondo il premier Gyurcsany il
referendum e' diventato ''una trappola per tutti''. ''Non esiste una
riposta buona a domande mal poste. Qualsisasi sia il risultato, saranno
molti i perdenti'' ha detto, rammaricandosi che l'opposizione di destra
non abbia chiarito ancora come intende formulare la legge che dara'
eventualmente la doppia cittadinanza a 2,5 milioni di ungheresi che non
vivono nel paese, con tutte le conseguenze che cio' comportera'. In
Ungheria, su una superficie di poco inferiore ad un terzo dell'Italia,
vivono attualmente circa dieci milioni di abitanti. (ANSA). COR*STE
23/11/2004 17:05
UNGHERIA: DOMENICA ALLE URNE PER DOPPIO REFERENDUM
(di Peter Magyar)
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 4 DIC - Circa 8 milioni di elettori sono chiamati a
votare domani in Ungheria per due referendum: uno riguarda la doppia
cittadinanza per gli ungheresi all'estero, soprattutto quelli che
vivono in Slovacchia, Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, mentre il secondo e'
sulla privatizzazione o meno degli ospedali. Il voto e' un test
cruciale per il nuovo primo ministro socialista Ferenc Gyurcsany che
affronta per la prima volta in questa consultazione elettorale il
leader carismatico della destra, l'ex primo ministro Viktor Orban.
In una campagna accesa, non priva di toni populistici, Orban ha chiesto
di rispondere si' alle due domande sulla scheda, mentre Gyurcsany ha
consigliato agli elettori di votare no o astenersi, perche ''a domande
mal poste non si puo' dare una risposta chiara''.
La destra fa appello ai sentimenti nazionali degli ungheresi: secondo
il capo dello Stato, Ferenc Madl (conservatore), una vittoria del si'
sarebbe addirittura ''una riparazione dell' ingiustizia storica'',
subita nel 1920 con il trattato del Trianon che tolse all'Ungheria due
terzi del territorio.
Attualmente in Slovacchia, Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, vivono circa
2,5-3 milioni di ungheresi che aspettano ''un segno di accettazione da
parte della madrepatria''. Secondo gli analisti, la vittoria del si'
giochera' a favore di Orban, in quanto gli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera
- una volta cittadini ungheresi - potranno votare a suo favore nel
2006, aiutandolo a riconquistare il potere contro i socialisti. Il voto
sara' valido se almeno il 50% degli elettori partecipera' oppure - in
assenza del quorum - almeno il 25% degli aventi diritto al voto avra'
scelto il si' o il no.
I sondaggi prevedono un'affluenza bassa (inferiore al 40%), ma e'
probabile che il si' si aggiudichi il 25%, cioe' due milioni di voti.
In caso della vittoria del si', il parlamento sara' obbligato a
promulgare una legge (da approvare con la maggioranza dei due terzi)
che accordera' la cittadinanza agli ungheresi che lo domandano, anche
se risiedono all'estero, in qualsiasi parte del mondo.
I socialisti e gli alleati di governo chiedono di votare no, perche' le
conseguenze del si', dicono, sono ''imprevedibili''. Si puo' temere
un'ondata di immigrazione con aumento oltre misura delle spese per
l'istruzione, per la sanita', pensione, sussidi di disoccupazione,
sovvenzioni per la casa. Inoltre si teme una reazione degli governi dei
paesi vicini.
Adrian Nastase, primo ministro (e forse futuro presidente) romeno ha
gia definito ''insensata'' la doppia cittadinanza per gli ungheresi ora
cittadini romeni, ed ha minacciato che la Romania potrebbe togliere la
cittadinanza a quelli che chiederanno quella ungherese. Politici
ungheresi hanno protestato per l'interferenza di Nastase nella campagna
in Ungheria, ma Gyurcsany ha riconosciuto che la vittoria del si'
potra' aumentare la tensione fra Budapest e i paesi vicini (anche la
Slovacchia intende fare passi del caso). ''C'e da temere l'insorgenza
del nazionalismo nella regione, abbiamo visto quale risultato ha dato
questo nell'ex Jugoslavia, i conflitti etnici non hanno dato nessun
buon risultato da nessuna parte'' - ha detto Gyurcsany.
Non e' privo di conflitti nemmeno l'altro argomento del referendum. La
destra populista argomenta che la privatizzazione degli ospedali e
degli enti sanitari pubblici ''mettera' in pericolo il servizio per
tutti'', mentre la sinistra si aspetta dal capitale privato un
miglioramento nel servizio sanitario, adesso molto carente, con fonti
insufficienze.(ANSA). COR-STE
04/12/2004 15:05
UNGHERIA: DUE REFERENDUM, NON VALIDI PER BASSA AFFLUENZA
(ANSA-AFP) - BUDAPEST, 5 DIC - I due referendum svoltisi oggi in
Ungheria, sulla concessione della doppia cittadinanza agli ungheresi
all'estero - soprattutto quelli che vivono in Slovacchia, Romania,
Ucraina e Serbia - e sulla privatizzazione degli ospedali non sono
validi data la troppo scarsa partecipazione popolare. Lo ha reso noto
in serata la Commissione elettorale centrale a Budapest. La legge
elettorale prevede che, perche' un referendum sia valido, debba recarsi
alle urne almeno il 50 per cento degli aventi diritto o, in
alternativa, almeno il 25 per cento si pronunci per il si' o per il no.
Secondo dati non ancora definitivi, la partecipazione e' stata del 40
per cento circa. Al referendum sulla doppia nazionalita' per gli
ungheresi che vivono all'estero, quando il 75 per cento delle schede
erano state scrutinate, il si' e il no erano circa alla pari con una
leggerissima maggioranza per il si' (cosi' risicata da non consentire
di arrivare al quorum del 25 per cento degli aventi diritto). Piu'
netto il vantaggio del si' per il referendum in cui si chiedeva che la
privatizzazione degli ospedali venisse sospesa. Il voto era considerato
un test cruciale per il nuovo primo ministro socialista Ferenc
Gyurcsany che affrontava per la prima volta in questa consultazione
elettorale il leader carismatico della destra, l'ex primo ministro
Viktor Orban. In una campagna accesa, non priva di toni populistici,
Orban ha chiesto di rispondere si' alle due domande sulla scheda,
mentre Gyurcsany ha consigliato agli elettori di votare no o astenersi,
perche' ''a domande mal poste non si puo' dare una risposta chiara''.
La destra faceva appello ai sentimenti nazionali degli ungheresi:
secondo il capo dello Stato, Ferenc Madl (conservatore), una vittoria
del si' sarebbe stata addirittura ''una riparazione dell' ingiustizia
storica'', subita nel 1920 con il trattato del Trianon che tolse
all'Ungheria due terzi del territorio. Attualmente in Slovacchia,
Romania, Ucraina e Serbia, vivono circa 2,5-3 milioni di ungheresi che
aspettano ''un segno di accettazione da parte della madrepatria''.
Secondo gli analisti, la vittoria del si' avrebbe giocato a favore di
Orban, in quanto si ritiene che gli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera - una
volta cittadini ungheresi - simpatizzino in maggioranza per lui.
(ANSA-AFP) TF
05/12/2004 21:33
UNGHERIA: REFERENDUM, PREMIER GYURCSANY FELICE PER RISULTATO
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 6 DIC - ''E' fallita l'iniziativa di chi voleva
ottenere vantaggi elettorali dagli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera: gli
elettori hanno scelto un patriottismo responsabile''. Cosi' il premier
ungherese Ferenc Gyurcsany ha commentato il mancato raggiungimento del
quorum nei due quesiti del referendum svoltosi ieri, una circostanza
vista dagli osservatori come una vittoria del premier sul leader dei
conservatori Viktor Orban. Gli ungheresi dovevano decidere se dare la
doppia nazionalita' alle persone di lingua ungherese che vivono
all'estero (soprattutto alle minoranze magiare di Ucraina, Serbia e
Romania, cioe' di Stati che ancora non fanno parte dell'Unione europea)
e se bloccare il processo gia' avviato di privatizzazione degli enti
ospedalieri. Al referendum di domenica l'affluenza complessiva e' stata
del 37% (3 milioni voti espressi su 8 milioni di aventi diritto). I si'
al divieto di privatizzazione degli ospedali sono stati il 25% dei
votanti, per la doppia cittadinanza il 51,5%. In assenza del quorum
superiore al 50% a rendere valido il referendum sarebbe stato
necessario, in alternativa, avere almeno 2 milioni di voti (25% degli
aventi diritto) a favore di una risposta. Ma cio' non e' avvenuto in
nessuno dei due casi. I dirigenti della destra hanno preso atto del
risultato, e sottolineano che il si' per la doppia cittadinanza ha
ricevuto comunque piu' voti (51,5%) del no (48,5%). I leader dei
partiti e le associazioni degli ungheresi in Slovacchia, Romania e
Serbia invece hanno accolto il risultato con grande rammarico. ''Gli
elettori ungheresi hanno accreditato il trattato di Trianon (concluso
alla fine della I guerra mondiale e che tolse vari territori
all'Ungheria sconfitta)'' ha detto Miklos Duray, vicepresidente del
Partito ungherese in Slovacchia, mentre Bela Marko, presidente
dell'Unione democratica degli ungheresi in Romania ha detto che il
problema della doppia cittadinanza dovra' essere riaffrontato in
qualche modo perche' gli ungheresi della Transilvania ci contano molto.
Jozsef Kasza, sindaco di Subotica (Serbia) invece da' la colpa ai
promotori del referendum, perche' ''hanno portato la questione in un
vicolo cieco''. Gyurcsany ha promesso comunque che il suo governo si
impegnera' per una politica nuova verso gli ungheresi d'oltre
frontiera, aumentando le risorse di aiuto e appoggiando meglio le loro
richieste per un'autonomia dei loro territori natali, nonche' per una
politica di riforma della sanita' pubblica in Ungheria. (ANSA). COR*STE
06/12/2004 17:15
UNGHERIA: CITTADINANZA, PER ALCUNI SARA' PIU' FACILE AVERLA
(ANSA) - BUDAPEST, 9 DIC - Il governo di Budapest intende facilitare il
riconoscimento della cittadinanza agli ungheresi d'oltre frontiera, in
caso di trasferimento in Ungheria ed il primo ministro Ferenc Gyurcsany
ha incaricato il ministro della Giustizia di elaborare una modifica
della legge in questo senso. L'iniziativa di Gyurcsany si spiega con le
condizioni pesanti imposte dalla legge attuale, una procedura che dura
uno o due anni. Proprio per ovviare alle difficolta' la scorsa
settimana si era svolto un referendum popolare, su richiesta della
destra, che pero' e' fallito per mancanza del quorum di votanti. Anche
se il referendum di domenica scorsa che ha spaccato in due il paese
sulla questione della doppia cittadinanza per gli ungheresi residenti
oltre frontiera non ha dato un risultato valido, tuttavia l'opposizione
di destra non molla, e insiste nel voler dare la cittadinanza anche ai
non residenti in Ungheria, come ''gesto di riparazione per il trattato
del Trianon'' (il trattato, considerato ingiusto dall'Ungheria che nel
1920 ha perso due terzi del territorio ungherese come conseguenza della
sconfitta nella Prima guerra mondiale). Il presidente della Repubblica,
Ferenc Madl, (conservatore) ha chiesto questa modifica in una lettera
indirizzata al presidente della Camera dei deputati, e la presidente
del Foro democratico (Mdf, opposizione) Ibolya David ha chiesto al
Parlamento di fare una legge con questo contenuto fino al 15 marzo
prossimo. ''Se il Parlamento non sara' capace di fare questa legge,
dovra' sciogliersi'' ha minacciato David. (ANSA). COR*STE 09/12/2004
14:18
=== 2 ===
L'SRS e i RV condannano la rinascita del nazismo in
Vojvodina
NOVI SAD - Il Partito Radicale Serbo (SRS) e i Riformisti di Vojvodina
(RV) condannano fermamente la rinascita del nazismo in Vojvodina.
Secondo il SRS, una riunione di seguaci dell'organizzazione di quisling
ungherese basata a Budapest, che occupò la Vojvodina durante la Seconda
Guerra Mondiale, è stata tenuta il 7 maggio come aveva annunciato il
giornale Magyar Szo, e i suoi rappresentati hanno tenuto una conferenza
stampa giovedì e distribuito volantini che mostravano nuovi confini che
penetravano all'interno della provincia del nord della Serbia; il
Movimento Giovanile delle 64 Contee ha avuto un meeting giovedì.
http://www.tanjug.co.yu/ - Tanjug - 28 maggio 2004
(Traduzione di AL, revisione a cura del CNJ)
---
Canak: La Serbia ha già dato il suo consenso all'indipendenza del Kosovo
Lo Speaker della Assemblea della Vojvodina Nenad Canak [separatista,
appartenente alla coalizione filo-occidentale DOS] ha detto che
Belgrado ha già dato l'assenso all'indipendenza del Kosovo per il 2006.
Secondo l'informazione che ho avuto da fonti diplomatiche, ha detto, lo
scenario per l'indipendenza del Kosovo per il giugno 2006 già esiste.
Data la fonte di tale informazione, che non posso rivelare, credo che
questo scenario sia assai realistico.
Secondo la controversa dichiarazione del politico vojvodino, il Governo
Serbo sarebbe stato informato del piano e sarebbe pronto a dare il suo
consenso, ma adesso starebbe provando a mantenere lontano ciò dalla
pubblica opinione per continuare a vendere le sue favole sulla
integrità territoriale della Serbia.
Beta / Apis Group - Belgrado 26 Giugno 2004
(Traduzione di AL, revisione a cura del CNJ)
---
SLOVACCHIA: PARLAMENTO RESPINGE USO UNGHERESE NELLE SEDUTE
(ANSA) - BRATISLAVA, 21 OTT - Si respira aria di crisi nel governo
slovacco dopo che ieri il Parlamento di Bratislava ha respinto una
proposta di legge avanzata dal Partito della coalizione ungherese (Smk,
fa parte del governo di centrodestra) di utilizzare anche l'ungherese
come lingua ufficiale in Parlamento. ''Siamo molto delusi per quanto e'
successo e credo sia emblematico di quelli che sono i rapporti
all'interno della coalizione di governo'' ha detto il rappresentante
del Smk Gyulia Bardos al quotidiano slovacco 'Sme' a proposito del
fatto che solo un esponente del governo del premier
cristiano-democratico Mikulas Dzurinda abbia votato a favore della
proposta, insieme con tre deputati dell'opposizione. Anche il
costituzionalista Peter Kresak ritiene che sia un diritto per i
deputati ungheresi poter parlare la loro lingua in Parlamento: ''Fino
al 1996 questa possibilita' era contemplata e non credo davvero che ne
sia stato fatto un abuso da parte dei deputati ungheresi''. Il partito
della coalizione ungherese (Smk), espressione della folta minoranza
ungherese ancora presente in Slovacchia (rappresenta il 9,7%
dell'intera popolazione) fa parte della coalizione di centro destra al
governo dal 1998 e nelle ultime elezioni del 2003 ha ottenuto l'11,16
per cento dei voti aggiudicandosi 20 dei 150 seggi del Parlamento
unicamerale slovacco.(ANSA). RED*STE
21/10/2004 16:40
=== 3 ===
http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1102546943.php
09.12.2004
Wahnsinn
BUDAPEST/BERLIN (Eigener Bericht) - Deutschland unterstützt die
neuerliche Zuspitzung der ungarischen Ethno-Politik und erhofft sich
weitere Vorteile für seine Minderheitenarbeit in Osteuropa. Dort
propagiert Berlin ein völkisches Blutsrecht, das aus deutschsprachigen
Staatsbürgern ,,Auslandsdeutsche" macht, sofern sie eine deutschblütige
Abstammung nachweisen können. Als Schutzmacht der ,,Volksgruppen" tritt
Berlin auf. Nach diesem deutschen Vorbild plant Budapest neue
Sonderrechte für Ungarisch sprechende Minoritäten in den Nachbarstaaten
(,,Auslandsungarn"). Zuvor war ein Referendum gescheitert, das den rund
2,5 Millionen ,,Auslandsungarn" ungarische Pässe zusprechen und sie
Budapest direkt unterstellen sollte. Die ungarische
,,Volksgruppen"-Politik wird zum Teil in unmittelbarer Abstimmung mit
Berlin umgesetzt. Maßgebliche ungarische Politiker deuten an, ihre
ethnizistische Auslandsarbeit diene einer Revision der Pariser
Friedensverträge.
Am vergangenen Sonntag ist das Referendum, mit dem die Bevölkerung
Ungarns über die Verleihung der ungarischen Staatsbürgerschaft an die
,,Auslandsungarn" entschied, an zu geringer Wahlbeteiligung
gescheitert. Als hauptsächliche Ursache gilt die verbreitete
Befürchtung, die ,,Auslandsungarn" könnten die neue Staatsbürgerschaft
nutzen, um in großer Zahl aus Rumänien oder der Ukraine nach Ungarn
überzusiedeln, und damit den Wohnungs- und Arbeitsmarkt zum
Zusammenbrechen bringen. Das Referendum hatte massive Proteste in der
Slowakei und Rumänien hervorgerufen, deren Ungarisch sprechende
Bürgerinnen und Bürger mit der neuen Staatsbürgerschaft der Regierung
in Budapest unterstellt worden wären; der rumänische Ministerpräsident
Adrian Nastase bezeichnete die mögliche doppelte Staatsbürgerschaft als
,,Wahnsinn".1) Die geplante Regelung entspricht der Praxis Berlins, das
inzwischen allein in der Tschechischen Republik 60.000 deutsche
Personalausweise vergeben hat.2)
Sonderpass, Heimatland-Fonds
Die ungarische Regierung plant nun, den ,,Auslandsungarn" auf andere
Weise zu Sonderrechten zu verhelfen und damit die völkische Subversion
in den Nachbarstaaten zu verschärfen. Im Gespräch ist ein
,,Sonderpass", der den ,,Auslandsungarn" die ungehinderte Einreise in
das ,,Mutterland" ermöglichen und damit ihre Bindung an Budapest
festigen soll. Neben dem ,,Sonderpass", der mit Brüssel abgestimmt ist,
will Ungarn mit einem neuen ,,Heimatland-Fonds" die Tätigkeit der
,,ungarischen Volksgruppen" unterstützen. Der ,,Heimatland-Fonds" soll
ein Startkapital von rund vier Millionen Euro umfassen, die Regierung
sichert zu, jede Spende mit einer Summe in gleicher Höhe zu ergänzen.
Mit 80 Millionen Euro will Budapest die Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen in
Gebieten fördern, die von ,,Auslandsungarn" bewohnt werden.3)
Kampagne
Die geplanten Regelungen entsprechen in hohem Maße den Methoden, mit
denen Berlin die ,,deutschen Volksgruppen" in den Nachbarstaaten
unterstützt. Auch praktisch kooperieren Berlin und Budapest bei der
Durchsetzung ihrer Ethno-Politik innerhalb der Europäischen Union.4)
Erst kürzlich hatten Vertreter der im deutschen Flensburg ansässigen
,,Föderalistischen Union Europäischer Volksgruppen" (FUEV) mit dem
ungarischen Staatssekretär für Minderheitenfragen, Vilmos Szabo, eine
gemeinsame Kampagne vereinbart. Zu dem Treffen, das im ,,Amt für Ungarn
außerhalb der Landesgrenzen" stattfand, war neben einem Vertreter der
rumänischen Regierung auch der Ministerialrat im Bundesinnenministerium
Detlev Rein eingeladen.5) Von einer Erweiterung der Sonderrechte der
,,Auslandsungarn" würden auch die deutschsprachigen Minderheiten in den
Nachbarstaaten der Bundesrepublik profitieren, da sie dieselben
Sonderrechte für sich in Anspruch nehmen könnten.
Revision
Ungarns konservative Opposition führt die Radikalisierung der
völkischen Politik einen Schritt weiter und verlangt, trotz des
gescheiterten Referendums die ungarische Staatsbürgerschaft an die
,,Auslandsungarn" zu verleihen. Zur Planung der Verwaltungsmodalitäten
sollten diese nach Budapest einberufen werden, verlangt der
Oppositionschef und ehemalige Ministerpräsident Viktor Orbán6); von
einer eventuellen Abstimmung mit den betroffenen Nachbarstaaten ist
nicht die Rede. Nach der ,,Rückgabe" der Staatsbürgerschaft könne
Ungarn wieder ,,eine stolze und starke Nation werden", erklärt Orban.7)
Er spielt damit auf eine Revision der Pariser Friedensverträge an, die
darauf abzielten, die Aggressoren des Ersten Weltkriegs (Deutschland
und Österreich-Ungarn) von einem erneuten Angriff abzuhalten. Der
Ungarn betreffende Teil der Verträge wurde 1920 abgeschlossen und
übertrug mehrere Gebiete Ungarns den Nachbarländern. Vor dem jetzt
abgehaltenen Referendum waren in Ungarn Plakate zu sehen, die das Land
in den Grenzen von 1919 zeigten.8) Bereits im vergangenen Jahr hatte
ein Mitarbeiter Orbans die Autonomiebestrebungen der ,,Auslandsungarn"
in einen Zusammenhang mit blutigen Exzessen im Kosovo gestellt und
doppeldeutig erklärt: ,,Wir sehen jedoch, dass diejenigen, die sich
nicht scheuten, zu Waffen und Gewalt zu greifen, binnen viel, viel
kürzerer Zeit viel mehr erreichen konnten als wir".9)
1) Volksabstimmung: Niederlage für Auslandsungarn; Die Presse 07.12.2004
2) s. dazu Berlin ruft ,,Auslandsdeutsche" an die Urnen
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1031474030.php%5d
3) ,,Sonderpass" für Auslandsungarn; Der Standard 12.11.2004
4) s. auch Deutschland - Ungarn: ,,Spiel mit der völkischen Karte"
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1012863600.php%5d
und Besser als wir
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1075158000.php%5d
sowie Sonderstellung
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1084661498.php%5d
5) s. dazu ,,Begegnung der Völker"
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1100744308.php%5d
6) Ungarn zeigen Referendum die kalte Schulter; taz 07.12.2004
7) Nationalisten setzen auf Auslands-Ungarn; Frankfurter Rundschau
04.12.2004
8) Referendum in Ungarn gescheitert; Neues Deutschland 07.12.2004
9) s. dazu Wert der Waffen
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1074207600.php%5d
s. auch Déja vu
[http://www.german-foreign-policy.com/de/news/article/1093039200.php%5d
Informationen zur Deutschen Außenpolitik
© www.german-foreign-policy.com
=== 4 ===
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/decani/message/85393
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1387579,00.html
THE TIMES (London)
December 04, 2004
Habsburg legacy haunts EU
From Adam LeBor in Budapest
THE spirit of the Habsburg Empire will hover over
central Europe as Hungarians vote tomorrow on a
proposal to offer citizenship to three million of
their ethnic brethren across the borders.
The plan has split the country down the middle,
angered its neighbours and raised the prospect of an
influx of Magyars to the EU, which Hungary joined just
seven months ago.
But to groups like Fidesz, the right-wing opposition
party, it is seen as a way to right the wrongs of the
1920 Treaty of Trianon, which reduced Hungary’s
territory by almost two thirds as the old
Austro-Hungarian Empire was dismantled after the First
World War.
The referendum was triggered under Hungarian law after
a petition demanding citizenship for the diaspora
gathered 200,000 signatures.
Ferenc Gyurcsany, the Socialist Prime Minister, has
called for a “no” vote. He told The Times recently:
“It will reshape Hungarian social life, but it will
also reshape the situation of the Hungarian minorities
abroad who will be told by Romanians and Serbs: ‘You
are Hungarian citizens? What do you want here? Don’t
you think you should go home?’”
A “yes” vote, if endorsed by Parliament, which has the
final say, would make all Magyars outside the borders
eligible for a Hungarian passport, and thus to the
right of free travel throughout the EU. But they would
not automatically receive Hungarian identity cards and
the right to vote.
Fidesz, led by Viktor Orban, the former Prime
Minister, has been campaigning hard for a “yes” vote.
Fidesz has produced 3.5 million copies of Igen Magazin
(Yes Magazine), to be distributed to every household
in the country.
The debate between the two sides has been bitter. The
Government has raised fears of a mass influx of
immigrants who would then have to be housed and fed
from the public purse.
Supporters of a “yes” vote yesterday called for white
signs or bedsheets to be hung in every window, with a
large Igen (yes) painted on them. Opponents circulated
photographs over the internet of a group of swarthy,
badly dressed men raising their glasses in celebration
with the phrase Szilvesterkor egyutt leszunk (We will
be together on New Year’s Eve).
Even those who would be given citizenship are divided.
Attila Cseh, 43, a building contractor living in
Targul Secuiesc, Transylvania, says: “I am against
this. I tell you frankly, those who wanted to move to
Hungary have already done so. Those who do not will
stay in their homes. Dual citizenship will be taken
advantage of by people who won’t want to work and only
line up for the dole.”
But Istvan Kovacs, 25, a construction worker from
Horgos, in Serbia Montenegro, just south of the
Hungarian border, said: “I am hoping people will vote
yes. I myself and a lot of people I know will not make
the move but it’s good to know, especially if you have
had problems from the Serbs, that you can cross the
border officially.”
Despite the prospect of more than a million non-EU
citizens being granted EU passports, the European
Union has stepped back from the fray. “This is not an
issue at the political level, as few of the ethnic
Hungarians are actually likely to move to Hungary. The
numbers are not significant,” one diplomatic source
said. “The sensitivities are more about presentation,
and the message it sends to those member states who
are considering lifting the restrictions on workers
from the new member states. There are also questions
over the type of passport that will be issued, and how
this will work once Hungary joins the Schengen zone.”
For those who plan to vote “no”, the referendum
conjures unwelcome memories of the far-Right
irredentist campaigns of the inter-war era that sought
to reverse the Treaty of Trianon. Gabriella Kovacs, a
teacher, said: “I am very angry about this. I would
vote “no” 15 times if I could. The conservative press
presents this as an issue of the Hungarian soul, but
they use the same language as they did in the 1930s.
This is about the borders that were decided at
Trianon.”
But ethnic Hungarians already living in Budapest
reject such claims.
Ildiko Andras, 34, left Tirgu Mures in Romania in 1990
and now works as a business consultant. She said:
“There is no danger of a flood and even if they do
come it will benefit Hungary, as they will be young
and educated people who want to work. It is important
for the Hungarians abroad to feel they belong to the
mother nation.”
But neighbouring countries do not share the hands-off
attitude of the EU. Adrian Nastase, the Prime Minister
of Romania, views it as interference in his country’s
internal affairs. “We do not like Fidesz or other
political forces in Hungary playing on Romanian
territory. If they want to play elections in Hungary,
it is all right, but they should do that without
getting Romanian citizens involved.”
Slovakia has also threatened to protest to the EU if
Hungary grants citizenship to its ethnic Magyar
minority.
Mr Gyurcsany said: “It means you open the window and
you don’t know what will come through.”
---
http://www.iht.com/bin/print_ipub.php?file=/articles/2004/12/05/news/
hung.html
Uneasy echo in Hungary
By Nicholas Wood International Herald Tribune
Monday, December 6, 2004
ORADEA, Romania Like it or not, Frenc Alafi could become a European
Union passport holder sooner than he had expected. The 43-year-old
tailor from this city situated just inside Romania's Hungarian border
is among at least two and half million ethnic Hungarians who could be
offered dual citizenship by Hungary, depending on the results of a
referendum held Sunday in that country.
If approved, the Hungarian ballot could give Alafi, and tens of
thousands like him, visa-free travel throughout the European Union, the
prospect of better-paid jobs and, perhaps more controversially, a sense
of national unity that Hungarians have not seen in 74 years.
"I am 100 percent Hungarian, and it is quite hard for me to realize how
we can be separated," said Alafi, referring to the estimated one and
half million ethnic Hungarians living in Romania. Romania is to join
the EU in 2007, but apart from giving him access to an EU member
state's passport ahead of time, he said dual nationality would give him
a sense of belonging once again to the "motherland."
But just as the referendum has encouraged a feeling of national pride
among ethnic Hungarians throughout central Europe, it also has created
unease among many people, Alafi included, reviving memories of the
empire Hungary once had.
The ballot is the project of the World Federation of Hungarians, an
organization that fights for ethnic Hungarian rights, and has the
support of the main Hungarian opposition party, the conservative Young
Democrats-Civic Party. The two groups succeeded in gathering 200,000
signatures required for a national referendum. At the same time a
proposal to stop the privatization of hospitals is also being
considered.
Final results were not expected to be announced for several days. But
the measure appeared likely to be invalidated because of low voter
turnout, the national election office said late Sunday night, after
more than 90 percent of the votes had been counted.
Whatever the results, most observers agree the vote has stirred up an
uncomfortable debate between Hungary and its neighbors.
Until 1920 Hungarians were united under the Austro-Hungarian Empire,
but the victors of World War I broke up the empire and Hungarians found
themselves in eight separate states.
The largest group, around 1.5 million, lives in Romania.
About 600,000 Hungarians are in Slovakia, 300,000 in Serbia and
possibly 200,000 in Ukraine. Smaller numbers are in Croatia, Slovenia
and Austria.
Talk of the re-unification of Hungarian lands has been raised by
nationalists, particularly in the inter-war years.
Most observers here acknowlege, however, that this latest proposal has
nothing to do with territorial pretensions, and more to do with
Hungary's internal politics. Nevertheless, many of those who would
benefit from the dual nationality say the proposal has put them in a
difficult position.
"I know I would benefit, but what about the people I live with," said
Alafi, referring to his Romanian neighbors.
According to Mark Percival, director of the Romanian Think Tank, a
political research center in Bucharest, Alafi's concern is a common one.
"Many Hungarians are not happy about it, and are worried about the
reflection it will have on them," he said, and that it could create
what he called an "irrational fear" in territories that were once part
of the Hapsburg Empire.
Before the Romanian elections held last week, Romania's prime minister,
Adrian Nastase, warned his government would react "very hard" to any
attempt to revive the spirit of the 19th century.
Conversely, the leader of the Young Democrats-Civic Party, the former
Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban, implied Hungary risked cutting
itself off from its ethnic kin if the referendum failed. He said a "no"
vote would erect a psychological barrier that might "turn out to be
more impenetrable than the Berlin Wall."
Opinion polls conducted by the main Hungarian political party, the
Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania, here show the majority of
the community here would like dual nationality. The idea is also
popular in Serbia where there has been a recent increase in reported
attacks on ethnic Hungarians, as well as in Ukraine.
However, members of the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania
are critical about the way the issue has been tackled.
"The referendum would not have been necessary had the Hungarians passed
a law on dual citizenship" and held negotiations with neighboring
governments, said Peter Lakatos, the leader of the alliance.
Copyright © 2004 The International Herald Tribune
<< ... NATO troops used depleted uranium by firing about 10,800 shots
(2750kgs) at Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1995, and about 31,000
shots (ton) in 1999 at the Kosovo Province of the Yugoslavian Republic.
After the conflict, among the personnel of the PKO and the local
people, countless numbers of them have turned out complaining of
symptoms similar to those of veterans of the Gulf War...
The people of Iraq and Bosnia as well as the veterans of the Gulf War
and the Balkan War all show the same manifestations of grave physical
sufferings and injuries, and there is no doubt that these are the
effects of depleted uranium... >>
THE USE OF DEPLETED URANIUM (DU) WEAPONS
www.albasrah.net
December 15, 2004
1. The Truth About the Use of Depleted Uranium (DU) Weapons by US and
UK Troops
The US and UK troops in the attacks on Iraq that started on 21 March
2003 used DU weapons during the battles at various places in Iraq. The
truth of the use of DU weapons by US troop was verified and admitted by
Brigadier General Brooks in a press briefing on 26 March of the same
year when he said, "DU bombs had been used.".
Michael Kilpatrick, Deputy Director of Deployment Health Support in the
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, at a
forum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on 6 March 2004 ,
said, "The Army fired and used from tanks and armored vehicle 24 tons
or less of DU bombs, and the Air Force, 10 tons or less of DU bombs
from A- 10 planes. These, when combined, would be equivalent to 115
tons of metallic uranium.
The US troop has not made any further public announcements detailing
the use of DU weapons, where they have been dropped, and the quantity
of DU weapons used, and this matter has been clarified one by one by
evidences on the countless number of DU weapons used in this war based
on the efforts and good hearts of world-known journalists and
scientists who have conducted surveys on DU in Iraq.
(1) Asst. Professor Hiroyuki Fujita of Keio University conducted
surveys in various places in Iraq, and discovered countless DU bombs in
the urban district of Baghdad. Also, from perforated holes in
destroyed tanks, he detected radiation, and confirmed micronized DU
oxide collected from the pool of an ice-making factory.
(2) A Commissioned Officer of the US Armed Forces, in a US paper,
testified that " 500tons of DU bombs had been used," and "Bunker-Buster
GBU- 28 is equipped with DU."
(3) Ed Pennel, a US soldier, wrote to his via email that "on 29 March
DU bombs were used."
(4) Scott Peterson discovered DU bombs and fine powder believed to be
oxidized particles of depleted uranium in the vicinity of the Planning
Ministry Building and a destroyed Iraqi tank in Baghdad.
(5) The Secretary of Defense of Netherlands admitted that DU bombs
had been used in Samawa.
Also, before the outbreak of the war, on 15 March 2003 , in a press
briefing at the Department of Defense, Colonel Naughton, stated that
"Abrams tanks had been loaded with DU bombshells," and "so were A-
10planes" because "there was not other choice”. Witnesses had
repeatedly seen civilian facilities being targeted by A- 10planes
starting with Iraq's Planning Ministry during the aerial bombing of
Baghdad. Report on the investigation conducted by Scott Peterson, as a
matter of fact, corroborated the statement given by Colonel Naugton at
the above-mentioned press briefing. Abrams tanks were the main battle
tanks used in the ground assault of Iraq. It is, therefore, highly
probable that aside from the facts already verified, the US Armed
Forces has used in large quantity DU weapons, even exceeding the
reported volume, in all areas of offensive operations in Iraq, even at
densely populated areas, particularly Baghdad, Basra, etc. Even the
British Defense Ministry has admitted using 1.9 tons of DU weapons .
The locations have not been revealed to the public, but as an example,
according to a British paper, on 25 March 2003 , there has been an
indication of the probability that DU bombs were used at the western
part of Basra City during an accidental firing by a British military
Challenger tank to another British Challenger tank.
2. Special Properties of Depleted Uranium (DU)
Uranium is found extensively in nature as a mixture of three isotopes.
Natural uranium is not only made up of0 .72% of Uranium 235 , which
causes nuclear fission, but also is mostly (99.2746%) Uranium 238 ,
which does not cause nuclear fission, and the remaining0 .0054%, is
Uranium 234 . For this reason, in order to effectively use it in
nuclear power plants, or in making nuclear bombs, it is necessary to
perform the process called “concentration” by allowing the increase of
the percentage of Uranium 235 that causes nuclear fission. The
by-product in large quantity of this concentration process is depleted
uranium, and is in fact radioactive wastes. The name “depleted” gives
the impression that it has very little harmful effect, but its
radiation dose is equivalent to60 % of natural uranium, and it emits
alpha-ray radiation. Alpha ray has a weak penetration force, can
bounce in the air for only a number of centimeters, and can be blocked
off by a piece of paper. Accordingly, it cannot affect the human body
if there is no direct contact with it, but if even just a small
particle of it enters the body, it can cause an extremely serious
internal radiation exposure. Also, it is an extremely dangerous
material that has the combined properties of not only the toxicity of
radiation ray, but also the toxicity of heavy metals. And its half-life
is 4 . 5billion years, and is said to continue releasing radiation
perpetually.
3. Special Properties of Depleted Uranium (DU) Weapons
Storing depleted uranium is enormously expensive, but disposing it by
all means is what the US Department of Energy has wanted to do. It is
in military weapons that depleted uranium is used in extremely large
scale, and it is used mainly as penetration body that is attached to
bombshells for the sake of increasing its penetration capacity, and
also as armor of tanks in order to increase its defense capacity.
Mainly, uranium weapons have the following advantages:
* Depleted uranium, because of its very heavy density (1. 7times of
lead,2 . 5times of iron) and hardness, when used to tip bullets,
increases the penetration power of the bullets, and displays such
tremendous capacity as to power to open holes in thick iron plates and
concrete.
* Even when there are no explosives inside the bombshell, it
explodes upon impact, and the capacity to kill and injure the enemy is
high because of the high temperature it causes when it burns.
* It is very cheap because its raw materials are radioactive wastes.
However, when depleted uranium explodes upon impact, and burns with
high temperature, it becomes micro-particles of oxidized uranium
(ceramic form aerosol of diametrical-micron; a micron is equivalent to1
/1000mm), discharged heavily, and are packed in tanks. Also, the
particles diffused in the atmosphere and whirled up in the sky, pollute
vast range of the atmosphere, and also, the particles that fall on the
ground pollute the environment such as the soil and water, etc.
4. Dreadful Negative Effects of Depleted Uranium Weapons on the Human
Body
Once the uranium particles are inhaled into the body, the particles
attach first to the trachea and the respiratory system. As the
particles are practically insoluble, they are difficult to dissolve in
the blood, and stay there for a long period of time. Eventually these
clinging particles continue to expose the neighboring organs to
radiation. By that, they cause the cell and the gene to go into some
transformation, and cause cancers, leukemia, lymphoma, congenital
disorders and defects. Then, gradually, they are absorbed into the
blood and lymph, and cause various illnesses and damages to the whole
body. Also, aside from inhalation, they get into the body and enter the
bloodstream by oral ingestion and through wounds.
This kind of very dangerous weapons are being diffused in large
quantity all over Iraq by the US and British troops. Not only during
the war, but also after the war, and an unimaginable length of time of4
. 5billion years hereafter, the people of Iraq will have to bear the
burden of living in this vast polluted land and learn how to survive
with this grim reality. The British and US troops, at the instance
that they drop DU weapons, do not just snatch away precious lives but
cause the Iraqis further and eternal miseries.
I. Physical Damages in Iraq After the Gulf War
During the Gulf War in January 1991, the US Armed Forces dropped 320
tons of depleted uranium weapons on Iraq. Since after the war, there
has been a high incidence of strange phenomenon not seen in Iraq before
the war. There have been several incidences of such phenomenon as
several members of one family developing cancer, or one patient having
several types of cancer, etc., cancer that spreads fast, the outbreak
of infectious diseases due to fast spreading cancer, leukemia, aplastic
anemia, and malignant tumor, and immunodeficiency, massive herpes, and
herpes zoster pain, symptoms resembling AIDS, syndrome due to liver and
kidney dysfunction, hereditary dysphasia (hereditary damage) due to
gene defects. Children, especially infants, who cannot fight back and
are blameless, have become the number one victims of this war. The
southern City of Basra, which is near the battleground of the Gulf War,
has been very seriously damaged, and according to a doctor at the Basra
Educational Hospital, the number of people who have succumbed to cancer
rose from 34 in 1988 prior to the Gulf War to the astonishing figure of
603 in 2001 that was 17 times larger.
(1) Basra Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital. Mohammed Hoji (5) was
diagnosed with leukemia just a year after his own mother, who was also
confined in the same hospital, died of leukemia. The physician in
charge of this case, Dr. Surin Shirub, related, "What makes this case
to stand out is that the whole family and the brothers one by one have
succumbed to cancer and leukemia. This kind of phenomenon never
existed before the Gulf War." The aunt, Abed (32), who was caring for
the boy lamented, "Why do we have to suffer like this even when the war
is over?"..
(2) Zein (5), who was confined in the Basra Maternity and Pediatrics
Hospital, 5 months before, suddenly developed a swollen abdomen, and
was diagnosed with leukemia. Since then, he had become weak and lost
his gaiety. His mother, Semal (25), sighed, "I would like America to
know how the war has caused us so much miseries for many generations to
come."
(3) Abbas (5), who was diagnosed with leukemia 3 years ago, was
sleeping soundly beside his mother Hamdi (30). The hair on his head had
become extremely thin as an effect of drugs administered to him. Hamdi
said, "It's hard when you are helpless to do anything to save your
child from his sufferings." Dr. Jasem (32) of this hospital related,
"The damages of the war are not a temporary matter. Even after that,
its innocent victims will suffer for generations to come.”
These innocent children of Iraq, in fact, have been deprived of their
rights to be born with good health and grow normally because of the
effects of these DU weapons. Furthermore, the economic sanctions
imposed on Iraq by the UN from August 1990 had contributed more to this
pathetic situation. The UN Resolution 661 had exempted from the
embargo materials to be used for medical purposes. However, the
committee that was charged with the implementation of the embargo in
accordance with the provision of the Resolution 661 could not make this
exemption operative due to opposition by commissioners from the US and
UK, and thus, there arose a shortage of medical supplies, vaccines,
syringes, anesthetics, and medical apparatuses necessary for medical
treatments. According to a UNICEF report, by February 1991 , medical
supplies had reached1 / 6of the normal level of stockpile. Also,
UNICEF, in a 1993 report, announced, "at the beginning of the Gulf War,
the number of children dying was more or less 100,000, but after the
war, the rate of death has increased 3 times of the number before the
war. Medical care, and insurance service were rendered useless due to
the shortage of supplies and apparatuses for medical care and
treatment. And also, due to depleted uranium bombs that were used
during the Gulf War, the number of cancer patients suddenly increased
after the war. If proper treatment had been provided at the early stage
of the disease, death could have been avoided, but due to the shortage
of medical supplies and appliances because of the economic sanctions,
patients could not be treated properly resulting in the great increase
in the number of afflicted victims".
Likewise, the postwar depredation had driven the best of doctors in
Iraq out of country. A lot many of the doctors and scholars, who
stayed behind, were actually classified with world-class academes, and
had participated and presented the results of their researches in
international scientific and academic conferences. However, due to the
economic sanctions, they were unable to obtain visas so that they could
participate in international conferences and have the opportunity to
continue to establish scholarly exchanges necessary for the advancement
and improvement of the level of medical practice and treatment in Iraq.
Even if they wanted to go overseas to receive training on radiation
exposure, for example, or perhaps just to procure the necessary medical
supplies, they could not do so because they could not get visas. Data
of Iraqi victims were indispensable in coping with the inexperience
with regard to the effects of radiation due to DU weapons, and while
Iraqi doctors could be in a position to provide those data and
materials, the economic sanctions hampered their progress and
development.
Dr. Junan, a cancer expert at the Ibn Gaswan Hospital, a Maternity and
Pediatrics Hospital in the city of Basra related, "Children's leukemia,
if treated thoroughly at the early stage, has a 70 % chance of being
cured, but the kind of medicine for this ailment is not available, and
so, the patients cannot be treated well, and lamentably just end up
dying. But under the present economic sanctions, we are allowed only
to procure food supplies in exchange for oil, and we are forced to make
do with only 20 % of needed medical supplies. How then can we cure the
sick?" In 2001 alone, 256 cases had been confirmed to be born with
congenital defects in this hospital.
II. Health Hazard on Veterans of the Gulf War
Apparently, it is not only the people of Iraq but also veterans of the
Gulf War in 1991 that have suffered from the effects of the use of
these hazardous weapons. Among them, there has been a high incidence of
various ailments in different parts of the body ranging from loss of
hair, migraine, arthralgia, gastralgia, diarrhea to defective memory,
insomnia, etc., actually chronic symptoms of cancer, leukemia and
immunodeficiency to start with.
According to the year-end survey conduced by the National Gulf War
Resource Center, Inc. (NGWRC) in 1999 , of the 504,047 ex-servicemen,
who retired from the service after the war, and were eligible for
pension from the Veterans' Affairs Administration, 263,000 or more than
52 % of these veterans had complained of some abnormality in their
physical condition, and had demanded for medical care from the US
government and the Veterans' Affairs Administration. Also, 185,780 or
37 % of these veterans had demanded for compensations for incapacity to
work, etc. due to illness and physical disability. Nearly half of
these veterans complained of some kind of health hazard, and more than
9,600 of these veterans in fact are now dead. Although there were only
147 casualties involved in direct combat during the Gulf War, after
returning home, they started showing manifestations of some grave
health problems.
Moreover, since last year, there are among the US soldiers stationed in
Iraq those who are having strange ailments and diseases of unknown
nature. In a recent survey, the number of soldiers, who have already
taken leave for medical reasons has reached 18,000, and in all
manifestation, the cause seems to be depleted uranium .
However, even when this kind of tragedy continues to happen, the US
State Department insists that "the claim that DU is the cause of cancer
of infants in Iraq is groundless," or that "it is highly probable that
the use of chemical weapons containing carcinogen by the Iraqi
military, etc. is the real cause of cancer and birth defects.” But
similar symptoms can be observed in Bosnia and Kosovo where such
chemical weapons mentioned by the US have not been used.
III. Health Hazards After the Balkan War
NATO troops used depleted uranium by firing about 10,800 shots
(2750kgs) at Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1995, and about 31,000
shots (ton) in 1999 at the Kosovo Province of the Yugoslavian Republic.
After the conflict, among the personnel of the PKO and the local
people, countless numbers of them have turned out complaining of
symptoms similar to those of veterans of the Gulf War.
(1) According to the Jovanovich Health Center in Bosnia, out of the
5,000 villagers who escaped from the Hajici Village of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, by January 2001 , about 400 people had died mainly
of cancer. At Hajici, there was a weapon factory of the old
Yugoslavian military, and a large quantity of depleted uranium bombs
must have been used to destroy it.
(2) People connected with the Kosovska Mirtovia in the Kosovo
Province had pointed out that by on January 11 , 2001, after the
bombing raid conducted by the NATO in Kosovo, the number of cancer
patients in the said hospital increased by about 200 %, and last year,
the number reached 160 . They denounced the use of DU bombs that they
believed was the cause of the increase in the number of cancer patients
based on the fact that 40 % of these patients were native of regions
that were bombarded with DU bombs.
(3) The people of Iraq and Bosnia as well as the veterans of the Gulf
War and the Balkan War all show the same manifestations of grave
physical sufferings and injuries, and there is no doubt that these are
the effects of depleted uranium.
Furthermore, the truth about the use of DU weapons by the US Armed
Forces in the war on Afghanistan in 2001 and the reality of the
exposure to DU and the hazards to the health of the people there were
all made clear in the closing argument of the prosecutor during the
International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan.
4. Clinical Cases of US Veterans in this Iraqi War
As for Samawa, where the Self Defense Force is stationed, it is
strategically located between Basra and Baghdad. The US army, when
marching to Baghdad passing through this route, met with stiff
resistance from Iraqi troops, and it took them a week to quell the
insurgencies in towns and roads they passed by. Depleted uranium
weapons were used during the fighting.
Dr. Asaf Durakovic, a specialist on Nuclear Medicine, adviser of the
National Science Foundation, and director of the nuclear medicine
clinic created by the US Veterans Department after the end of the Gulf
War, established the Uranium Medical Research Center, which is an
independent research agency based in Canada, and for several years has
continued to examine evidences of depleted uranium contamination of
American, British and Canadian soldiers.
According to a survey conducted by Dr. Durakovic published in the New
York Daily News dated 3 April 2004 , after the Iraqi War, he detected
depleted uranium from the urine of 4 out of 9 US soldiers who were
stationed to keep peace and order in Samawa after the Iraqi War, and
returned home due to bad physical condition after complaining of
chronic migraine, nausea, bloody urine, partial hearing and vision
impairment, etc. The 442 nd MP Company, where the surveyed soldiers
belonged, was in charge of convoy and training of Iraqi policemen, and
was not involved in direct combat. Depleted uranium was detected in
these soldiers, who were doing such mission, and it was probable that
they had been exposed to uranium by inhalation of depleted uranium
particles in the atmosphere. Sgt. Juan Vega, Chief Medical Orderly of
this company related, "One night, 10 to 15 people just suddenly fell
ill and developed symptoms such as fever of as high as 39.4° C, chill
and other symptoms of unexplained nature. More than a dozen people out
of 160 soldiers suddenly had been having kidney stones." He said,
"Samawa is like hell."
The Dutch Company stationed at Samawa after that decided to set up camp
in the middle of the desert because the radiation level in the environs
where the US military set up camps was just too high.
5. Medical Verification
For the sake of argument that the above-mentioned damages have been due
to DU, we shall have to prove that there is a correlation between DU
and its effects on the human body based on medical findings on the
existence of this crisis pertaining to DU. Now, regarding Iraq after
the Gulf War that has reported the most number of DU-related
casualties, we shall use as reference the data gathered by Fasy TM that
were presented at the International DU Symposium held in New York in
June 2003 as a medical paper never before published.
I. The Teratogenicity of Depleted Uranium
(1) The Children of Iraq
According to the data gathered by Fasy TM the frequency rate of
congenital dysphasia is 3.04 per 1000 monitored in Basra, but in 2000 ,
it rose to 17.6 that was 5 - 6 times higher than previously reported.
This is particularly true in many reported cases where the parents were
soldiers who participated in the Gulf War.
(2) Children of Veterans of the Gulf War
The result of a survey conducted to determine the frequency rate of
congenital dysphasia on veterans of the Gulf War by the US Military
Research Institute was published in a New England Journal of Medicine,
a medical journal, according to Cowan in 1997 . The conclusion was that
there was no difference in the rate of frequency of congenital
dysphasia of children of veterans of the Gulf War with veterans who did
not go to the Gulf War.
However, 5 months later, the result of the research conducted by three
British researchers, Pat Doyle, Eve Roman, Noreen Maconochie, refuting
the evaluation made only on children who were born and lived,
disregarding aborted births and stillbirths due to massive congenital
deformities, excluding 1/3 of overall number of discharged soldiers,
and the inaccuracy of these investigations was published in the same
journal.
In 2001, Kang of the Veterans Affairs Administration announced a
research that would not exclude aborted births/stillbirths, and
veterans in their research. The result was that compared to veterans
who did not go to the Gulf War, congenital dysphasia on children of
veterans who served in the Gulf War was 2.3 times for male, and 2.4
times for female. The truth about this increase in number even just on
those who participated in the Gulf War is indeed astonishing.
(3) Animal Experiments
Based on the 2001 research conducted by Domingo JL of Spain, et al.,
when male rats were ingested for a period of 16 weeks with natural
uranium, rate of pregnancy decreased, a degeneration of the testicles
(male gonads) occurred, and there was a decrease in the production of
sperms. Also, it was confirmed that 10 days before and after giving
doses to pregnant mice, ossification is 3 times to 5 times lower
compared to control group in litters, and there are numerous instances
of birth defects of the extremities. (Note: the radioactivity of
natural uranium is 25.9 kilobecquerel, and that of depleted uranium is
16.3 kilobecquerel).
In 2002 , McClain DE, et al. of the US Armed Forces embedded depleted
uranium in rats, and investigated to determine the effects of DU on the
embryo. It was confirmed that the sizes of the embryos of rats are
smaller after more than 6 months of being embedded with DU passing the
placenta.
The congenital dysphasia and various diseases in children of soldiers
who participated in the Gulf War resemble the conditions of Iraqi
children, and this can be traced to the teratogenicity in DU.
II. Carcinogenicity of Depleted Uranium
(1) Iraqi Children
Based on the data gathered by Fasy TM, in 1990 in Basra, out of 100,000
children, there were 3.98 cancer cases, but in 2000, the number
increased to 13.1 cases.
(2) Veterans of the Gulf War
There is no medical report showing that there is a statistical increase
of cancer in veterans of the Gulf War, but there is a need for a
detailed investigation on the rate of incidence of cancer in children
of veterans.
(3) Experiments on Animals
To sum up the series of animal experiments done by Miller, et al. of
the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, DU increases the
oncogene expression per human cell and cell disorder growth, etc., and
causes the existence of cancer forming operation. Also, they explain
that DU, more than even nickel that is known to cause tumor, largely
increases more chromosomal abnormality linked with carcinogens . Hahn,
et al reported that thorotrast and DU produce much more sarcoma
(malignant tumor) when they conducted experiments by embedding
tungsten, which is a heavy metal but non-radioactive material, and
radioactive material thorotrast in rats. This indicates that DU is not
only cancer causing as a heavy metal but is also cancer causing as a
radioactive materials.
(4) Effects on the Human Cell
In 2003 , Schroeder, et al of Germany analyzed the chromosomal
abnormality of the lymphocytes of 16 soldiers who served in the Gulf
War and Balkan War, and these soldiers were proven to have been exposed
to radiation. They confirmed that the rate of specific c chromosomal
abnormality among these soldiers was4 . 2higher when they compared the
chromosomal abnormality ([dicentric] and [centric ring] chromosomes)
that was said to be specific in ionizing radiation with non-specific
chromosomal abnormality. They hinted and concluded that despite the
fact that the specific chromosomal abnormality cell could not survive
for long (half life being up to the extent of 3.5 years), they observed
that even after a lapse of more than 10 years since the Gulf War, the
body continued to be exposed to radiation due to the DU that had
accumulated inside the body for long years.
On top of this, they noted based on available data from Hiroshima and
Nagasaki the fact that this exposure to radiation could cause
chromosomal abnormality in lymphocytes.
Thus, there is no doubt that the cause of cancer such as the increase
in the number of cases of leukemia in Iraq today is connected with DU.
III. Verification of Gulf War Syndrome
The Gulf War syndrome shows chronic symptoms such as fatigue, headache,
muscle and osteoarticular pains, insomnia, neuropsychiatric symptom,
impaired memory, impaired vision, etc.
(1) Physical Condition of Gulf War Veterans
It is evident that based on the data of Fukuda in 1998 , which are data
comparing the physical condition of soldiers who participated in the
Gulf War (hereinafter referred to as GWV) with soldiers who did not
participate in the Gulf War (hereinafter referred to as non-GWV), the
frequency of various symptoms of chronicity is 39 % in GWV against 14 %
in non-GWV of light and medium, etc. symptoms, and 6 % in GWV against
0.7% in non-GWV of serious illness. It is evident that frequency of
such symptoms is higher in soldiers who participated in the Gulf War.
It cannot be far from the truth that based on the data of Kang in 1996
, the rate of death in GWV is 10 .4 against9.6% in non-GWV showing
statistically a difference . However, in the 2002 data of Kang, it
shows that the number of accidental deaths is more numerous among GWV
than among the non-GWV. Also, in 1997 , Gray reported that
hospitalization rate was10 % higher among soldiers who participated in
the Gulf War..
It is true that going to war is accompanied by a great risk, and the
appearance of various symptoms after returning from the war is
designated as "war syndrome." However, based on the report of Harvey
RW, et al. of 2002 , among the soldiers returning from the war, the
number of the disabled persons, who have received services after that,
8.6% served in World War II, 5 % in the Korean War,9 .6% in the Vietnam
War and in the case of the Gulf War, it has reached 16 % (estimated at
110,000 persons).. It is evident that the Gulf War, compared with
other wars, has caused a lot many damages, and they cannot be
categorized simply as some risk of going to war.
Countless researches are being conducted on the causes of these
symptoms, but no massive investigation placing primary focus on DU has
been done. There exist, however, an extensive literature relating to
depleted uranium
(2) Experiments on Animals.
Pellmar TC, et al, in 1999 , revealed evidences of DU causing brain
damage by embedding it in rats, and they arrived at the conclusion that
DU produces neurological disorder. Also, as for effects of depleted
uranium on peripheral nerves, they observed the occurrence of cramps,
pain in the extremities, gait disorder, shiver, etc., and that there is
damage of calcium metabolism of the neuromuscular junction.
(3) Psycho-neuron Abnormalities
McDiarmid, et al. of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
in a research paper published in2000 , tested 29 people in 1997 out of
the 33 veterans with fragments of DU in their body they had put under
observation since 1993 . They observed the neurocognizance test
becoming bad in proportion to the high concentration of DU in their
urines, and abnormality in the hormone function of the reproductive
system. Also, they reported the genetic damage and the sperm count
abnormality. Yet, while they recognize this sort of health problems,
they made it look that there were not much complaints about the
symptoms when comparing them with the 21 Gulf War veterans who had not
been exposed to DU. However, 11 out of the 21 were in fact suffering
from some neuron abnormality and were in extremely bad condition, and a
terrible deception was evidently carried out. Similarly, tests were
conducted in 1999 , and in the report published in 2001 , 29 people
with incomparably low concentration of DU in their urines to the 21 out
of the previous 33 people tested were added, and this was to
intentionally dilute the results in an attempt to eliminate the
difference abnormal neuron and reproductive hormone levels.
(4) Chromosomal Abnormality
As previously stated, the chromosomes of 16 people who have been
suffering from Gulf War syndrome are 5.2 times higher of [dicentric]
and [ring centric] chromosomes. Others also, according to Uranobitz, et
al, have verified seeing the chromosomal abnormality in veterans of the
Gulf War who have shown such symptoms.
(5) Increase of Depleted Uranium Density in Urine
P Horan, et al of Canada examined the urines of 27 American, British and
Canadian patients, and detected a high density of DU in 14 people. This
data proves the fact that even after 8 or 9 years after exposure to DU,
high density of DU are being discharged in the urine..
In addition, Durakovic, et al have examined the uranium in the urine of
8 residents of 8 regions in Afghanistan who have symptoms similar to
Gulf War syndrome, published in 2003 data on the detection of high
density of uranium in the urine of all of them. Furthermore, in 2004 ,
they published the data on the detection of DU in the urines of 4 out
of 9 American soldiers, who were in charge of maintaining public order
after the Iraqi War, and returned home due to poor physical condition.
It is clear from the investigations conducted by Horan and Durakovic
that DU remains in the body for several years. There is no doubt about
the DU being more or less in part the cause of the Gulf War syndrome,
and its toxicity.
IV. There are researchers who recognize the toxicity of DU even within
the US Military
Arfsten DP of the Naval Health Research Center and Rictchie GD, et al
of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have studied in detail all US
military researches, etc. up until then, and in 2001 , in their joint
names, published their dissertation.
(1) High density of DU in the urine was detected after a lapse of 10
years from soldiers, who had inhaled particles or pierced with
fragments of DU during the conflict at the Gulf War and Kosovo.
(2) In mice, the DU accumulated in the testicles, bone, kidneys, and
brain.
(3) In test-tube experiments, there were the genetic disorder
characteristic and teratogenicity, and the rat, when embedded with DU,
developed brain tumor.
(4) It is possible to say that whether it is as a heavy metal or
radioactivity, it has strong effect on the reproduction of rats.
In this treatise, there is the remark that “the opinion expressed here
does not reflect the opinion of the military but are based on the point
of views of the authors.” However, even as researchers of the
military, they have sufficiently recognized the damages caused by DU.
Recognizing the risks is not limited to their researches. As previously
stated, numerous medical researches relating to DU are being conducted
even with grants from the military. Even when they are being conducted
under the direct supervision of the military, these researches are
being given emphasis even when they may verify the danger of DU.
Suffice it to say, it is clear from existing medical dissertations that
DU is an extremely dangerous substance that does not only cause
temporary disorders, but chronic health breakdown, congenital defects,
carcinogens, and other disorders.
6. Effects to the Human Body Exposed Internally to Radiation
I.Official Stand of WHO
The World Health Organization has taken the stand of consistently
denying the danger of depleted uranium. Its basic statement has been
that if exposure has not exceeded the permissible limit of radiation
dosage (In case of the general public,1 millisievert per year), even if
one is exposed to radiation, it will not pose any danger. However, in
a public statement in January 2003 it expressed its most recent stand
on DU radiation and recommended that “there would be a need for places
where contamination to depleted uranium has exceeded the tolerable
level to be cleaned up” and that “children are in danger, so they
should be protected,” and this conceivably is admission of the fact
that substantially, DU can cause health hazards.
II. Method of Evaluation of Present-day Exposure to Radiation
Just how much dosage is the tolerable limit one can be exposed to
radiation is being calculated today on the basis of the Radiation Risk
Model of the International Commission on Radiological Protection
(ICRP). If we follow the Radiation Risk Model of ICRP, the low dosage
of DU, and being of the same degree of exposure to those of other
radiation sources and radiation of the natural world, will make it less
harmful to the health. Also, ICRP's admission of the effects of
radiation to the human body is limited to leukemia, solid cancer,
congenital defects, and effects on genes, and on this theory, it is
saying that symptoms resembling the Gulf War syndrome has nothing to do
with DU exposure. Contentions by WHO, IAEA (International Atomic Energy
Agency) or governments of countries dependent on these agencies and are
denying the danger of DU weapons are founded on this.
III. What kind of agency is the ICRP?
According to Rosalie Bertell of Canada, a scholar in the field of
Radiology, in 1952 , physicists, who took part in the Manhattan
Project, tried to intervene in the National Committee on Radiation
Protection of the International Congress of Radiology, and approached
the members of the radiology commission calling for a collaboration,
and the organization called "ICRP" was created from this merger. The
ICRP, with members designated reciprocally within the group, and with
no fixed tenure of office, is a sort of a non-governmental organization
(NGO), and is composed of physicists and radiologists of
nuclear-capable countries, biophysicists, and administrative officials
in charge of medical care. And out of the 13 members of the Main
Committee of the ICRP, several of them were having additional posts
also in the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic
Radiation, and use faces of both parties. ICRP and UNSCEAR are not
official public health and sanitation organizations. ICRP is supposed
to be making the decisions regarding political and economic gains of
the use of atomic energy (including development and actual testing of
nuclear weapons) and the tolerance level to prevent predictable health
hazards by exposure to radiation, and the UNSCEAR is supposed to permit
society to make this choice.
ICRP is neither an agency of the United Nations nor is it agency having
responsibility to the U. N., and yet, despite the fact that it is no
more than a private group composed of people of with vested interests
of nuclear-capable countries and atomic energy industry, this agency
behaves in the manner as if the recommendations it releases are of
solemn conclusions of experts, and even manage politically to have them
formulated into laws of various countries starting with those in the
agencies of the U. N. Moreover, that theory, like the theory
established in connection with the effects of the exposure to
radiation, released by universities and research agencies even now, are
being used for educating the young people.
IV. The application of ICRP Radiation Risk Model to internal exposure
is not valid.
The ICRP Radiation Risk Model was created by using data obtained from
surviving atomic bomb victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The surviving
victims of the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were exposed
mainly by being bathed externally with high dosage of gamma ray
(external exposure). The Radiation Risk Model has been created on the
basis of data obtained on this one specific condition that is called
"acute dosage of external exposure," and ICRP is making something like
this risk model to conform deductively and applied even to internal
exposure (exposure from within the internal body) of varying chronicity
of all conditions.
Whether or not the ICRP Radiation Risk Model is applicable also to
internal exposure, it can be confirmed by investigating the real
damages. However, this model that has been created by using data of
external exposure cannot possibly accurately evaluate the effects of
internal exposure. A classical example that this model could not
totally evaluate real damages was the nuclear power accident at
Chernobyl.
As a consequence of the Chernobyl nuclear power accident, various
symptoms of low dosage exposure in disaster areas in Belarus, Russia
and Ukraine were confirmed. Despite the release of numerous studies
made on the manifestation of additional ailments, the IAEA, UNSCEAR and
WHO have concluded that the causes of those ailments are due to
psychological reasons and stress. The remarkable increase in the rate
of occurrence of cancer of the thyroid gland uniquely among children
has been verified, but even when there is this increase of cancer of
the thyroid gland, UNSCEAR has underestimated the real damages by
insisting on following the ICRP model.
In the first place, the Radiation Risk Model is nothing but a theory.
By traditional scientific methodology, data obtained from actual cases
will have more bearing than theory, and that is, reality should have
more priority. In other words, theory should be dismissed if it is not
applicable and no conformity with the reality that can be seen.
However, in the case of its estimation of radiation damages, if the
ICRP theory is not applicable and does not conform to the reality,
then, it is rejecting reality.
This is the current status over the damages of radiation, and after the
war, the ICRP theory has been used to hide from the eyes of the world
the truth about victims of radiation of the Three-Mile Island nuclear
power accident and the Chernobyl nuclear power accident, and even
today, it is being brought out to repudiate the hazards of DU weapons
once again.
The effects on the human body by depleted uranium are proven in the
aforementioned medical papers, and various symptoms besides cancer and
congenital defects are being confirmed. The general principle of the
scientific methodology, namely that the truth should have more priority
over theory is once more being affirmed now, and we insist that the
ICRP theory should be abandoned on the basis of its denial of the
danger of DU.
V. ECRR Radiation Risk Model
Anti-nuclear movements that could not turn their eyes from the damages
prevalent in such places of the environs of heteroatom facilities, etc.
as the regions polluted with depleted uranium, the Chernobyl nuclear
power accident, and scientists cooperating with those movements have
insisted that damages caused in reality by low dosage of exposure to
radiation cannot be connected to the traditional ICRP Radiation Risk
Model, and have pointed out the danger to health by low level radiation
exposure.
In the midst of this, on the occasion that the European Union
Parliament was greatly arguing about these issues, the problem of low
dosage radiation exposure likewise prompted the promulgation of
measures for the recycling and reuse of radiation wastes, and in this
connection, the European Committee on Radiation Risk was established
for the purpose of reviewing the traditional ICRP Radiation Risk Model,
and in2003 , the ECRR announced its recommendations. Those
recommendations have pointed out that the effect to the human body of
internal exposure cannot be assessed with the ICRP Radiation Risk
Model. And as for internal exposure, it examined the mechanism of
biological damages on cells and DNA, and created a new Radiation Risk
Model. Chris Busby, a member of the ECRR, calculated the doses of
radiation in the case of having 1 micrometer of α (alpha) emitting
micro particles absorbed into the body on the basis of this risk model,
and the dose given to the structure that was in the range of 30
micrometers of micro particles showed 500 to 1000 millisievert per 1
year (E51). This numerical value, by far, exceeds the radiation
tolerance level (in the case of ordinary people, 1 millisievert per
year) shown by WHO.
In the case of applying the ICRP Radiation Risk Model, even with the
absorption into the body of micro particles of depleted uranium, the
radiation level will be low, but based on the Radiation Risk Model of
the ECRR, the same exposure will most likely be evaluated with high
level of exposure.
The ECRR has recognized also the various health hazards caused by
radiation. Asaf Durakovic, in his treatise (Undiagnosed Illnesses and
Radioactive Warfare) published in the Croatia Medical Journal, verified
the medical thesis on DU, and reported that contamination inside the
body by depleted uranium could cause various cell mutation and DNA
damage (E44). This report substantiated the legality of the theory of
the ECRR Radiation Risk Model.
7. Awareness on the Toxicity of DU weapons of the US Armed Forces
The following are the explanations about the fact that the US Military
is fully aware that DU weapons are harmful to the body by the
development process of these weapons:
I. Letters to General Groves
In October 1943, 3 physicists, A. H. Compton, et al., sent a letter
proposing "research on development and protection of radioactive
weapons" to General Groves who took part in the Manhattan Project.
In this letter, the 3 doctors proposed the organization of a team for
the sake of doing researches on the handling and preparation of
radioactive materials as weapons, and also, the preparation in case the
Nazi Germans would be ahead in developing similar weapons, and on
protection from these weapons. They hypothesized that these are
weapons behaving just like toxic gas weapons.
In the letter, they proposed, "as a gas warfare instrument the material
would be grounded into particles of microscopic size to form dust and
smoke and distributed by a ground-fired projectile, land vehicles, or
aerial bombs. In this form personnel would inhale it into the lungs.
The amount necessary to cause death to a person inhaling the material
is extremely small. It has been estimated that one millionth of a gram
accumulating in a person's body would be fatal." Also, it mentioned,
"Two factors appear to increase the effectiveness of radioactive dust
or smoke as a weapon. These are: 1. It cannot be detected by the
senses; 2. It can be distributed in a dust or smoke form so finely
powdered that it will permeate a standard gas mask filter in quantities
large enough to be extremely damaging. An off-setting factor in its
effectiveness as a weapon is that in a dust or smoke form the material
is so finely pulverized that it takes on the characteristic of a
quickly dissipating gas and is therefore subject to all the factors
(such as wind) working against maintenance of high concentrations for
more than a few minutes over a given area."
Moreover, in the letter, they stated the method of using weapons of
this type, 1. As a terrain contaminant, these are spread on the ground
through the air or from the ground, and depending on the amount, the
effects of the radiation on a person would probably not be immediate,
but would be delayed for days or perhaps weeks and lead to death…for
average terrain, no decontaminating methods are known. 2. As a gas
warfare instrument, inhalation of infinitesimal volume of substances
distributed in the form of a dust or smoke or dissolved in liquid can
be fatal. And regarding the effects of these, "as for the terrain
contaminated with radioactive dust and smoke...radioactive materials
can be stirred up as a fine dust from the terrain by winds, movement of
vehicles or troops, etc., and would remain a potential hazard for a
long time. Especially in the case of the latter, "These materials may
also be so disposed as to be taken into the body by ingestion instead
of inhalation. Reservoirs or wells would be contaminated or food
poisoned with an effect similar to that resulting from inhalation of
dust or smoke.....Particles larger than1 μ[micron]in size are likely to
be deposited in nose, trachea or bronchi and then be brought up with
mucus on the walls at the rate of 1/2 - 1 cm/min. Particles smaller
than1 μ [micron] are more likely to be deposited in the alveoli where
they will either remain indefinitely or be absorbed into the lymphatic
or blood...that while chemical gas weapons may exhibit faster effect,
the radioactive substance has more permanent effects."
Here we should exercise special caution regarding the fact that this
letter evidently hypothesize internal exposure, and though it did
specify it to be Uranium 238 , it recognized the danger of internal
exposure caused by micro-particles of radioactive materials.
II. Some of the U.S. Government's Documentation of Harmful Effects of
D.U. Weapons
Documents provided by the Campaign Against Depleted Uranium (CADU) of
UK are cited below to prove the harmful effects of DU:
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory circular by M. C.
dated 20 December 1984 warning FAA crash site investigators about
encounters with planes laden with depleted uranium, aircraft balance
weights at sites, when investigating plane crashes accidents that "if
particles are inhaled or ingested, they can be chemically toxic and
cause a significant and long-lasting irradiation of internal tissue.”
On March 7, 1979, the US Army Mobility Equipment, Research and
Development Command stated, "Not only the people in the immediate
vicinity, emergency and fire fighting personnel, but also people at
distances downwind from the fire are faced with potential over exposure
to air borne uranium dust." (This was disclosed in accordance with
request based on the Freedom of Information Act to the National Gulf
War Resources Center by Chris Kornkven, et al.)
U.S. Army Environmental Policy Institute, in a June 1995 report to
Congress, says depleted uranium has the potential to generate
“significant medical consequences” if it enters the body. “The
radiation dose to critical organs depends upon the amount of time that
depleted uranium resides in the organs. When this value is known or
estimated, cancer and hereditary risk estimates can be determined.”
On May 1997 26, the Nation Magazine published an article about the U.S.
Army Armaments, Munitions and Chemical Command (AMCCOM) report in July
1990 that depleted uranium is a “low level alpha radiation emitter,
which is linked to cancer when exposures are internal, and that
chemical toxicity causes kidney damage.” Also, AMCCOM’s radiological
task group has stated, “Long term effects of low doses (of DU) have
been implicated in cancer…there is not dose so low that the probability
of effect is zero.”
On August 16 , 1993 , Col. Robert G. Claypool of the U.S. Army Surgeon
General’s Office, in a letter, says, "When soldiers inhale or ingest DU
dust, they incur a potential increase in cancer risk. The magnitude of
that increase can be quantified if the DU intake can be estimated.
Expected physiological effects from exposure to DU dust include
possible increase in the outbreak of cancer and kidney damage.”
Health hazards data, (the Materials Safety Data Sheet:MSDS) from the
U.S. Department of Labor says that the "(DU) increases the risk of lung
carcinoma and chemical toxicity to kidney. Decay products of U-238,
U-235, and U- 234are just as hazardous."
These documents indicated that before the Gulf War, and even after
that, the US Armed Forces and the US government have long been doing
investigations repeatedly on the danger of depleted uranium, and the
hazards of internal irradiation, and knew fully well about its
carcinogenicity and teratogenicity.
After the Gulf War, this awareness spread to the US Congress. In 1992
, the US General Accounting Office and the Senate Appropriations
Committee recommended the probe on the effects to the human body and
environment of depleted uranium to the Department of Defense and the US
Army respectively, and in June, 1993 , in response, the Department of
the Army, submitted the plan for such course of action, namely,
"complete medical testing of personnel exposed to DU contamination,"
"provide adequate training for personnel who may come in contact with
DU contaminated equipment from now," etc.
However, this plan up to now has not been enforced, and as stated below
are deliberately being ignored and distorted:
III. Testimony of Doug Rokke
Doug Rokke was a professor of Physics and Environmental Science at the
Jacksonville University, an Army major (Reserve), and in 1994 - 95 was
in charge of the DU Project of the Pentagon. He took the stand and
answered questions from the prosecutors of the International Criminal
Tribunal for Afghanistan regarding the said project. As to the
background of the formation of this DU Project team of the Pentagon, he
said, "Commissioned officers from the UK, Australia, Canada and Germany
participated in the project to study the risk of DU weapons and I was
tasked by the Army to direct the team. The objective of the project was
to ensure that adequate information and training to soldiers being
deployed to the battlefield are provided by making it clear to them the
risks and hazards when DU bomb weapons are used, and to know what kind
of countermeasures and precautionary measures should be adopted, and to
make proposals as to how to clean up the DU bullets. Also, we submitted
recommendations, which were completely ignored. Up to this day, the US
Armed Forces the US army has not taken any measures to protect the
soldiers." He also mentioned, "We made a proposal that clean-up was
essential, but in reality, complete clean-up was impossible. Therefore,
we proposed not to use DU weapons any longer. However our proposal was
ignored by the upper level of the government and completely ignored by
NATO, UK, Australia and others."
Furthermore, Doug Rokke said that as part of the DU project, they made
several videotapes that were supposed to be produced as videotapes on
DU bombs of the Pentagon. "The first one was an advisory on what kind
of danger was there when a DU bomb would explode, the second about a
manual on when a clean up was being done, and the third one was on how
to measure the radiation, and we made clear that a Geiger counter would
not be effective in measuring DU bombs. The fourth one was about what
kind of equipment should be used in destroying the residue of the DU
bomb, and the fifth one was on how to handle dud (unexploded) bombs.
These were produced especially for the sake of soldiers who would go on
dangerous missions, but in the end, they were never used." he stated.
The US started the DU weapon project, but because of the report that
was released about the extremely high risk of DU weapons, and
recommendation that they should not be used, the results of the
researches of the project were classified. Through the proliferation of
these information and videos, the hazardous nature of DU weapons had
become clear, and the US feared being showered with criticisms by the
international community, and that DU weapons would no longer be used
ever. This is how, according to Doug Rokke, et al. was their
recommendations were ignored, their project dissolved, and why nothing
is done ever to protect the soldiers from DU weapons nor provide them
with medical care.
IV.Awareness on the Violations of International Laws in the US Armed
Forces
Within the US Armed Forces, they are aware about possible violation of
international law regarding the use of this type of weapons being a
violation of international laws in addition to awareness of matters of
this nature related to the danger of depleted uranium as stated above.
The U.S. Air Force’s 1976 manual titled “International Law: The Conduct
of Armed Conflict and Air Operations" names treaties, including The
Hague Conventions of1907 , the Geneva Gas Protocol of 1925 , and the
Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of
War,1949 , and specifically recognized as binding by the US Armed
Forces.
The Geneva Gas Protocol outlaws asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases,
and all analogous liquids, materials or devices, and the Hague
Conventions explicitly forbid the use especially of poison or poisoned
weapons. The Air Force manual defines poison as "biological or chemical
substances causing death or disability with permanent effects when, in
even small quantities, they are ingested, enter the lungs or
bloodstream, or touch the skin.” The manual says, “Any weapons may be
put to an unlawful use," and unequivocally, “A weapon may be illegal
per se if either international custom or treaty has forbidden its use
under all circumstances. An example is poison to kill or injure a
person.”
The 70 's was a period when the US military began a full-scale
development and production of DU bombshells. From this period onward,
the US Air Force has been fully aware that DU weapons are poisonous
weapons, and that their use will be a violation of international laws,
and yet, even with that knowledge, they are used in attacking Iraq, and
its insistence that the use of DU weapons "is not illegal" on the
ground that it has never been explicitly forbidden by any war
convention is definitely a deception.
Another document that can support this fact is the memorandum "On the
Effectiveness of Depleted Uranium Penetrators" of the Los Alamos
National Laboratory written by Lieutenant-Colonel M V Ziehman dated
March 1 , 1991 immediately after the Gulf War. Besides pointing out
the effectiveness of DU bombs used extensively in the military
operations in Iraq, it reads, ""There has been, and continues to be, a
concern regarding the impact of DU on the environment. If no one makes
the case for the effectiveness of DU on the battlefields, DU rounds may
become politically unacceptable and be deleted from the arsenal. If DU
perpetrators proved their worth during our recent combat activities,
then we should assure their future existence (until something better is
developed). If proponency is not garnered, it is possible that we
stand to lose a valuable combat capability. I believe we should keep
this sensitive issue at mind when after action reports are written."
This is actually a notice advising the US military and various
government agencies to bear in mind and to continue to keep silent
about the continuous use of DU weapons, and bear in mind possible the
great criticism regarding the serious effect to the human body and the
environment of the DU weapons and the possible violation of laws stated
previously.
V. Reason for the use of DU weapons by the US Armed Forces
notwithstanding
The US Armed Forces, despite the widespread criticism and skepticism in
and outside of the country, has given as reason for the continuous use
of these deadly poison weapons solely their cost and military
effectiveness. They are considered as a milestone in nuclear
utilization strategy of the US military. The US Armed Forces, at
present is targeting the development and use of4 th generation nuclear
weapons. Last year, since the lifting of the ban on researches of
small-type nuclear weapons, the Department of Energy has given the
incentives to the chiefs of national laboratories such as the Los
Alamos, etc. by telling them "not to waste the opportunity" do these
nuclear testings, and one of the projects was the mounting of these
small-type nuclear weapons in bunker busters that were most probably
loaded with depleted uranium, and used in the war in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
The US Armed Forces, as a pioneer in the use for actual combat of this4
th generation nuclear weapon, despite the fact that there are other
alternatives that may be used as weapons, has targeted a fait accompli
of the claim that the radiation pollution by this use of DU weapons is
within "tolerance level." The Bush administration has asserted that
"the radioactive pollution is kept under control to the minimum" of
subterranean small-type nuclear weapon penetrators, but even if they
are restricted temporarily to only targets of attacks on basement
facilities, etc., they cause extremely serious contamination of the
human body and environment brought about by a tremendous radioactive
pollution accompanied by a nuclear explosion. The US Armed Forces
conceals this fact by putting emphasis on their tolerance level
addressed to the world, and in an attempt to gain permission by the
international community.
8. Environmental Pollution by Depleted Uranium (DU)
I. Widespread Radioactive Contamination in Iraq
In this war on Iraq, DU weapons are used in large cities and towns
starting with Baghdad. Many countries have a limit of public exposure
to radiation prescribed by laws based on the recommendation of ICRP set
at 1 millisievert per annum, and the quantity of depleted uranium
equivalent to this is 11.4 milligrams. The quantity of depleted
uranium contained in a 30 -milligram DU bomb is 280 grams. One shot of
this can emit a radiation surpassing the radiation limit for25 ,
000persons per annum by ignition and micronization. In accordance with
the on-the-spot investigations conducted by privately-run facilities
and scientists, it has been reported that high level radiations are
detected from soils surrounding road ditches and inside of building
sites where warheads and hulls of these DU bombs have rolled into, and
war tanks. The exact amount used is not publicly announced but Michael
Kilpatrick, in a forum stated that even with just 115 tons, it would be
enough to distribute a dosage per annum of about 100,000, 000 people.
The depleted uranium has deeply penetrated the life sphere of people.
At the conclusion of this war on 6 April 2004, UNEP Executive Director
Klaus Toefger said, "UNEP stands ready to conduct early environmental
field studies in Iraq. Given the overall environmental concerns during
the conflict, and the fact that the environment of Iraq was already a
cause for serious concern prior to the current war, UNEP believes early
field studies should be carried out (E61). This is especially important
to protect human health in a post-conflict situation due to the
apparent use of DU weapons in this war. Immediately after that, UNEP
published a "desk study on the Iraq environment" that contained
information on the risks to groundwater, surface water, drinking water
sources, and the scattering of radioactive particles. The report of
the British Royal Society in 2002 also predicts that due to depleted
uranium, the radioactive contamination, after the conflict, will
gradually permeate the soil and water sources in the years ahead.
In the first place, the depleted uranium is a deadly poisonous
substance brought forth as quid-pro-quo for the use of nuclear power
generation to bring wealth and amenities to just a portion of the
population. Laws have been passed regarding the legal obligation of
individuals capitalizing on this to ensure safety management, and the
handling of radioactive wastes by each nation, which uses atomic
energy. The US national regulation "10CRF20" has stipulated the strict
control of the storage, transfer, and use of depleted uranium, and the
paying of careful consideration and caution to prevent its leakage to
the environment. Is this legally and morally forgivable that in its
own country, the US government spends lots of money on the strict
management and storage of radioactive materials, but when it comes to
people of other countries, it has no qualms dumping and scattering
large volume of illegal wastes, even putting the fate of Iraqi in
serious danger and jeopardy by radioactivity?
II. The Development of the Idea of Environmental Protection
The present global environment was formed from even before the human
race appeared on earth, and human race has evolved by conforming and
adapting to it. However, the rapid development of scientific
technology by the pursuit for comfort and convenience brought about the
destruction of the ecosystem, and global environmental pollution, and
that has caused the situation where the very existence of mankind is
now in imminent danger. Amidst this situation, in1971 , the United
Nations convened its first international conference with the
environment for its theme; The United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, and adopted the "Declaration of the United Nations
Conference of the Human Environment."
In the declaration are expressed the ideals that "both aspects of man's
environment, the natural and the man-made, are essential to his
well-being and to the enjoyment of basic human rights the right to life
itself," "All countries, organizations and individuals at every level,
all sharing equitably in common efforts, to achieve this environmental
goal will demand the acceptance of responsibility and by their values
and the sum of their actions, will shape the world environment of the
future," and "all countries shall bear the responsibility that their
respective countries will not cause damage to the regional environment
of another country."
The deepening and development of the environmental ideology was derived
from movements attempting to regulate the environmental destruction
brought about by the war. The treaty on the prohibition of military and
other hostile use of environmental modification techniques, which was
approved in 1976 , prohibits the military use of environmental
modification technique (any technique for changing through the
deliberate manipulation of natural processes the dynamics, composition,
or structure of the earth, including its biota, lithosphere,
hydrosphere, or of outer space) likely to have widespread, long-lasting
and also severe effects as a means to cause destruction, damage and
also injury. Simultaneously, Supplementary Protocol of the Geneva
Conventions also came into effect, and stipulated that "it is
prohibited to use as means or method of combat intending or predicting
to inflict widespread, long-lasting, and severe injury."
III. Precautionary Principle
However, without limiting it to the conduct of war, the technique and
k<br/><br/>(Message over 64 KB, truncated)
(2750kgs) at Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1995, and about 31,000
shots (ton) in 1999 at the Kosovo Province of the Yugoslavian Republic.
After the conflict, among the personnel of the PKO and the local
people, countless numbers of them have turned out complaining of
symptoms similar to those of veterans of the Gulf War...
The people of Iraq and Bosnia as well as the veterans of the Gulf War
and the Balkan War all show the same manifestations of grave physical
sufferings and injuries, and there is no doubt that these are the
effects of depleted uranium... >>
THE USE OF DEPLETED URANIUM (DU) WEAPONS
www.albasrah.net
December 15, 2004
1. The Truth About the Use of Depleted Uranium (DU) Weapons by US and
UK Troops
The US and UK troops in the attacks on Iraq that started on 21 March
2003 used DU weapons during the battles at various places in Iraq. The
truth of the use of DU weapons by US troop was verified and admitted by
Brigadier General Brooks in a press briefing on 26 March of the same
year when he said, "DU bombs had been used.".
Michael Kilpatrick, Deputy Director of Deployment Health Support in the
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, at a
forum at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on 6 March 2004 ,
said, "The Army fired and used from tanks and armored vehicle 24 tons
or less of DU bombs, and the Air Force, 10 tons or less of DU bombs
from A- 10 planes. These, when combined, would be equivalent to 115
tons of metallic uranium.
The US troop has not made any further public announcements detailing
the use of DU weapons, where they have been dropped, and the quantity
of DU weapons used, and this matter has been clarified one by one by
evidences on the countless number of DU weapons used in this war based
on the efforts and good hearts of world-known journalists and
scientists who have conducted surveys on DU in Iraq.
(1) Asst. Professor Hiroyuki Fujita of Keio University conducted
surveys in various places in Iraq, and discovered countless DU bombs in
the urban district of Baghdad. Also, from perforated holes in
destroyed tanks, he detected radiation, and confirmed micronized DU
oxide collected from the pool of an ice-making factory.
(2) A Commissioned Officer of the US Armed Forces, in a US paper,
testified that " 500tons of DU bombs had been used," and "Bunker-Buster
GBU- 28 is equipped with DU."
(3) Ed Pennel, a US soldier, wrote to his via email that "on 29 March
DU bombs were used."
(4) Scott Peterson discovered DU bombs and fine powder believed to be
oxidized particles of depleted uranium in the vicinity of the Planning
Ministry Building and a destroyed Iraqi tank in Baghdad.
(5) The Secretary of Defense of Netherlands admitted that DU bombs
had been used in Samawa.
Also, before the outbreak of the war, on 15 March 2003 , in a press
briefing at the Department of Defense, Colonel Naughton, stated that
"Abrams tanks had been loaded with DU bombshells," and "so were A-
10planes" because "there was not other choice”. Witnesses had
repeatedly seen civilian facilities being targeted by A- 10planes
starting with Iraq's Planning Ministry during the aerial bombing of
Baghdad. Report on the investigation conducted by Scott Peterson, as a
matter of fact, corroborated the statement given by Colonel Naugton at
the above-mentioned press briefing. Abrams tanks were the main battle
tanks used in the ground assault of Iraq. It is, therefore, highly
probable that aside from the facts already verified, the US Armed
Forces has used in large quantity DU weapons, even exceeding the
reported volume, in all areas of offensive operations in Iraq, even at
densely populated areas, particularly Baghdad, Basra, etc. Even the
British Defense Ministry has admitted using 1.9 tons of DU weapons .
The locations have not been revealed to the public, but as an example,
according to a British paper, on 25 March 2003 , there has been an
indication of the probability that DU bombs were used at the western
part of Basra City during an accidental firing by a British military
Challenger tank to another British Challenger tank.
2. Special Properties of Depleted Uranium (DU)
Uranium is found extensively in nature as a mixture of three isotopes.
Natural uranium is not only made up of0 .72% of Uranium 235 , which
causes nuclear fission, but also is mostly (99.2746%) Uranium 238 ,
which does not cause nuclear fission, and the remaining0 .0054%, is
Uranium 234 . For this reason, in order to effectively use it in
nuclear power plants, or in making nuclear bombs, it is necessary to
perform the process called “concentration” by allowing the increase of
the percentage of Uranium 235 that causes nuclear fission. The
by-product in large quantity of this concentration process is depleted
uranium, and is in fact radioactive wastes. The name “depleted” gives
the impression that it has very little harmful effect, but its
radiation dose is equivalent to60 % of natural uranium, and it emits
alpha-ray radiation. Alpha ray has a weak penetration force, can
bounce in the air for only a number of centimeters, and can be blocked
off by a piece of paper. Accordingly, it cannot affect the human body
if there is no direct contact with it, but if even just a small
particle of it enters the body, it can cause an extremely serious
internal radiation exposure. Also, it is an extremely dangerous
material that has the combined properties of not only the toxicity of
radiation ray, but also the toxicity of heavy metals. And its half-life
is 4 . 5billion years, and is said to continue releasing radiation
perpetually.
3. Special Properties of Depleted Uranium (DU) Weapons
Storing depleted uranium is enormously expensive, but disposing it by
all means is what the US Department of Energy has wanted to do. It is
in military weapons that depleted uranium is used in extremely large
scale, and it is used mainly as penetration body that is attached to
bombshells for the sake of increasing its penetration capacity, and
also as armor of tanks in order to increase its defense capacity.
Mainly, uranium weapons have the following advantages:
* Depleted uranium, because of its very heavy density (1. 7times of
lead,2 . 5times of iron) and hardness, when used to tip bullets,
increases the penetration power of the bullets, and displays such
tremendous capacity as to power to open holes in thick iron plates and
concrete.
* Even when there are no explosives inside the bombshell, it
explodes upon impact, and the capacity to kill and injure the enemy is
high because of the high temperature it causes when it burns.
* It is very cheap because its raw materials are radioactive wastes.
However, when depleted uranium explodes upon impact, and burns with
high temperature, it becomes micro-particles of oxidized uranium
(ceramic form aerosol of diametrical-micron; a micron is equivalent to1
/1000mm), discharged heavily, and are packed in tanks. Also, the
particles diffused in the atmosphere and whirled up in the sky, pollute
vast range of the atmosphere, and also, the particles that fall on the
ground pollute the environment such as the soil and water, etc.
4. Dreadful Negative Effects of Depleted Uranium Weapons on the Human
Body
Once the uranium particles are inhaled into the body, the particles
attach first to the trachea and the respiratory system. As the
particles are practically insoluble, they are difficult to dissolve in
the blood, and stay there for a long period of time. Eventually these
clinging particles continue to expose the neighboring organs to
radiation. By that, they cause the cell and the gene to go into some
transformation, and cause cancers, leukemia, lymphoma, congenital
disorders and defects. Then, gradually, they are absorbed into the
blood and lymph, and cause various illnesses and damages to the whole
body. Also, aside from inhalation, they get into the body and enter the
bloodstream by oral ingestion and through wounds.
This kind of very dangerous weapons are being diffused in large
quantity all over Iraq by the US and British troops. Not only during
the war, but also after the war, and an unimaginable length of time of4
. 5billion years hereafter, the people of Iraq will have to bear the
burden of living in this vast polluted land and learn how to survive
with this grim reality. The British and US troops, at the instance
that they drop DU weapons, do not just snatch away precious lives but
cause the Iraqis further and eternal miseries.
I. Physical Damages in Iraq After the Gulf War
During the Gulf War in January 1991, the US Armed Forces dropped 320
tons of depleted uranium weapons on Iraq. Since after the war, there
has been a high incidence of strange phenomenon not seen in Iraq before
the war. There have been several incidences of such phenomenon as
several members of one family developing cancer, or one patient having
several types of cancer, etc., cancer that spreads fast, the outbreak
of infectious diseases due to fast spreading cancer, leukemia, aplastic
anemia, and malignant tumor, and immunodeficiency, massive herpes, and
herpes zoster pain, symptoms resembling AIDS, syndrome due to liver and
kidney dysfunction, hereditary dysphasia (hereditary damage) due to
gene defects. Children, especially infants, who cannot fight back and
are blameless, have become the number one victims of this war. The
southern City of Basra, which is near the battleground of the Gulf War,
has been very seriously damaged, and according to a doctor at the Basra
Educational Hospital, the number of people who have succumbed to cancer
rose from 34 in 1988 prior to the Gulf War to the astonishing figure of
603 in 2001 that was 17 times larger.
(1) Basra Maternity and Pediatrics Hospital. Mohammed Hoji (5) was
diagnosed with leukemia just a year after his own mother, who was also
confined in the same hospital, died of leukemia. The physician in
charge of this case, Dr. Surin Shirub, related, "What makes this case
to stand out is that the whole family and the brothers one by one have
succumbed to cancer and leukemia. This kind of phenomenon never
existed before the Gulf War." The aunt, Abed (32), who was caring for
the boy lamented, "Why do we have to suffer like this even when the war
is over?"..
(2) Zein (5), who was confined in the Basra Maternity and Pediatrics
Hospital, 5 months before, suddenly developed a swollen abdomen, and
was diagnosed with leukemia. Since then, he had become weak and lost
his gaiety. His mother, Semal (25), sighed, "I would like America to
know how the war has caused us so much miseries for many generations to
come."
(3) Abbas (5), who was diagnosed with leukemia 3 years ago, was
sleeping soundly beside his mother Hamdi (30). The hair on his head had
become extremely thin as an effect of drugs administered to him. Hamdi
said, "It's hard when you are helpless to do anything to save your
child from his sufferings." Dr. Jasem (32) of this hospital related,
"The damages of the war are not a temporary matter. Even after that,
its innocent victims will suffer for generations to come.”
These innocent children of Iraq, in fact, have been deprived of their
rights to be born with good health and grow normally because of the
effects of these DU weapons. Furthermore, the economic sanctions
imposed on Iraq by the UN from August 1990 had contributed more to this
pathetic situation. The UN Resolution 661 had exempted from the
embargo materials to be used for medical purposes. However, the
committee that was charged with the implementation of the embargo in
accordance with the provision of the Resolution 661 could not make this
exemption operative due to opposition by commissioners from the US and
UK, and thus, there arose a shortage of medical supplies, vaccines,
syringes, anesthetics, and medical apparatuses necessary for medical
treatments. According to a UNICEF report, by February 1991 , medical
supplies had reached1 / 6of the normal level of stockpile. Also,
UNICEF, in a 1993 report, announced, "at the beginning of the Gulf War,
the number of children dying was more or less 100,000, but after the
war, the rate of death has increased 3 times of the number before the
war. Medical care, and insurance service were rendered useless due to
the shortage of supplies and apparatuses for medical care and
treatment. And also, due to depleted uranium bombs that were used
during the Gulf War, the number of cancer patients suddenly increased
after the war. If proper treatment had been provided at the early stage
of the disease, death could have been avoided, but due to the shortage
of medical supplies and appliances because of the economic sanctions,
patients could not be treated properly resulting in the great increase
in the number of afflicted victims".
Likewise, the postwar depredation had driven the best of doctors in
Iraq out of country. A lot many of the doctors and scholars, who
stayed behind, were actually classified with world-class academes, and
had participated and presented the results of their researches in
international scientific and academic conferences. However, due to the
economic sanctions, they were unable to obtain visas so that they could
participate in international conferences and have the opportunity to
continue to establish scholarly exchanges necessary for the advancement
and improvement of the level of medical practice and treatment in Iraq.
Even if they wanted to go overseas to receive training on radiation
exposure, for example, or perhaps just to procure the necessary medical
supplies, they could not do so because they could not get visas. Data
of Iraqi victims were indispensable in coping with the inexperience
with regard to the effects of radiation due to DU weapons, and while
Iraqi doctors could be in a position to provide those data and
materials, the economic sanctions hampered their progress and
development.
Dr. Junan, a cancer expert at the Ibn Gaswan Hospital, a Maternity and
Pediatrics Hospital in the city of Basra related, "Children's leukemia,
if treated thoroughly at the early stage, has a 70 % chance of being
cured, but the kind of medicine for this ailment is not available, and
so, the patients cannot be treated well, and lamentably just end up
dying. But under the present economic sanctions, we are allowed only
to procure food supplies in exchange for oil, and we are forced to make
do with only 20 % of needed medical supplies. How then can we cure the
sick?" In 2001 alone, 256 cases had been confirmed to be born with
congenital defects in this hospital.
II. Health Hazard on Veterans of the Gulf War
Apparently, it is not only the people of Iraq but also veterans of the
Gulf War in 1991 that have suffered from the effects of the use of
these hazardous weapons. Among them, there has been a high incidence of
various ailments in different parts of the body ranging from loss of
hair, migraine, arthralgia, gastralgia, diarrhea to defective memory,
insomnia, etc., actually chronic symptoms of cancer, leukemia and
immunodeficiency to start with.
According to the year-end survey conduced by the National Gulf War
Resource Center, Inc. (NGWRC) in 1999 , of the 504,047 ex-servicemen,
who retired from the service after the war, and were eligible for
pension from the Veterans' Affairs Administration, 263,000 or more than
52 % of these veterans had complained of some abnormality in their
physical condition, and had demanded for medical care from the US
government and the Veterans' Affairs Administration. Also, 185,780 or
37 % of these veterans had demanded for compensations for incapacity to
work, etc. due to illness and physical disability. Nearly half of
these veterans complained of some kind of health hazard, and more than
9,600 of these veterans in fact are now dead. Although there were only
147 casualties involved in direct combat during the Gulf War, after
returning home, they started showing manifestations of some grave
health problems.
Moreover, since last year, there are among the US soldiers stationed in
Iraq those who are having strange ailments and diseases of unknown
nature. In a recent survey, the number of soldiers, who have already
taken leave for medical reasons has reached 18,000, and in all
manifestation, the cause seems to be depleted uranium .
However, even when this kind of tragedy continues to happen, the US
State Department insists that "the claim that DU is the cause of cancer
of infants in Iraq is groundless," or that "it is highly probable that
the use of chemical weapons containing carcinogen by the Iraqi
military, etc. is the real cause of cancer and birth defects.” But
similar symptoms can be observed in Bosnia and Kosovo where such
chemical weapons mentioned by the US have not been used.
III. Health Hazards After the Balkan War
NATO troops used depleted uranium by firing about 10,800 shots
(2750kgs) at Bosnia-Herzegovina from 1994 to 1995, and about 31,000
shots (ton) in 1999 at the Kosovo Province of the Yugoslavian Republic.
After the conflict, among the personnel of the PKO and the local
people, countless numbers of them have turned out complaining of
symptoms similar to those of veterans of the Gulf War.
(1) According to the Jovanovich Health Center in Bosnia, out of the
5,000 villagers who escaped from the Hajici Village of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, by January 2001 , about 400 people had died mainly
of cancer. At Hajici, there was a weapon factory of the old
Yugoslavian military, and a large quantity of depleted uranium bombs
must have been used to destroy it.
(2) People connected with the Kosovska Mirtovia in the Kosovo
Province had pointed out that by on January 11 , 2001, after the
bombing raid conducted by the NATO in Kosovo, the number of cancer
patients in the said hospital increased by about 200 %, and last year,
the number reached 160 . They denounced the use of DU bombs that they
believed was the cause of the increase in the number of cancer patients
based on the fact that 40 % of these patients were native of regions
that were bombarded with DU bombs.
(3) The people of Iraq and Bosnia as well as the veterans of the Gulf
War and the Balkan War all show the same manifestations of grave
physical sufferings and injuries, and there is no doubt that these are
the effects of depleted uranium.
Furthermore, the truth about the use of DU weapons by the US Armed
Forces in the war on Afghanistan in 2001 and the reality of the
exposure to DU and the hazards to the health of the people there were
all made clear in the closing argument of the prosecutor during the
International Criminal Tribunal for Afghanistan.
4. Clinical Cases of US Veterans in this Iraqi War
As for Samawa, where the Self Defense Force is stationed, it is
strategically located between Basra and Baghdad. The US army, when
marching to Baghdad passing through this route, met with stiff
resistance from Iraqi troops, and it took them a week to quell the
insurgencies in towns and roads they passed by. Depleted uranium
weapons were used during the fighting.
Dr. Asaf Durakovic, a specialist on Nuclear Medicine, adviser of the
National Science Foundation, and director of the nuclear medicine
clinic created by the US Veterans Department after the end of the Gulf
War, established the Uranium Medical Research Center, which is an
independent research agency based in Canada, and for several years has
continued to examine evidences of depleted uranium contamination of
American, British and Canadian soldiers.
According to a survey conducted by Dr. Durakovic published in the New
York Daily News dated 3 April 2004 , after the Iraqi War, he detected
depleted uranium from the urine of 4 out of 9 US soldiers who were
stationed to keep peace and order in Samawa after the Iraqi War, and
returned home due to bad physical condition after complaining of
chronic migraine, nausea, bloody urine, partial hearing and vision
impairment, etc. The 442 nd MP Company, where the surveyed soldiers
belonged, was in charge of convoy and training of Iraqi policemen, and
was not involved in direct combat. Depleted uranium was detected in
these soldiers, who were doing such mission, and it was probable that
they had been exposed to uranium by inhalation of depleted uranium
particles in the atmosphere. Sgt. Juan Vega, Chief Medical Orderly of
this company related, "One night, 10 to 15 people just suddenly fell
ill and developed symptoms such as fever of as high as 39.4° C, chill
and other symptoms of unexplained nature. More than a dozen people out
of 160 soldiers suddenly had been having kidney stones." He said,
"Samawa is like hell."
The Dutch Company stationed at Samawa after that decided to set up camp
in the middle of the desert because the radiation level in the environs
where the US military set up camps was just too high.
5. Medical Verification
For the sake of argument that the above-mentioned damages have been due
to DU, we shall have to prove that there is a correlation between DU
and its effects on the human body based on medical findings on the
existence of this crisis pertaining to DU. Now, regarding Iraq after
the Gulf War that has reported the most number of DU-related
casualties, we shall use as reference the data gathered by Fasy TM that
were presented at the International DU Symposium held in New York in
June 2003 as a medical paper never before published.
I. The Teratogenicity of Depleted Uranium
(1) The Children of Iraq
According to the data gathered by Fasy TM the frequency rate of
congenital dysphasia is 3.04 per 1000 monitored in Basra, but in 2000 ,
it rose to 17.6 that was 5 - 6 times higher than previously reported.
This is particularly true in many reported cases where the parents were
soldiers who participated in the Gulf War.
(2) Children of Veterans of the Gulf War
The result of a survey conducted to determine the frequency rate of
congenital dysphasia on veterans of the Gulf War by the US Military
Research Institute was published in a New England Journal of Medicine,
a medical journal, according to Cowan in 1997 . The conclusion was that
there was no difference in the rate of frequency of congenital
dysphasia of children of veterans of the Gulf War with veterans who did
not go to the Gulf War.
However, 5 months later, the result of the research conducted by three
British researchers, Pat Doyle, Eve Roman, Noreen Maconochie, refuting
the evaluation made only on children who were born and lived,
disregarding aborted births and stillbirths due to massive congenital
deformities, excluding 1/3 of overall number of discharged soldiers,
and the inaccuracy of these investigations was published in the same
journal.
In 2001, Kang of the Veterans Affairs Administration announced a
research that would not exclude aborted births/stillbirths, and
veterans in their research. The result was that compared to veterans
who did not go to the Gulf War, congenital dysphasia on children of
veterans who served in the Gulf War was 2.3 times for male, and 2.4
times for female. The truth about this increase in number even just on
those who participated in the Gulf War is indeed astonishing.
(3) Animal Experiments
Based on the 2001 research conducted by Domingo JL of Spain, et al.,
when male rats were ingested for a period of 16 weeks with natural
uranium, rate of pregnancy decreased, a degeneration of the testicles
(male gonads) occurred, and there was a decrease in the production of
sperms. Also, it was confirmed that 10 days before and after giving
doses to pregnant mice, ossification is 3 times to 5 times lower
compared to control group in litters, and there are numerous instances
of birth defects of the extremities. (Note: the radioactivity of
natural uranium is 25.9 kilobecquerel, and that of depleted uranium is
16.3 kilobecquerel).
In 2002 , McClain DE, et al. of the US Armed Forces embedded depleted
uranium in rats, and investigated to determine the effects of DU on the
embryo. It was confirmed that the sizes of the embryos of rats are
smaller after more than 6 months of being embedded with DU passing the
placenta.
The congenital dysphasia and various diseases in children of soldiers
who participated in the Gulf War resemble the conditions of Iraqi
children, and this can be traced to the teratogenicity in DU.
II. Carcinogenicity of Depleted Uranium
(1) Iraqi Children
Based on the data gathered by Fasy TM, in 1990 in Basra, out of 100,000
children, there were 3.98 cancer cases, but in 2000, the number
increased to 13.1 cases.
(2) Veterans of the Gulf War
There is no medical report showing that there is a statistical increase
of cancer in veterans of the Gulf War, but there is a need for a
detailed investigation on the rate of incidence of cancer in children
of veterans.
(3) Experiments on Animals
To sum up the series of animal experiments done by Miller, et al. of
the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute, DU increases the
oncogene expression per human cell and cell disorder growth, etc., and
causes the existence of cancer forming operation. Also, they explain
that DU, more than even nickel that is known to cause tumor, largely
increases more chromosomal abnormality linked with carcinogens . Hahn,
et al reported that thorotrast and DU produce much more sarcoma
(malignant tumor) when they conducted experiments by embedding
tungsten, which is a heavy metal but non-radioactive material, and
radioactive material thorotrast in rats. This indicates that DU is not
only cancer causing as a heavy metal but is also cancer causing as a
radioactive materials.
(4) Effects on the Human Cell
In 2003 , Schroeder, et al of Germany analyzed the chromosomal
abnormality of the lymphocytes of 16 soldiers who served in the Gulf
War and Balkan War, and these soldiers were proven to have been exposed
to radiation. They confirmed that the rate of specific c chromosomal
abnormality among these soldiers was4 . 2higher when they compared the
chromosomal abnormality ([dicentric] and [centric ring] chromosomes)
that was said to be specific in ionizing radiation with non-specific
chromosomal abnormality. They hinted and concluded that despite the
fact that the specific chromosomal abnormality cell could not survive
for long (half life being up to the extent of 3.5 years), they observed
that even after a lapse of more than 10 years since the Gulf War, the
body continued to be exposed to radiation due to the DU that had
accumulated inside the body for long years.
On top of this, they noted based on available data from Hiroshima and
Nagasaki the fact that this exposure to radiation could cause
chromosomal abnormality in lymphocytes.
Thus, there is no doubt that the cause of cancer such as the increase
in the number of cases of leukemia in Iraq today is connected with DU.
III. Verification of Gulf War Syndrome
The Gulf War syndrome shows chronic symptoms such as fatigue, headache,
muscle and osteoarticular pains, insomnia, neuropsychiatric symptom,
impaired memory, impaired vision, etc.
(1) Physical Condition of Gulf War Veterans
It is evident that based on the data of Fukuda in 1998 , which are data
comparing the physical condition of soldiers who participated in the
Gulf War (hereinafter referred to as GWV) with soldiers who did not
participate in the Gulf War (hereinafter referred to as non-GWV), the
frequency of various symptoms of chronicity is 39 % in GWV against 14 %
in non-GWV of light and medium, etc. symptoms, and 6 % in GWV against
0.7% in non-GWV of serious illness. It is evident that frequency of
such symptoms is higher in soldiers who participated in the Gulf War.
It cannot be far from the truth that based on the data of Kang in 1996
, the rate of death in GWV is 10 .4 against9.6% in non-GWV showing
statistically a difference . However, in the 2002 data of Kang, it
shows that the number of accidental deaths is more numerous among GWV
than among the non-GWV. Also, in 1997 , Gray reported that
hospitalization rate was10 % higher among soldiers who participated in
the Gulf War..
It is true that going to war is accompanied by a great risk, and the
appearance of various symptoms after returning from the war is
designated as "war syndrome." However, based on the report of Harvey
RW, et al. of 2002 , among the soldiers returning from the war, the
number of the disabled persons, who have received services after that,
8.6% served in World War II, 5 % in the Korean War,9 .6% in the Vietnam
War and in the case of the Gulf War, it has reached 16 % (estimated at
110,000 persons).. It is evident that the Gulf War, compared with
other wars, has caused a lot many damages, and they cannot be
categorized simply as some risk of going to war.
Countless researches are being conducted on the causes of these
symptoms, but no massive investigation placing primary focus on DU has
been done. There exist, however, an extensive literature relating to
depleted uranium
(2) Experiments on Animals.
Pellmar TC, et al, in 1999 , revealed evidences of DU causing brain
damage by embedding it in rats, and they arrived at the conclusion that
DU produces neurological disorder. Also, as for effects of depleted
uranium on peripheral nerves, they observed the occurrence of cramps,
pain in the extremities, gait disorder, shiver, etc., and that there is
damage of calcium metabolism of the neuromuscular junction.
(3) Psycho-neuron Abnormalities
McDiarmid, et al. of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center,
in a research paper published in2000 , tested 29 people in 1997 out of
the 33 veterans with fragments of DU in their body they had put under
observation since 1993 . They observed the neurocognizance test
becoming bad in proportion to the high concentration of DU in their
urines, and abnormality in the hormone function of the reproductive
system. Also, they reported the genetic damage and the sperm count
abnormality. Yet, while they recognize this sort of health problems,
they made it look that there were not much complaints about the
symptoms when comparing them with the 21 Gulf War veterans who had not
been exposed to DU. However, 11 out of the 21 were in fact suffering
from some neuron abnormality and were in extremely bad condition, and a
terrible deception was evidently carried out. Similarly, tests were
conducted in 1999 , and in the report published in 2001 , 29 people
with incomparably low concentration of DU in their urines to the 21 out
of the previous 33 people tested were added, and this was to
intentionally dilute the results in an attempt to eliminate the
difference abnormal neuron and reproductive hormone levels.
(4) Chromosomal Abnormality
As previously stated, the chromosomes of 16 people who have been
suffering from Gulf War syndrome are 5.2 times higher of [dicentric]
and [ring centric] chromosomes. Others also, according to Uranobitz, et
al, have verified seeing the chromosomal abnormality in veterans of the
Gulf War who have shown such symptoms.
(5) Increase of Depleted Uranium Density in Urine
P Horan, et al of Canada examined the urines of 27 American, British and
Canadian patients, and detected a high density of DU in 14 people. This
data proves the fact that even after 8 or 9 years after exposure to DU,
high density of DU are being discharged in the urine..
In addition, Durakovic, et al have examined the uranium in the urine of
8 residents of 8 regions in Afghanistan who have symptoms similar to
Gulf War syndrome, published in 2003 data on the detection of high
density of uranium in the urine of all of them. Furthermore, in 2004 ,
they published the data on the detection of DU in the urines of 4 out
of 9 American soldiers, who were in charge of maintaining public order
after the Iraqi War, and returned home due to poor physical condition.
It is clear from the investigations conducted by Horan and Durakovic
that DU remains in the body for several years. There is no doubt about
the DU being more or less in part the cause of the Gulf War syndrome,
and its toxicity.
IV. There are researchers who recognize the toxicity of DU even within
the US Military
Arfsten DP of the Naval Health Research Center and Rictchie GD, et al
of the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base have studied in detail all US
military researches, etc. up until then, and in 2001 , in their joint
names, published their dissertation.
(1) High density of DU in the urine was detected after a lapse of 10
years from soldiers, who had inhaled particles or pierced with
fragments of DU during the conflict at the Gulf War and Kosovo.
(2) In mice, the DU accumulated in the testicles, bone, kidneys, and
brain.
(3) In test-tube experiments, there were the genetic disorder
characteristic and teratogenicity, and the rat, when embedded with DU,
developed brain tumor.
(4) It is possible to say that whether it is as a heavy metal or
radioactivity, it has strong effect on the reproduction of rats.
In this treatise, there is the remark that “the opinion expressed here
does not reflect the opinion of the military but are based on the point
of views of the authors.” However, even as researchers of the
military, they have sufficiently recognized the damages caused by DU.
Recognizing the risks is not limited to their researches. As previously
stated, numerous medical researches relating to DU are being conducted
even with grants from the military. Even when they are being conducted
under the direct supervision of the military, these researches are
being given emphasis even when they may verify the danger of DU.
Suffice it to say, it is clear from existing medical dissertations that
DU is an extremely dangerous substance that does not only cause
temporary disorders, but chronic health breakdown, congenital defects,
carcinogens, and other disorders.
6. Effects to the Human Body Exposed Internally to Radiation
I.Official Stand of WHO
The World Health Organization has taken the stand of consistently
denying the danger of depleted uranium. Its basic statement has been
that if exposure has not exceeded the permissible limit of radiation
dosage (In case of the general public,1 millisievert per year), even if
one is exposed to radiation, it will not pose any danger. However, in
a public statement in January 2003 it expressed its most recent stand
on DU radiation and recommended that “there would be a need for places
where contamination to depleted uranium has exceeded the tolerable
level to be cleaned up” and that “children are in danger, so they
should be protected,” and this conceivably is admission of the fact
that substantially, DU can cause health hazards.
II. Method of Evaluation of Present-day Exposure to Radiation
Just how much dosage is the tolerable limit one can be exposed to
radiation is being calculated today on the basis of the Radiation Risk
Model of the International Commission on Radiological Protection
(ICRP). If we follow the Radiation Risk Model of ICRP, the low dosage
of DU, and being of the same degree of exposure to those of other
radiation sources and radiation of the natural world, will make it less
harmful to the health. Also, ICRP's admission of the effects of
radiation to the human body is limited to leukemia, solid cancer,
congenital defects, and effects on genes, and on this theory, it is
saying that symptoms resembling the Gulf War syndrome has nothing to do
with DU exposure. Contentions by WHO, IAEA (International Atomic Energy
Agency) or governments of countries dependent on these agencies and are
denying the danger of DU weapons are founded on this.
III. What kind of agency is the ICRP?
According to Rosalie Bertell of Canada, a scholar in the field of
Radiology, in 1952 , physicists, who took part in the Manhattan
Project, tried to intervene in the National Committee on Radiation
Protection of the International Congress of Radiology, and approached
the members of the radiology commission calling for a collaboration,
and the organization called "ICRP" was created from this merger. The
ICRP, with members designated reciprocally within the group, and with
no fixed tenure of office, is a sort of a non-governmental organization
(NGO), and is composed of physicists and radiologists of
nuclear-capable countries, biophysicists, and administrative officials
in charge of medical care. And out of the 13 members of the Main
Committee of the ICRP, several of them were having additional posts
also in the U.N. Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic
Radiation, and use faces of both parties. ICRP and UNSCEAR are not
official public health and sanitation organizations. ICRP is supposed
to be making the decisions regarding political and economic gains of
the use of atomic energy (including development and actual testing of
nuclear weapons) and the tolerance level to prevent predictable health
hazards by exposure to radiation, and the UNSCEAR is supposed to permit
society to make this choice.
ICRP is neither an agency of the United Nations nor is it agency having
responsibility to the U. N., and yet, despite the fact that it is no
more than a private group composed of people of with vested interests
of nuclear-capable countries and atomic energy industry, this agency
behaves in the manner as if the recommendations it releases are of
solemn conclusions of experts, and even manage politically to have them
formulated into laws of various countries starting with those in the
agencies of the U. N. Moreover, that theory, like the theory
established in connection with the effects of the exposure to
radiation, released by universities and research agencies even now, are
being used for educating the young people.
IV. The application of ICRP Radiation Risk Model to internal exposure
is not valid.
The ICRP Radiation Risk Model was created by using data obtained from
surviving atomic bomb victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The surviving
victims of the atomic bombs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were exposed
mainly by being bathed externally with high dosage of gamma ray
(external exposure). The Radiation Risk Model has been created on the
basis of data obtained on this one specific condition that is called
"acute dosage of external exposure," and ICRP is making something like
this risk model to conform deductively and applied even to internal
exposure (exposure from within the internal body) of varying chronicity
of all conditions.
Whether or not the ICRP Radiation Risk Model is applicable also to
internal exposure, it can be confirmed by investigating the real
damages. However, this model that has been created by using data of
external exposure cannot possibly accurately evaluate the effects of
internal exposure. A classical example that this model could not
totally evaluate real damages was the nuclear power accident at
Chernobyl.
As a consequence of the Chernobyl nuclear power accident, various
symptoms of low dosage exposure in disaster areas in Belarus, Russia
and Ukraine were confirmed. Despite the release of numerous studies
made on the manifestation of additional ailments, the IAEA, UNSCEAR and
WHO have concluded that the causes of those ailments are due to
psychological reasons and stress. The remarkable increase in the rate
of occurrence of cancer of the thyroid gland uniquely among children
has been verified, but even when there is this increase of cancer of
the thyroid gland, UNSCEAR has underestimated the real damages by
insisting on following the ICRP model.
In the first place, the Radiation Risk Model is nothing but a theory.
By traditional scientific methodology, data obtained from actual cases
will have more bearing than theory, and that is, reality should have
more priority. In other words, theory should be dismissed if it is not
applicable and no conformity with the reality that can be seen.
However, in the case of its estimation of radiation damages, if the
ICRP theory is not applicable and does not conform to the reality,
then, it is rejecting reality.
This is the current status over the damages of radiation, and after the
war, the ICRP theory has been used to hide from the eyes of the world
the truth about victims of radiation of the Three-Mile Island nuclear
power accident and the Chernobyl nuclear power accident, and even
today, it is being brought out to repudiate the hazards of DU weapons
once again.
The effects on the human body by depleted uranium are proven in the
aforementioned medical papers, and various symptoms besides cancer and
congenital defects are being confirmed. The general principle of the
scientific methodology, namely that the truth should have more priority
over theory is once more being affirmed now, and we insist that the
ICRP theory should be abandoned on the basis of its denial of the
danger of DU.
V. ECRR Radiation Risk Model
Anti-nuclear movements that could not turn their eyes from the damages
prevalent in such places of the environs of heteroatom facilities, etc.
as the regions polluted with depleted uranium, the Chernobyl nuclear
power accident, and scientists cooperating with those movements have
insisted that damages caused in reality by low dosage of exposure to
radiation cannot be connected to the traditional ICRP Radiation Risk
Model, and have pointed out the danger to health by low level radiation
exposure.
In the midst of this, on the occasion that the European Union
Parliament was greatly arguing about these issues, the problem of low
dosage radiation exposure likewise prompted the promulgation of
measures for the recycling and reuse of radiation wastes, and in this
connection, the European Committee on Radiation Risk was established
for the purpose of reviewing the traditional ICRP Radiation Risk Model,
and in2003 , the ECRR announced its recommendations. Those
recommendations have pointed out that the effect to the human body of
internal exposure cannot be assessed with the ICRP Radiation Risk
Model. And as for internal exposure, it examined the mechanism of
biological damages on cells and DNA, and created a new Radiation Risk
Model. Chris Busby, a member of the ECRR, calculated the doses of
radiation in the case of having 1 micrometer of α (alpha) emitting
micro particles absorbed into the body on the basis of this risk model,
and the dose given to the structure that was in the range of 30
micrometers of micro particles showed 500 to 1000 millisievert per 1
year (E51). This numerical value, by far, exceeds the radiation
tolerance level (in the case of ordinary people, 1 millisievert per
year) shown by WHO.
In the case of applying the ICRP Radiation Risk Model, even with the
absorption into the body of micro particles of depleted uranium, the
radiation level will be low, but based on the Radiation Risk Model of
the ECRR, the same exposure will most likely be evaluated with high
level of exposure.
The ECRR has recognized also the various health hazards caused by
radiation. Asaf Durakovic, in his treatise (Undiagnosed Illnesses and
Radioactive Warfare) published in the Croatia Medical Journal, verified
the medical thesis on DU, and reported that contamination inside the
body by depleted uranium could cause various cell mutation and DNA
damage (E44). This report substantiated the legality of the theory of
the ECRR Radiation Risk Model.
7. Awareness on the Toxicity of DU weapons of the US Armed Forces
The following are the explanations about the fact that the US Military
is fully aware that DU weapons are harmful to the body by the
development process of these weapons:
I. Letters to General Groves
In October 1943, 3 physicists, A. H. Compton, et al., sent a letter
proposing "research on development and protection of radioactive
weapons" to General Groves who took part in the Manhattan Project.
In this letter, the 3 doctors proposed the organization of a team for
the sake of doing researches on the handling and preparation of
radioactive materials as weapons, and also, the preparation in case the
Nazi Germans would be ahead in developing similar weapons, and on
protection from these weapons. They hypothesized that these are
weapons behaving just like toxic gas weapons.
In the letter, they proposed, "as a gas warfare instrument the material
would be grounded into particles of microscopic size to form dust and
smoke and distributed by a ground-fired projectile, land vehicles, or
aerial bombs. In this form personnel would inhale it into the lungs.
The amount necessary to cause death to a person inhaling the material
is extremely small. It has been estimated that one millionth of a gram
accumulating in a person's body would be fatal." Also, it mentioned,
"Two factors appear to increase the effectiveness of radioactive dust
or smoke as a weapon. These are: 1. It cannot be detected by the
senses; 2. It can be distributed in a dust or smoke form so finely
powdered that it will permeate a standard gas mask filter in quantities
large enough to be extremely damaging. An off-setting factor in its
effectiveness as a weapon is that in a dust or smoke form the material
is so finely pulverized that it takes on the characteristic of a
quickly dissipating gas and is therefore subject to all the factors
(such as wind) working against maintenance of high concentrations for
more than a few minutes over a given area."
Moreover, in the letter, they stated the method of using weapons of
this type, 1. As a terrain contaminant, these are spread on the ground
through the air or from the ground, and depending on the amount, the
effects of the radiation on a person would probably not be immediate,
but would be delayed for days or perhaps weeks and lead to death…for
average terrain, no decontaminating methods are known. 2. As a gas
warfare instrument, inhalation of infinitesimal volume of substances
distributed in the form of a dust or smoke or dissolved in liquid can
be fatal. And regarding the effects of these, "as for the terrain
contaminated with radioactive dust and smoke...radioactive materials
can be stirred up as a fine dust from the terrain by winds, movement of
vehicles or troops, etc., and would remain a potential hazard for a
long time. Especially in the case of the latter, "These materials may
also be so disposed as to be taken into the body by ingestion instead
of inhalation. Reservoirs or wells would be contaminated or food
poisoned with an effect similar to that resulting from inhalation of
dust or smoke.....Particles larger than1 μ[micron]in size are likely to
be deposited in nose, trachea or bronchi and then be brought up with
mucus on the walls at the rate of 1/2 - 1 cm/min. Particles smaller
than1 μ [micron] are more likely to be deposited in the alveoli where
they will either remain indefinitely or be absorbed into the lymphatic
or blood...that while chemical gas weapons may exhibit faster effect,
the radioactive substance has more permanent effects."
Here we should exercise special caution regarding the fact that this
letter evidently hypothesize internal exposure, and though it did
specify it to be Uranium 238 , it recognized the danger of internal
exposure caused by micro-particles of radioactive materials.
II. Some of the U.S. Government's Documentation of Harmful Effects of
D.U. Weapons
Documents provided by the Campaign Against Depleted Uranium (CADU) of
UK are cited below to prove the harmful effects of DU:
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) advisory circular by M. C.
dated 20 December 1984 warning FAA crash site investigators about
encounters with planes laden with depleted uranium, aircraft balance
weights at sites, when investigating plane crashes accidents that "if
particles are inhaled or ingested, they can be chemically toxic and
cause a significant and long-lasting irradiation of internal tissue.”
On March 7, 1979, the US Army Mobility Equipment, Research and
Development Command stated, "Not only the people in the immediate
vicinity, emergency and fire fighting personnel, but also people at
distances downwind from the fire are faced with potential over exposure
to air borne uranium dust." (This was disclosed in accordance with
request based on the Freedom of Information Act to the National Gulf
War Resources Center by Chris Kornkven, et al.)
U.S. Army Environmental Policy Institute, in a June 1995 report to
Congress, says depleted uranium has the potential to generate
“significant medical consequences” if it enters the body. “The
radiation dose to critical organs depends upon the amount of time that
depleted uranium resides in the organs. When this value is known or
estimated, cancer and hereditary risk estimates can be determined.”
On May 1997 26, the Nation Magazine published an article about the U.S.
Army Armaments, Munitions and Chemical Command (AMCCOM) report in July
1990 that depleted uranium is a “low level alpha radiation emitter,
which is linked to cancer when exposures are internal, and that
chemical toxicity causes kidney damage.” Also, AMCCOM’s radiological
task group has stated, “Long term effects of low doses (of DU) have
been implicated in cancer…there is not dose so low that the probability
of effect is zero.”
On August 16 , 1993 , Col. Robert G. Claypool of the U.S. Army Surgeon
General’s Office, in a letter, says, "When soldiers inhale or ingest DU
dust, they incur a potential increase in cancer risk. The magnitude of
that increase can be quantified if the DU intake can be estimated.
Expected physiological effects from exposure to DU dust include
possible increase in the outbreak of cancer and kidney damage.”
Health hazards data, (the Materials Safety Data Sheet:MSDS) from the
U.S. Department of Labor says that the "(DU) increases the risk of lung
carcinoma and chemical toxicity to kidney. Decay products of U-238,
U-235, and U- 234are just as hazardous."
These documents indicated that before the Gulf War, and even after
that, the US Armed Forces and the US government have long been doing
investigations repeatedly on the danger of depleted uranium, and the
hazards of internal irradiation, and knew fully well about its
carcinogenicity and teratogenicity.
After the Gulf War, this awareness spread to the US Congress. In 1992
, the US General Accounting Office and the Senate Appropriations
Committee recommended the probe on the effects to the human body and
environment of depleted uranium to the Department of Defense and the US
Army respectively, and in June, 1993 , in response, the Department of
the Army, submitted the plan for such course of action, namely,
"complete medical testing of personnel exposed to DU contamination,"
"provide adequate training for personnel who may come in contact with
DU contaminated equipment from now," etc.
However, this plan up to now has not been enforced, and as stated below
are deliberately being ignored and distorted:
III. Testimony of Doug Rokke
Doug Rokke was a professor of Physics and Environmental Science at the
Jacksonville University, an Army major (Reserve), and in 1994 - 95 was
in charge of the DU Project of the Pentagon. He took the stand and
answered questions from the prosecutors of the International Criminal
Tribunal for Afghanistan regarding the said project. As to the
background of the formation of this DU Project team of the Pentagon, he
said, "Commissioned officers from the UK, Australia, Canada and Germany
participated in the project to study the risk of DU weapons and I was
tasked by the Army to direct the team. The objective of the project was
to ensure that adequate information and training to soldiers being
deployed to the battlefield are provided by making it clear to them the
risks and hazards when DU bomb weapons are used, and to know what kind
of countermeasures and precautionary measures should be adopted, and to
make proposals as to how to clean up the DU bullets. Also, we submitted
recommendations, which were completely ignored. Up to this day, the US
Armed Forces the US army has not taken any measures to protect the
soldiers." He also mentioned, "We made a proposal that clean-up was
essential, but in reality, complete clean-up was impossible. Therefore,
we proposed not to use DU weapons any longer. However our proposal was
ignored by the upper level of the government and completely ignored by
NATO, UK, Australia and others."
Furthermore, Doug Rokke said that as part of the DU project, they made
several videotapes that were supposed to be produced as videotapes on
DU bombs of the Pentagon. "The first one was an advisory on what kind
of danger was there when a DU bomb would explode, the second about a
manual on when a clean up was being done, and the third one was on how
to measure the radiation, and we made clear that a Geiger counter would
not be effective in measuring DU bombs. The fourth one was about what
kind of equipment should be used in destroying the residue of the DU
bomb, and the fifth one was on how to handle dud (unexploded) bombs.
These were produced especially for the sake of soldiers who would go on
dangerous missions, but in the end, they were never used." he stated.
The US started the DU weapon project, but because of the report that
was released about the extremely high risk of DU weapons, and
recommendation that they should not be used, the results of the
researches of the project were classified. Through the proliferation of
these information and videos, the hazardous nature of DU weapons had
become clear, and the US feared being showered with criticisms by the
international community, and that DU weapons would no longer be used
ever. This is how, according to Doug Rokke, et al. was their
recommendations were ignored, their project dissolved, and why nothing
is done ever to protect the soldiers from DU weapons nor provide them
with medical care.
IV.Awareness on the Violations of International Laws in the US Armed
Forces
Within the US Armed Forces, they are aware about possible violation of
international law regarding the use of this type of weapons being a
violation of international laws in addition to awareness of matters of
this nature related to the danger of depleted uranium as stated above.
The U.S. Air Force’s 1976 manual titled “International Law: The Conduct
of Armed Conflict and Air Operations" names treaties, including The
Hague Conventions of1907 , the Geneva Gas Protocol of 1925 , and the
Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Time of
War,1949 , and specifically recognized as binding by the US Armed
Forces.
The Geneva Gas Protocol outlaws asphyxiating, poisonous or other gases,
and all analogous liquids, materials or devices, and the Hague
Conventions explicitly forbid the use especially of poison or poisoned
weapons. The Air Force manual defines poison as "biological or chemical
substances causing death or disability with permanent effects when, in
even small quantities, they are ingested, enter the lungs or
bloodstream, or touch the skin.” The manual says, “Any weapons may be
put to an unlawful use," and unequivocally, “A weapon may be illegal
per se if either international custom or treaty has forbidden its use
under all circumstances. An example is poison to kill or injure a
person.”
The 70 's was a period when the US military began a full-scale
development and production of DU bombshells. From this period onward,
the US Air Force has been fully aware that DU weapons are poisonous
weapons, and that their use will be a violation of international laws,
and yet, even with that knowledge, they are used in attacking Iraq, and
its insistence that the use of DU weapons "is not illegal" on the
ground that it has never been explicitly forbidden by any war
convention is definitely a deception.
Another document that can support this fact is the memorandum "On the
Effectiveness of Depleted Uranium Penetrators" of the Los Alamos
National Laboratory written by Lieutenant-Colonel M V Ziehman dated
March 1 , 1991 immediately after the Gulf War. Besides pointing out
the effectiveness of DU bombs used extensively in the military
operations in Iraq, it reads, ""There has been, and continues to be, a
concern regarding the impact of DU on the environment. If no one makes
the case for the effectiveness of DU on the battlefields, DU rounds may
become politically unacceptable and be deleted from the arsenal. If DU
perpetrators proved their worth during our recent combat activities,
then we should assure their future existence (until something better is
developed). If proponency is not garnered, it is possible that we
stand to lose a valuable combat capability. I believe we should keep
this sensitive issue at mind when after action reports are written."
This is actually a notice advising the US military and various
government agencies to bear in mind and to continue to keep silent
about the continuous use of DU weapons, and bear in mind possible the
great criticism regarding the serious effect to the human body and the
environment of the DU weapons and the possible violation of laws stated
previously.
V. Reason for the use of DU weapons by the US Armed Forces
notwithstanding
The US Armed Forces, despite the widespread criticism and skepticism in
and outside of the country, has given as reason for the continuous use
of these deadly poison weapons solely their cost and military
effectiveness. They are considered as a milestone in nuclear
utilization strategy of the US military. The US Armed Forces, at
present is targeting the development and use of4 th generation nuclear
weapons. Last year, since the lifting of the ban on researches of
small-type nuclear weapons, the Department of Energy has given the
incentives to the chiefs of national laboratories such as the Los
Alamos, etc. by telling them "not to waste the opportunity" do these
nuclear testings, and one of the projects was the mounting of these
small-type nuclear weapons in bunker busters that were most probably
loaded with depleted uranium, and used in the war in Afghanistan and
Iraq.
The US Armed Forces, as a pioneer in the use for actual combat of this4
th generation nuclear weapon, despite the fact that there are other
alternatives that may be used as weapons, has targeted a fait accompli
of the claim that the radiation pollution by this use of DU weapons is
within "tolerance level." The Bush administration has asserted that
"the radioactive pollution is kept under control to the minimum" of
subterranean small-type nuclear weapon penetrators, but even if they
are restricted temporarily to only targets of attacks on basement
facilities, etc., they cause extremely serious contamination of the
human body and environment brought about by a tremendous radioactive
pollution accompanied by a nuclear explosion. The US Armed Forces
conceals this fact by putting emphasis on their tolerance level
addressed to the world, and in an attempt to gain permission by the
international community.
8. Environmental Pollution by Depleted Uranium (DU)
I. Widespread Radioactive Contamination in Iraq
In this war on Iraq, DU weapons are used in large cities and towns
starting with Baghdad. Many countries have a limit of public exposure
to radiation prescribed by laws based on the recommendation of ICRP set
at 1 millisievert per annum, and the quantity of depleted uranium
equivalent to this is 11.4 milligrams. The quantity of depleted
uranium contained in a 30 -milligram DU bomb is 280 grams. One shot of
this can emit a radiation surpassing the radiation limit for25 ,
000persons per annum by ignition and micronization. In accordance with
the on-the-spot investigations conducted by privately-run facilities
and scientists, it has been reported that high level radiations are
detected from soils surrounding road ditches and inside of building
sites where warheads and hulls of these DU bombs have rolled into, and
war tanks. The exact amount used is not publicly announced but Michael
Kilpatrick, in a forum stated that even with just 115 tons, it would be
enough to distribute a dosage per annum of about 100,000, 000 people.
The depleted uranium has deeply penetrated the life sphere of people.
At the conclusion of this war on 6 April 2004, UNEP Executive Director
Klaus Toefger said, "UNEP stands ready to conduct early environmental
field studies in Iraq. Given the overall environmental concerns during
the conflict, and the fact that the environment of Iraq was already a
cause for serious concern prior to the current war, UNEP believes early
field studies should be carried out (E61). This is especially important
to protect human health in a post-conflict situation due to the
apparent use of DU weapons in this war. Immediately after that, UNEP
published a "desk study on the Iraq environment" that contained
information on the risks to groundwater, surface water, drinking water
sources, and the scattering of radioactive particles. The report of
the British Royal Society in 2002 also predicts that due to depleted
uranium, the radioactive contamination, after the conflict, will
gradually permeate the soil and water sources in the years ahead.
In the first place, the depleted uranium is a deadly poisonous
substance brought forth as quid-pro-quo for the use of nuclear power
generation to bring wealth and amenities to just a portion of the
population. Laws have been passed regarding the legal obligation of
individuals capitalizing on this to ensure safety management, and the
handling of radioactive wastes by each nation, which uses atomic
energy. The US national regulation "10CRF20" has stipulated the strict
control of the storage, transfer, and use of depleted uranium, and the
paying of careful consideration and caution to prevent its leakage to
the environment. Is this legally and morally forgivable that in its
own country, the US government spends lots of money on the strict
management and storage of radioactive materials, but when it comes to
people of other countries, it has no qualms dumping and scattering
large volume of illegal wastes, even putting the fate of Iraqi in
serious danger and jeopardy by radioactivity?
II. The Development of the Idea of Environmental Protection
The present global environment was formed from even before the human
race appeared on earth, and human race has evolved by conforming and
adapting to it. However, the rapid development of scientific
technology by the pursuit for comfort and convenience brought about the
destruction of the ecosystem, and global environmental pollution, and
that has caused the situation where the very existence of mankind is
now in imminent danger. Amidst this situation, in1971 , the United
Nations convened its first international conference with the
environment for its theme; The United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment, and adopted the "Declaration of the United Nations
Conference of the Human Environment."
In the declaration are expressed the ideals that "both aspects of man's
environment, the natural and the man-made, are essential to his
well-being and to the enjoyment of basic human rights the right to life
itself," "All countries, organizations and individuals at every level,
all sharing equitably in common efforts, to achieve this environmental
goal will demand the acceptance of responsibility and by their values
and the sum of their actions, will shape the world environment of the
future," and "all countries shall bear the responsibility that their
respective countries will not cause damage to the regional environment
of another country."
The deepening and development of the environmental ideology was derived
from movements attempting to regulate the environmental destruction
brought about by the war. The treaty on the prohibition of military and
other hostile use of environmental modification techniques, which was
approved in 1976 , prohibits the military use of environmental
modification technique (any technique for changing through the
deliberate manipulation of natural processes the dynamics, composition,
or structure of the earth, including its biota, lithosphere,
hydrosphere, or of outer space) likely to have widespread, long-lasting
and also severe effects as a means to cause destruction, damage and
also injury. Simultaneously, Supplementary Protocol of the Geneva
Conventions also came into effect, and stipulated that "it is
prohibited to use as means or method of combat intending or predicting
to inflict widespread, long-lasting, and severe injury."
III. Precautionary Principle
However, without limiting it to the conduct of war, the technique and
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http://www.reseauvoltaire.net/article14657.html
L'alliance du Pentagone avec les nazis
« Operation Paperclip » : des V2 à la Lune
À la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, l'état-major des États-Unis met
en place l'opération Paperclip à l'insu du Président Roosevelt. En
quelques années, près de 1500 scientifiques nazis sont exfiltrés et
recrutés pour lutter contre l'URSS communiste. Ils poursuivent
notamment des recherches sur les armes chimiques, sur l'usage des
psychotropes dans la torture, et sur la conquête spatiale. Loin de les
affecter à des postes subalternes, le Pentagone leur confie la
direction de ces programmes qu'ils marquent de leur empreinte
idéologique.
24 août 2004
La Seconde Guerre mondiale à peine terminée sur le théâtre européen,
les États-Unis et l'URSS entrent en rivalité. Leur priorité devient de
piller le plus rapidement l'ennemi vaincu, le IIIe Reich. Le
savoir-faire technologique développé par les scientifiques allemands
suscite toutes les convoitises bien qu'il soit le fruit d'une
exploitation d'une main d'œuvre servile issue des camps de
concentration.
Une partie de l'état-major états-unien, bouleversée par ce que
découvrent ses hommes à Dachau, Auschwitz, Dora, ordonne de recueillir
le plus grand nombre de preuves possible en vue d'un procès des
dirigeants nazis. D'autres officiers de l'état-major considèrent au
contraire que ces criminels forment un personnel irremplaçable qu'il
convient de mettre au service de la puissance des États-Unis. Une
opération militaire de récupération des scientifiques allemands ayant
travaillé pour le IIIe Reich est donc montée par le Pentagone. Appelée
« Operation Paperclip » (Opération Trombone), elle est confiée à la
Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) [1], qui regroupe alors
l'ensemble des services de renseignement militaires états-uniens. Comme
l'expliquera plus tard son directeur, Bosquet Wev, « le gouvernement se
préoccupait de "bagatelles" - les dossiers des nazis - au lieu de
privilégier "l'intérêt des États-Unis, et gâchait ses forces
inutilement à vouloir frapper un cheval nazi mort" » [2].
L'opération se heurte à de vives résistances à la fois chez les
responsables politiques et dans l'état-major. La position du président
Franklin Delano Roosevelt était claire : interrogé par William Donovan,
chef de l'OSS, sur l'opportunité d'accorder des privilèges aux
officiers SS et aux membres du ministère des Affaires étrangères
allemand, le président des États-Unis refuse. Parmi les personnes ainsi
recrutées par l'OSS, « certains devront peut-être carrément être jugés
pour crimes de guerre ou au moins arrêtés pour avoir participé de
manière active aux activités nazies », argue-t-il. Passant outre
l'ordre présidentiel, la JIOA prend la décision de falsifier les
dossiers militaires des scientifiques allemands qu'elle projette
d'exfiltrer aux États-Unis [3].
Les scientifiques les plus convoités dans l'immédiat sont ceux qui ont
fait peser la menace la plus lourde sur le camp des Alliés,
c'est-à-dire ceux chargés de la conception des redoutables missiles V2.
Leur chef de file est Wernher von Braun. Agé de seulement 32 ans en
1945, il s'agit d'un des plus brillants ingénieurs de l'époque. Dès les
années 1930, il travaille sous la houlette d'Hermann Oberth, père de
la fusée allemande. Il rejoint la SS et le commandement personnel du
chef de l'organisation, Heinrich Himmler, avant d'obtenir le grade de
commandant. Pendant la guerre, il travaille au centre de Peenemünde sur
le projet de fusées V2. Celles-ci sont construites à l'usine
Mittelwerk, par du personnel venu du camp de concentration de Dora.
[PHOTO: Le major SS Wernher von Braun, 1943
Présentation aux dignitaires nazis du centre de recherche de Peenemünde
où fut conçue la « guerre des étoiles » et réalisés les V2. Von Braun
devint ultèrieurement le patron de la NASA.]
Après la victoire des Alliés, il est interné un temps à Garmisch par
l'équipe du colonel états-unien, Holger Toftoy, habité d'un projet
fou : relancer sur la base de Fort Bliss, aux États-Unis, le programme
de fusées sur lequel travaillait von Braun. Il charge d'ailleurs
celui-ci de convaincre avec lui ses anciens collègues de rejoindre
l'aventure. La tâche n'est pas très difficile : la plupart des
scientifiques concernés risquent, s'ils restent en Europe, d'être
traduits devant un tribunal pour « complicité de crimes de guerre ».
Parallèlement, un des directeurs de la JIOA, E.W. Gruhn, se charge
d'établir une liste des scientifiques allemands et autrichiens les plus
qualifiés pour les faire recruter par ses services. Il s'appuie pour
cela sur Werner Osenberg, qui a dirigé la section scientifique de la
Gestapo chargée de vérifier la fiabilité politique des savants
travaillant pour le Reich. Les rapports et dossiers de la sinistre
police permirent à Osenberg d'établir une liste de quinze mille noms de
scientifiques, mentionnant leurs affiliations politiques et leur valeur
scientifique. Ainsi que l'observe Linda Hunt, cette méthode
« favorisait l'embauche de nazis convaincus » [4]
Le programme confié à von Braun n'obtient pas immédiatement les
résultats attendus. En juin 1947 le premier V2 modifié est tiré depuis
la rampe de lancement de White Sands Proving Ground, au
Nouveau-Mexique. La fusée, assemblée à partir de pièces allemandes
trouvées à Mittelwerk, s'écarte de sa trajectoire initiale pour aller
s'écraser de l'autre côté de la frontière mexicaine, à moins de cinq
kilomètres d'un quartier surpeuplé de la ville de Juarez. Ce qui oblige
Washington à expliquer immédiatement aux Mexicains qu'il ne veut en
aucun cas lancer une attaque de missiles contre leur pays.
[PHOTO: Note déclassifiée du chef d'État Major de l'US Air Force datée
du 2 juin 1953 attestant que 820 scientifiques nazis ont déjà été
recrutés dans le cadre de Paperclip.]
Le transfert de scientifiques aussi impliqués dans l'appareil nazi ne
pouvait se passer sans encombre. Nombre d'entre eux n'ont accepté cet
« exil » que sous la menace de poursuites judiciaires dans leur propre
pays. Ce qui n'est pas un gage de fiabilité. Au mieux, ils considèrent
collaborer avec un allié objectif dans la lutte contre l'URSS. Au pire,
ils sont décidés à partager le moins possible les technologies qu'ils
maîtrisent, ou bien à les vendre au plus offrant. Ces problèmes sont
d'ailleurs identifiés dès le début de l'opération. Walter Jessel,
lieutenant de l'armée états-unienne, a été chargé en 1945 d'évaluer la
loyauté des scientifiques avant qu'ils ne quittent l'Allemagne. Son
rapport, fondé sur des interrogatoires, conclue que von Braun et ses
hommes cherchent à cacher leurs informations aux officiers
états-uniens. Selon le militaire états-unien, leur faire confiance
serait « une absurdité évidente ». Après tout, les scientifiques
allemands étaient, encore très récemment, dans le camp ennemi. Malgré
cela, ils ne seront jamais placés sous stricte surveillance par le
commandant James Hamill, pourtant directement responsable du groupe
Paperclip à Fort Bliss : « non seulement (..) les membres de Paperclip
étaient autorisés à avoir largement accès aux informations secrètes,
mais (…) il n'y avait ni couvre-feu, ni vérification du courrier
allemand ». De plus, « les activités des scientifiques à l'extérieur
étaient très peu contrôlées ». Ce qui témoigne, soit d'une légèreté
incroyable, soit d'une confiance aveugle ne pouvant s'expliquer par de
la simple naïveté.
Une opération d'« intérêt national »
L'opinion publique ne s'émeut pas de cette arrivée sur le territoire
états-unien d'anciens scientifiques nazis. D'autant qu'elle est
soigneusement désinformée sur le sujet. Fin 1946, le département de la
Guerre organise même une journée porte ouverte à Wright Field afin de
présenter une délégation de « savants allemands » à la presse. Les
articles publiés à la suite de cette initiative de pure propagande
passent totalement sous silence les antécédents douteux de ces
ingénieurs si brillants. La doxa du Pentagone veut que tous aient été
« passés au crible ». Le sous-secrétaire à la Guerre Patterson déclare
notamment qu'« aucun scientifique soupçonné de crimes de guerre n'a été
introduit aux États-Unis ». En réalité, d'importantes dissensions
existent au sein même de la base de Wright Field, où plusieurs
militaires états-uniens s'indignent de devoir travailler avec des
« criminels de guerre nazis ». Theodor Zobel est ainsi accusé d'avoir
« effectué des expériences sur des êtres humains quand il dirigeait les
souffleries de Chalais-Meudon, en France », une information confirmée
par un rapport de l'OMGUS, l'administration militaire états-unienne de
Berlin. L'expert en carburant de Jet, Ernst Eckert, voit resurgir son
passé d'ancien membre de la SA, puis de membre du NSDAP à partir de
1938, et de la SS en 1939. Mais la politique du Pentagone consiste à
protéger au maximum ses hommes, tout en poursuivant les exfiltrations.
À partir de l'été 1947, la JIOA lance une nouvelle opération intitulée
« National Interest » (Intérêt national) qui lui permet de recruter
toute la gamme des scientifiques nazis, même ceux condamnés pour crime
de guerre. Elle leur propose de travailler pour l'armée ou pour de
grandes entreprises privées, notamment Lockheed, W.R. Grace and
Company, CBS Laboratories et Martin Marietta. Otto Ambros est de ceux
qui bénéficièrent du programme. Directeur de l'IG Farben pendant la
guerre, il participa à la décision d'utiliser le Zyklon B (produit par
une filiale d'IG Farben) dans les chambres à gaz, et choisit seul le
camp d'extermination d'Auschwitz pour y installer une usine. Ce qui lui
permit de faire produire par une main d'œuvre en condition d'esclavage
des gaz asphyxiants qu'il testait sur place sur des prisonniers, avant
que leur usage ne soit généralisé à tous les camps. Déclaré coupable
d'esclavage et de meurtres en série à Nuremberg, il bénéficie néanmoins
de la clémence du tribunal et n'est condamné qu'à huit ans de prison.
Durant sa période de détention, son nom est maintenu sur la liste
d'embauche de la JIOA, qui le recrute dès sa libération prématurée par
John McCloy, haut-commissaire états-unien pour l'Allemagne. Il est
alors intégré en tant que « conseiller » dans les effectifs de W.R.
Grace Company, Dow Chemical ainsi que dans ceux de l'US Army Chemical
Corps.
Objectif Lune
Malgré les difficultés rencontrées au début du programme, l'opération
Paperclip tient vite ses promesses dans plusieurs domaines, où
l'état-major n'hésite pas à placer « ses » scientifiques nazis à des
postes clés. Le plus emblématique est celui de la conquête spatiale, où
s'illustre toute l'ancienne équipe des V2, qui dirige pratiquement
l'intégralité des recherches. Érigé en priorité par le président John
F. Kennedy en 1961, l'envoi d'un homme sur la Lune est directement
confié aux ingénieurs nazis de l'équipe de Wernher von Braun. Ce
dernier devient le premier directeur du Marshall Flight Center, le
centre spatial de la NASA à Huntsville. Arthur Rudolph est nommé
directeur de projet pour le programme de la fusée Saturne V, celle-là
même qui atteindra la Lune en 1969. Pendant la guerre, en tant que chef
de la production à Mittelwerk, Rudolph était notamment chargé de fixer
le nombre d'heures de travail réalisable par les prisonniers venus du
camp de concentration voisin de Dora. Enfin, l'ancien membre de la SS,
de la SA et de deux autres groupes nazis, Kurt Debus, devient le
premier directeur du Kennedy Space Center à Cap Canaveral. La
collaboration des trois hommes permet aux États-Unis de réaliser l'un
des accomplissements les plus spectaculaires de son histoire puisque,
le 21 juillet 1969, Neil Armstrong pose le pied sur la Lune. Un
véritable couronnement pour la coopération scientifique entre le parti
nazi et l'état-major états-unien.
[PHOTO: Hubertus Strughold
Scientifique nazi ayant coordonné des expériences sur la résistance au
froid des déportés de Dachau. Recruté par Paperclip.]
Mais ce n'est pas le seul domaine où cette coopération parvient à
d'excellents résultats. Au début des années 1950, l'armée états-unienne
lance un programme destiné à améliorer la connaissance de la santé des
pilotes et des soins à leur proférer en cas d'accident ou de
circonstances extrêmes, tel que le parachutage en très haute altitude.
Ces recherches sont centralisées à l'École de médecine aérienne de
Randolph Field, au Texas, sous la direction du général Harry Armstrong.
Plusieurs scientifiques nazis y travaillent à ses côtés. Le plus
éminent d'entre eux est Hubertus Strughold. Celui-ci, après avoir vécu
aux États-Unis pendant l'entre-deux-guerres, devient, pendant le
conflit, responsable de l'Institut de la Luftwaffe pour la médecine
aérienne à Berlin. Un centre de sinistre mémoire : des scientifiques y
ont mené des expérimentations particulièrement atroces sur des détenus
de camps de concentration afin de vérifier la durée de résistance au
gel, à l'absorption d'eau salée et au manque d'oxygène.
Officiellement, Strughold n'aurait pas eu connaissance de ces
expériences. Elles ont pourtant été menées par ses proches
collaborateurs : Siegfried Ruff, responsable des expériences de
simulation de haute altitude (qui rendaient les détenus complètement
fous par manque d'oxygène) a même coécrit un livre de santé aérienne
avec lui. Ruff manqua d'ailleurs lui aussi d'être recruté dans le cadre
de Paperclip, après avoir été miraculeusement acquitté à Nüremberg.
Aujourd'hui encore, le bâtiment de l'US Air Force à San Antonio porte
le nom d'Hubertus Stronghold.
Edgewood Arsenal : du gaz moutarde au contrôle des cerveaux
Le code de Nuremberg, destiné notamment à prévenir la réédition des
horreurs nazies, ainsi que les lois régissant la zone états-unienne
d'Allemagne interdisant aux Allemands de faire des recherches sur la
guerre chimique, n'ont pas empêché le gouvernement des États-Unis
d'utiliser les cerveaux nazis dans le cadre de Paperclip, bien au
contraire.
La base militaire ultra-secrète d'Edgewood Arsenal, dans l'État du
Maryland, était depuis 1922 le principal centre de recherche médicale
sur la guerre chimique aux États-Unis. D'abord pour tester les gaz
inventés par les Allemands pendant la guerre, et plus tard les méthodes
de manipulations psychologiques, de nombreux scientifiques de
l'opération Paperclip y menèrent des expériences de 1947 à 1966,
souvent de manière trop empirique et en utilisant les cobayes qu'ils
avaient sous la main. Ce qui n'arrangea pas l'image de Paperclip, même
parmi le personnel scientifique qui y était basé en permanence. Ainsi
le directeur scientifique d'Edgewood à l'époque, Dr Seymour Silver,
commentait-il leurs travaux en ces termes : « Leur appréciation
générale autant en ce qui concernait le choix des sujets que sur les
expériences elles-mêmes était erronée, très mauvaise ». Or dans un
domaine des gaz de combat, des gaz incapacitants et des psychotropes,
de telles méthodes eurent des conséquences humaines terribles.
L'un des premiers nazis recrutés sur la base est Kurt Rahr, second
couteau nazi autant inquiété en Allemagne pour des délits de droit
commun que pour son soutien au IIIe Reich. Malgré un rapport
défavorable le jugeant indigne de confiance et donc dangereux pour la
sécurité des États-Unis, la JIOA envoie ce spécialiste de
l'électronique haute fréquence à Edgewood en septembre 1947. Mais on ne
lui confie pas de travaux classés secrets et il est trop modéré au goût
de Hans Trurnit, autre recrue importée en 1947 de l'élite scientifique
nazie cette fois, qui l'accuse d'être communiste et le fait renvoyer en
Allemagne. Titulaire à l'université de Kieldu de 1934 à 1940, Trurnit y
a été l'adjoint du professeur Holzlöhner , qui mena, pendant la
deuxième guerre mondiale, des expériences concernant le froid sur des
prisonniers de Dachau.
Mais le principal atout d'Edgewood dans le cadre de Paperclip reste le
chimiste Friedrich Hoffmann, lui aussi parmi les premiers arrivés sur
la base. Cet ancien candidat recalé aux SA synthétisait pendant la
guerre les gaz toxiques et les toxines pour le laboratoire de chimie de
guerre de l'université de Würzburg et l'Institut de recherches
techniques de la Luftwaffe. Arrivé aux Etats-Unis, il est chargé
d'inventer de nouvelles tenues de protection et des antidotes contre
les deux gaz les plus mortels inventés par les nazis dont dispose l'US
Army, le Tabun et le Sarin, ramenés en grande quantités depuis
l'Allemagne dans les arsenaux états-uniens. À l'aide des rapports sur
les expériences menées dans les camps de concentration et de cobayes
choisis parmi des soldats de la base, volontaires mais peu informés sur
la réalité des expériences, il tente de déterminer quels effets
produisent ces gaz sur l'organisme. Le protocole expérimental est
sommaire : une vaste pièce est aménagée en chambre à gaz, on y place
des animaux et des soldats à qui l'on demande d'ôter leur masque à gaz
et de respirer des doses de poison jusqu'à ce qu'ils ne le supportent
plus. Ainsi le soldat Don Bowen raconte, après avoir vu tous les
animaux de la pièce agoniser dans d'atroces souffrances : « Mon premier
réflexe fut de ne pas respirer. Et quand finalement j'ai pris une
longue inspiration, le gaz me brûla le nez, la gorge et les lèvres ».
De nombreux cobayes sont ainsi hospitalisés pour divers troubles après
avoir respiré de faibles doses de gaz moutarde ou Tabun.
Le LSD, arme de guerre psychologique
En 1949, les scientifiques de Paperclip basés à Edgewood se voient
confier une nouvelle mission : tester un psychotrope étonnant, qui
provoque des hallucinations et des tendances au suicide chez les êtres
humains. Il s'agit du LSD, découvert quelques années plus tôt par un
autre Hoffmann, Albert cette fois, dans les laboratoires Sandoz de
Bâle. [5]. Son utilisation devait, selon Son principal promoteur L.
Wilson Greene, rendre possible une guerre plus humaine. L'objectif est
en effet au départ de déterminer si l'on peut avoir recours au LSD et à
une soixantaine d'autres psychotropes pour mener une guerre
« psychochimique » destinée à affaiblir la population et les troupes
ennemies. Mais progressivement, avec la montée en puissance de la
Guerre froide et la multiplication des opérations de
contre-insurrection, la CIA s'accapare le projet et le focalise sur la
conduite des interrogatoires et les moyens de briser la résistance
psychologique de l'interrogé, de provoquer des dissociations
psychologiques et des états d'amnésie [6].
Les sources d'informations de la CIA pour la guerre chimique étaient
essentiellement des scientifiques allemands ayant travaillé pour l'IG
Farben (la société qui produisait le gaz Zyklon B utilisé dans les
camps de concentration), comme Walter Reppe, son ancien chimiste en
chef, que les États-Unis tentent de récupérer en vain en 1948, alors
qu'il travaille déjà pour les Britanniques. Un vaste recensement des
plantes psychotropes est entrepris par Friedrich Hoffmann afin de
mettre au point le « sérum de vérité » idéal.
On donne également d'importantes doses de LSD à des soldats-cobayes
d'Edgewood avant de les soumettre à des interrogatoires agressifs qui
provoquent chez eux des états de peur intense, voire dans certains cas
des convulsions, de l'épilepsie ou des crises de paranoïa aigües
laissant de nombreuses séquelles.
Les recherches sur l'amnésie, quant à elles, aboutirent à l'utilisation
du Sernyl (SNA), connu également sous le nom de PCP ou « poussière
d'ange », qu'on administrait par voie orale ou en aérosol à des soldats
pendant qu'ils marchaient sur une trépigneuse. Accès de folie intense,
amnésie totale et autres comas furent observés dans les laboratoires
d'Edgewood.
Parmi les plus virulents nazis de Paperclip à avoir participé aux
recherches sur la guerre chimique et psychologique, figurait également
l'ancien brigadier-général Walter Schieber (employé pendant 10 ans),
qui avait supervisé les usines d'armement françaises sous l'occupation,
les usines allemandes employant des STO et le programme nazi de guerre
chimique. Emprisonné en 1945 car suspecté de crimes de guerre, il sauve
sa peau en rédigeant des rapports sur la guerre chimique pour l'US
Army, en se présentant comme témoin vedette à Nuremberg pour être
intégré à Paperclip en 1947.
Dans la seule période entre 1955 et 1975, sept mille soldats furent
utilisés comme cobayes involontaires ; gazés, asphyxiés, drogués pour
les recherches sur le contrôle du cerveau.
Un élément d'une politique
La fin de l'aventure est piteuse. À partir du début des années 1970,
les crédits militaires accordés aux programmes des scientifiques
Paperclip diminuent. En 1971, des restrictions budgétaires touchent
durement le programme spatial, et tout particulièrement les ingénieurs
allemands. Arthur Rudolph prend sa retraite, recevant au passage la
plus haute distinction de la NASA, la Distinguished Service Medal. La
même année, Wernher von Braun est contraint de témoigner devant des
procureurs d'Allemagne de l'Ouest chargés d'enquêter sur les crimes
commis au camp de concentration de Dora. Peu après, il doit abandonner
son rêve secret de devenir administrateur général de la NASA. En 1974,
c'est au tour de Kurt Debus de prendre sa retraite. Dix ans plus tard,
en 1984, alors que ressurgissent les accusations de crime de guerre à
l'encontre d'Arthur Rudolph, ce dernier est contraint de quitter les
États-Unis pour Hambourg.
Au total, les différents programmes de l'Opération Paperclip ont
mobilisé près de 1500 scientifiques nazis pour lutter contre l'URSS.
Ils attestent du choix de l'état-major interarmes des États-Unis de
collaborer avec le parti nazi malgré le veto du président Roosevelt. Un
choix ultérieurement validé par le président Truman et hissé au niveau
d'une politique fédérale systématique. En effet, sous le contrôle du
Conseil de sécurité nationale, des opérations similaires sont conduites
parallèlement dans d'autres domaines pour récupérer et intégrer les
cadres nazis ainsi que les cadres du système militaire nippon dans
l'appareil de sécurité des États-Unis ou pour les employer dans des
opérations secrètes à l'étranger.
[1] La Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency a été créée en 1945, sous
la tutelle du Joint Intelligence Commitee (JIC), le service de
renseignement de l'état-major interarmes. Le JIC était composé du
directeur des services de renseignement de l'armée, de son homologue de
la Navy, du vice-directeur de Air Staff-2 et d'un représentant du
Département d'État. « Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
(Record Group 330)
[http://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified_records/
rg_330_defense_secretary/rg_330_records.html], site de l'Interagency
Working Group.
[2] « US Coverup of Nazi Scientists », par Linda Hunt, Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists, avril 1985, p.24.
[3] Le chef de l'état-major de l'US Army était alors Omar N. Bradley.
[4] L'Affaire Paperclip - La récupération des scientifiques nazis par
les Américains 1945-1990, de Linda Hunt, Stock, 1995. (1ère éd. 1991).
[5] L'utilisation de la molécule qu'Albert Hoffmann avait expérimentée
lui-même de manière triviale, cette fois dans le cadre des expériences
d'Edgewood puis de l'opération « MK ULTRA » pour le contrôle de la
contre-culture, le conduira plus tard à l'appeler son « enfant
terrible ».
[6] Voir également à ce sujet « Les manuels de torture de l'armée des
États-Unis » [http://www.reseauvoltaire.net/article14005.html%5d, par
Arthur Lepic, Voltaire, 26 mai 2004.
L'alliance du Pentagone avec les nazis
« Operation Paperclip » : des V2 à la Lune
À la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, l'état-major des États-Unis met
en place l'opération Paperclip à l'insu du Président Roosevelt. En
quelques années, près de 1500 scientifiques nazis sont exfiltrés et
recrutés pour lutter contre l'URSS communiste. Ils poursuivent
notamment des recherches sur les armes chimiques, sur l'usage des
psychotropes dans la torture, et sur la conquête spatiale. Loin de les
affecter à des postes subalternes, le Pentagone leur confie la
direction de ces programmes qu'ils marquent de leur empreinte
idéologique.
24 août 2004
La Seconde Guerre mondiale à peine terminée sur le théâtre européen,
les États-Unis et l'URSS entrent en rivalité. Leur priorité devient de
piller le plus rapidement l'ennemi vaincu, le IIIe Reich. Le
savoir-faire technologique développé par les scientifiques allemands
suscite toutes les convoitises bien qu'il soit le fruit d'une
exploitation d'une main d'œuvre servile issue des camps de
concentration.
Une partie de l'état-major états-unien, bouleversée par ce que
découvrent ses hommes à Dachau, Auschwitz, Dora, ordonne de recueillir
le plus grand nombre de preuves possible en vue d'un procès des
dirigeants nazis. D'autres officiers de l'état-major considèrent au
contraire que ces criminels forment un personnel irremplaçable qu'il
convient de mettre au service de la puissance des États-Unis. Une
opération militaire de récupération des scientifiques allemands ayant
travaillé pour le IIIe Reich est donc montée par le Pentagone. Appelée
« Operation Paperclip » (Opération Trombone), elle est confiée à la
Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency (JIOA) [1], qui regroupe alors
l'ensemble des services de renseignement militaires états-uniens. Comme
l'expliquera plus tard son directeur, Bosquet Wev, « le gouvernement se
préoccupait de "bagatelles" - les dossiers des nazis - au lieu de
privilégier "l'intérêt des États-Unis, et gâchait ses forces
inutilement à vouloir frapper un cheval nazi mort" » [2].
L'opération se heurte à de vives résistances à la fois chez les
responsables politiques et dans l'état-major. La position du président
Franklin Delano Roosevelt était claire : interrogé par William Donovan,
chef de l'OSS, sur l'opportunité d'accorder des privilèges aux
officiers SS et aux membres du ministère des Affaires étrangères
allemand, le président des États-Unis refuse. Parmi les personnes ainsi
recrutées par l'OSS, « certains devront peut-être carrément être jugés
pour crimes de guerre ou au moins arrêtés pour avoir participé de
manière active aux activités nazies », argue-t-il. Passant outre
l'ordre présidentiel, la JIOA prend la décision de falsifier les
dossiers militaires des scientifiques allemands qu'elle projette
d'exfiltrer aux États-Unis [3].
Les scientifiques les plus convoités dans l'immédiat sont ceux qui ont
fait peser la menace la plus lourde sur le camp des Alliés,
c'est-à-dire ceux chargés de la conception des redoutables missiles V2.
Leur chef de file est Wernher von Braun. Agé de seulement 32 ans en
1945, il s'agit d'un des plus brillants ingénieurs de l'époque. Dès les
années 1930, il travaille sous la houlette d'Hermann Oberth, père de
la fusée allemande. Il rejoint la SS et le commandement personnel du
chef de l'organisation, Heinrich Himmler, avant d'obtenir le grade de
commandant. Pendant la guerre, il travaille au centre de Peenemünde sur
le projet de fusées V2. Celles-ci sont construites à l'usine
Mittelwerk, par du personnel venu du camp de concentration de Dora.
[PHOTO: Le major SS Wernher von Braun, 1943
Présentation aux dignitaires nazis du centre de recherche de Peenemünde
où fut conçue la « guerre des étoiles » et réalisés les V2. Von Braun
devint ultèrieurement le patron de la NASA.]
Après la victoire des Alliés, il est interné un temps à Garmisch par
l'équipe du colonel états-unien, Holger Toftoy, habité d'un projet
fou : relancer sur la base de Fort Bliss, aux États-Unis, le programme
de fusées sur lequel travaillait von Braun. Il charge d'ailleurs
celui-ci de convaincre avec lui ses anciens collègues de rejoindre
l'aventure. La tâche n'est pas très difficile : la plupart des
scientifiques concernés risquent, s'ils restent en Europe, d'être
traduits devant un tribunal pour « complicité de crimes de guerre ».
Parallèlement, un des directeurs de la JIOA, E.W. Gruhn, se charge
d'établir une liste des scientifiques allemands et autrichiens les plus
qualifiés pour les faire recruter par ses services. Il s'appuie pour
cela sur Werner Osenberg, qui a dirigé la section scientifique de la
Gestapo chargée de vérifier la fiabilité politique des savants
travaillant pour le Reich. Les rapports et dossiers de la sinistre
police permirent à Osenberg d'établir une liste de quinze mille noms de
scientifiques, mentionnant leurs affiliations politiques et leur valeur
scientifique. Ainsi que l'observe Linda Hunt, cette méthode
« favorisait l'embauche de nazis convaincus » [4]
Le programme confié à von Braun n'obtient pas immédiatement les
résultats attendus. En juin 1947 le premier V2 modifié est tiré depuis
la rampe de lancement de White Sands Proving Ground, au
Nouveau-Mexique. La fusée, assemblée à partir de pièces allemandes
trouvées à Mittelwerk, s'écarte de sa trajectoire initiale pour aller
s'écraser de l'autre côté de la frontière mexicaine, à moins de cinq
kilomètres d'un quartier surpeuplé de la ville de Juarez. Ce qui oblige
Washington à expliquer immédiatement aux Mexicains qu'il ne veut en
aucun cas lancer une attaque de missiles contre leur pays.
[PHOTO: Note déclassifiée du chef d'État Major de l'US Air Force datée
du 2 juin 1953 attestant que 820 scientifiques nazis ont déjà été
recrutés dans le cadre de Paperclip.]
Le transfert de scientifiques aussi impliqués dans l'appareil nazi ne
pouvait se passer sans encombre. Nombre d'entre eux n'ont accepté cet
« exil » que sous la menace de poursuites judiciaires dans leur propre
pays. Ce qui n'est pas un gage de fiabilité. Au mieux, ils considèrent
collaborer avec un allié objectif dans la lutte contre l'URSS. Au pire,
ils sont décidés à partager le moins possible les technologies qu'ils
maîtrisent, ou bien à les vendre au plus offrant. Ces problèmes sont
d'ailleurs identifiés dès le début de l'opération. Walter Jessel,
lieutenant de l'armée états-unienne, a été chargé en 1945 d'évaluer la
loyauté des scientifiques avant qu'ils ne quittent l'Allemagne. Son
rapport, fondé sur des interrogatoires, conclue que von Braun et ses
hommes cherchent à cacher leurs informations aux officiers
états-uniens. Selon le militaire états-unien, leur faire confiance
serait « une absurdité évidente ». Après tout, les scientifiques
allemands étaient, encore très récemment, dans le camp ennemi. Malgré
cela, ils ne seront jamais placés sous stricte surveillance par le
commandant James Hamill, pourtant directement responsable du groupe
Paperclip à Fort Bliss : « non seulement (..) les membres de Paperclip
étaient autorisés à avoir largement accès aux informations secrètes,
mais (…) il n'y avait ni couvre-feu, ni vérification du courrier
allemand ». De plus, « les activités des scientifiques à l'extérieur
étaient très peu contrôlées ». Ce qui témoigne, soit d'une légèreté
incroyable, soit d'une confiance aveugle ne pouvant s'expliquer par de
la simple naïveté.
Une opération d'« intérêt national »
L'opinion publique ne s'émeut pas de cette arrivée sur le territoire
états-unien d'anciens scientifiques nazis. D'autant qu'elle est
soigneusement désinformée sur le sujet. Fin 1946, le département de la
Guerre organise même une journée porte ouverte à Wright Field afin de
présenter une délégation de « savants allemands » à la presse. Les
articles publiés à la suite de cette initiative de pure propagande
passent totalement sous silence les antécédents douteux de ces
ingénieurs si brillants. La doxa du Pentagone veut que tous aient été
« passés au crible ». Le sous-secrétaire à la Guerre Patterson déclare
notamment qu'« aucun scientifique soupçonné de crimes de guerre n'a été
introduit aux États-Unis ». En réalité, d'importantes dissensions
existent au sein même de la base de Wright Field, où plusieurs
militaires états-uniens s'indignent de devoir travailler avec des
« criminels de guerre nazis ». Theodor Zobel est ainsi accusé d'avoir
« effectué des expériences sur des êtres humains quand il dirigeait les
souffleries de Chalais-Meudon, en France », une information confirmée
par un rapport de l'OMGUS, l'administration militaire états-unienne de
Berlin. L'expert en carburant de Jet, Ernst Eckert, voit resurgir son
passé d'ancien membre de la SA, puis de membre du NSDAP à partir de
1938, et de la SS en 1939. Mais la politique du Pentagone consiste à
protéger au maximum ses hommes, tout en poursuivant les exfiltrations.
À partir de l'été 1947, la JIOA lance une nouvelle opération intitulée
« National Interest » (Intérêt national) qui lui permet de recruter
toute la gamme des scientifiques nazis, même ceux condamnés pour crime
de guerre. Elle leur propose de travailler pour l'armée ou pour de
grandes entreprises privées, notamment Lockheed, W.R. Grace and
Company, CBS Laboratories et Martin Marietta. Otto Ambros est de ceux
qui bénéficièrent du programme. Directeur de l'IG Farben pendant la
guerre, il participa à la décision d'utiliser le Zyklon B (produit par
une filiale d'IG Farben) dans les chambres à gaz, et choisit seul le
camp d'extermination d'Auschwitz pour y installer une usine. Ce qui lui
permit de faire produire par une main d'œuvre en condition d'esclavage
des gaz asphyxiants qu'il testait sur place sur des prisonniers, avant
que leur usage ne soit généralisé à tous les camps. Déclaré coupable
d'esclavage et de meurtres en série à Nuremberg, il bénéficie néanmoins
de la clémence du tribunal et n'est condamné qu'à huit ans de prison.
Durant sa période de détention, son nom est maintenu sur la liste
d'embauche de la JIOA, qui le recrute dès sa libération prématurée par
John McCloy, haut-commissaire états-unien pour l'Allemagne. Il est
alors intégré en tant que « conseiller » dans les effectifs de W.R.
Grace Company, Dow Chemical ainsi que dans ceux de l'US Army Chemical
Corps.
Objectif Lune
Malgré les difficultés rencontrées au début du programme, l'opération
Paperclip tient vite ses promesses dans plusieurs domaines, où
l'état-major n'hésite pas à placer « ses » scientifiques nazis à des
postes clés. Le plus emblématique est celui de la conquête spatiale, où
s'illustre toute l'ancienne équipe des V2, qui dirige pratiquement
l'intégralité des recherches. Érigé en priorité par le président John
F. Kennedy en 1961, l'envoi d'un homme sur la Lune est directement
confié aux ingénieurs nazis de l'équipe de Wernher von Braun. Ce
dernier devient le premier directeur du Marshall Flight Center, le
centre spatial de la NASA à Huntsville. Arthur Rudolph est nommé
directeur de projet pour le programme de la fusée Saturne V, celle-là
même qui atteindra la Lune en 1969. Pendant la guerre, en tant que chef
de la production à Mittelwerk, Rudolph était notamment chargé de fixer
le nombre d'heures de travail réalisable par les prisonniers venus du
camp de concentration voisin de Dora. Enfin, l'ancien membre de la SS,
de la SA et de deux autres groupes nazis, Kurt Debus, devient le
premier directeur du Kennedy Space Center à Cap Canaveral. La
collaboration des trois hommes permet aux États-Unis de réaliser l'un
des accomplissements les plus spectaculaires de son histoire puisque,
le 21 juillet 1969, Neil Armstrong pose le pied sur la Lune. Un
véritable couronnement pour la coopération scientifique entre le parti
nazi et l'état-major états-unien.
[PHOTO: Hubertus Strughold
Scientifique nazi ayant coordonné des expériences sur la résistance au
froid des déportés de Dachau. Recruté par Paperclip.]
Mais ce n'est pas le seul domaine où cette coopération parvient à
d'excellents résultats. Au début des années 1950, l'armée états-unienne
lance un programme destiné à améliorer la connaissance de la santé des
pilotes et des soins à leur proférer en cas d'accident ou de
circonstances extrêmes, tel que le parachutage en très haute altitude.
Ces recherches sont centralisées à l'École de médecine aérienne de
Randolph Field, au Texas, sous la direction du général Harry Armstrong.
Plusieurs scientifiques nazis y travaillent à ses côtés. Le plus
éminent d'entre eux est Hubertus Strughold. Celui-ci, après avoir vécu
aux États-Unis pendant l'entre-deux-guerres, devient, pendant le
conflit, responsable de l'Institut de la Luftwaffe pour la médecine
aérienne à Berlin. Un centre de sinistre mémoire : des scientifiques y
ont mené des expérimentations particulièrement atroces sur des détenus
de camps de concentration afin de vérifier la durée de résistance au
gel, à l'absorption d'eau salée et au manque d'oxygène.
Officiellement, Strughold n'aurait pas eu connaissance de ces
expériences. Elles ont pourtant été menées par ses proches
collaborateurs : Siegfried Ruff, responsable des expériences de
simulation de haute altitude (qui rendaient les détenus complètement
fous par manque d'oxygène) a même coécrit un livre de santé aérienne
avec lui. Ruff manqua d'ailleurs lui aussi d'être recruté dans le cadre
de Paperclip, après avoir été miraculeusement acquitté à Nüremberg.
Aujourd'hui encore, le bâtiment de l'US Air Force à San Antonio porte
le nom d'Hubertus Stronghold.
Edgewood Arsenal : du gaz moutarde au contrôle des cerveaux
Le code de Nuremberg, destiné notamment à prévenir la réédition des
horreurs nazies, ainsi que les lois régissant la zone états-unienne
d'Allemagne interdisant aux Allemands de faire des recherches sur la
guerre chimique, n'ont pas empêché le gouvernement des États-Unis
d'utiliser les cerveaux nazis dans le cadre de Paperclip, bien au
contraire.
La base militaire ultra-secrète d'Edgewood Arsenal, dans l'État du
Maryland, était depuis 1922 le principal centre de recherche médicale
sur la guerre chimique aux États-Unis. D'abord pour tester les gaz
inventés par les Allemands pendant la guerre, et plus tard les méthodes
de manipulations psychologiques, de nombreux scientifiques de
l'opération Paperclip y menèrent des expériences de 1947 à 1966,
souvent de manière trop empirique et en utilisant les cobayes qu'ils
avaient sous la main. Ce qui n'arrangea pas l'image de Paperclip, même
parmi le personnel scientifique qui y était basé en permanence. Ainsi
le directeur scientifique d'Edgewood à l'époque, Dr Seymour Silver,
commentait-il leurs travaux en ces termes : « Leur appréciation
générale autant en ce qui concernait le choix des sujets que sur les
expériences elles-mêmes était erronée, très mauvaise ». Or dans un
domaine des gaz de combat, des gaz incapacitants et des psychotropes,
de telles méthodes eurent des conséquences humaines terribles.
L'un des premiers nazis recrutés sur la base est Kurt Rahr, second
couteau nazi autant inquiété en Allemagne pour des délits de droit
commun que pour son soutien au IIIe Reich. Malgré un rapport
défavorable le jugeant indigne de confiance et donc dangereux pour la
sécurité des États-Unis, la JIOA envoie ce spécialiste de
l'électronique haute fréquence à Edgewood en septembre 1947. Mais on ne
lui confie pas de travaux classés secrets et il est trop modéré au goût
de Hans Trurnit, autre recrue importée en 1947 de l'élite scientifique
nazie cette fois, qui l'accuse d'être communiste et le fait renvoyer en
Allemagne. Titulaire à l'université de Kieldu de 1934 à 1940, Trurnit y
a été l'adjoint du professeur Holzlöhner , qui mena, pendant la
deuxième guerre mondiale, des expériences concernant le froid sur des
prisonniers de Dachau.
Mais le principal atout d'Edgewood dans le cadre de Paperclip reste le
chimiste Friedrich Hoffmann, lui aussi parmi les premiers arrivés sur
la base. Cet ancien candidat recalé aux SA synthétisait pendant la
guerre les gaz toxiques et les toxines pour le laboratoire de chimie de
guerre de l'université de Würzburg et l'Institut de recherches
techniques de la Luftwaffe. Arrivé aux Etats-Unis, il est chargé
d'inventer de nouvelles tenues de protection et des antidotes contre
les deux gaz les plus mortels inventés par les nazis dont dispose l'US
Army, le Tabun et le Sarin, ramenés en grande quantités depuis
l'Allemagne dans les arsenaux états-uniens. À l'aide des rapports sur
les expériences menées dans les camps de concentration et de cobayes
choisis parmi des soldats de la base, volontaires mais peu informés sur
la réalité des expériences, il tente de déterminer quels effets
produisent ces gaz sur l'organisme. Le protocole expérimental est
sommaire : une vaste pièce est aménagée en chambre à gaz, on y place
des animaux et des soldats à qui l'on demande d'ôter leur masque à gaz
et de respirer des doses de poison jusqu'à ce qu'ils ne le supportent
plus. Ainsi le soldat Don Bowen raconte, après avoir vu tous les
animaux de la pièce agoniser dans d'atroces souffrances : « Mon premier
réflexe fut de ne pas respirer. Et quand finalement j'ai pris une
longue inspiration, le gaz me brûla le nez, la gorge et les lèvres ».
De nombreux cobayes sont ainsi hospitalisés pour divers troubles après
avoir respiré de faibles doses de gaz moutarde ou Tabun.
Le LSD, arme de guerre psychologique
En 1949, les scientifiques de Paperclip basés à Edgewood se voient
confier une nouvelle mission : tester un psychotrope étonnant, qui
provoque des hallucinations et des tendances au suicide chez les êtres
humains. Il s'agit du LSD, découvert quelques années plus tôt par un
autre Hoffmann, Albert cette fois, dans les laboratoires Sandoz de
Bâle. [5]. Son utilisation devait, selon Son principal promoteur L.
Wilson Greene, rendre possible une guerre plus humaine. L'objectif est
en effet au départ de déterminer si l'on peut avoir recours au LSD et à
une soixantaine d'autres psychotropes pour mener une guerre
« psychochimique » destinée à affaiblir la population et les troupes
ennemies. Mais progressivement, avec la montée en puissance de la
Guerre froide et la multiplication des opérations de
contre-insurrection, la CIA s'accapare le projet et le focalise sur la
conduite des interrogatoires et les moyens de briser la résistance
psychologique de l'interrogé, de provoquer des dissociations
psychologiques et des états d'amnésie [6].
Les sources d'informations de la CIA pour la guerre chimique étaient
essentiellement des scientifiques allemands ayant travaillé pour l'IG
Farben (la société qui produisait le gaz Zyklon B utilisé dans les
camps de concentration), comme Walter Reppe, son ancien chimiste en
chef, que les États-Unis tentent de récupérer en vain en 1948, alors
qu'il travaille déjà pour les Britanniques. Un vaste recensement des
plantes psychotropes est entrepris par Friedrich Hoffmann afin de
mettre au point le « sérum de vérité » idéal.
On donne également d'importantes doses de LSD à des soldats-cobayes
d'Edgewood avant de les soumettre à des interrogatoires agressifs qui
provoquent chez eux des états de peur intense, voire dans certains cas
des convulsions, de l'épilepsie ou des crises de paranoïa aigües
laissant de nombreuses séquelles.
Les recherches sur l'amnésie, quant à elles, aboutirent à l'utilisation
du Sernyl (SNA), connu également sous le nom de PCP ou « poussière
d'ange », qu'on administrait par voie orale ou en aérosol à des soldats
pendant qu'ils marchaient sur une trépigneuse. Accès de folie intense,
amnésie totale et autres comas furent observés dans les laboratoires
d'Edgewood.
Parmi les plus virulents nazis de Paperclip à avoir participé aux
recherches sur la guerre chimique et psychologique, figurait également
l'ancien brigadier-général Walter Schieber (employé pendant 10 ans),
qui avait supervisé les usines d'armement françaises sous l'occupation,
les usines allemandes employant des STO et le programme nazi de guerre
chimique. Emprisonné en 1945 car suspecté de crimes de guerre, il sauve
sa peau en rédigeant des rapports sur la guerre chimique pour l'US
Army, en se présentant comme témoin vedette à Nuremberg pour être
intégré à Paperclip en 1947.
Dans la seule période entre 1955 et 1975, sept mille soldats furent
utilisés comme cobayes involontaires ; gazés, asphyxiés, drogués pour
les recherches sur le contrôle du cerveau.
Un élément d'une politique
La fin de l'aventure est piteuse. À partir du début des années 1970,
les crédits militaires accordés aux programmes des scientifiques
Paperclip diminuent. En 1971, des restrictions budgétaires touchent
durement le programme spatial, et tout particulièrement les ingénieurs
allemands. Arthur Rudolph prend sa retraite, recevant au passage la
plus haute distinction de la NASA, la Distinguished Service Medal. La
même année, Wernher von Braun est contraint de témoigner devant des
procureurs d'Allemagne de l'Ouest chargés d'enquêter sur les crimes
commis au camp de concentration de Dora. Peu après, il doit abandonner
son rêve secret de devenir administrateur général de la NASA. En 1974,
c'est au tour de Kurt Debus de prendre sa retraite. Dix ans plus tard,
en 1984, alors que ressurgissent les accusations de crime de guerre à
l'encontre d'Arthur Rudolph, ce dernier est contraint de quitter les
États-Unis pour Hambourg.
Au total, les différents programmes de l'Opération Paperclip ont
mobilisé près de 1500 scientifiques nazis pour lutter contre l'URSS.
Ils attestent du choix de l'état-major interarmes des États-Unis de
collaborer avec le parti nazi malgré le veto du président Roosevelt. Un
choix ultérieurement validé par le président Truman et hissé au niveau
d'une politique fédérale systématique. En effet, sous le contrôle du
Conseil de sécurité nationale, des opérations similaires sont conduites
parallèlement dans d'autres domaines pour récupérer et intégrer les
cadres nazis ainsi que les cadres du système militaire nippon dans
l'appareil de sécurité des États-Unis ou pour les employer dans des
opérations secrètes à l'étranger.
[1] La Joint Intelligence Objectives Agency a été créée en 1945, sous
la tutelle du Joint Intelligence Commitee (JIC), le service de
renseignement de l'état-major interarmes. Le JIC était composé du
directeur des services de renseignement de l'armée, de son homologue de
la Navy, du vice-directeur de Air Staff-2 et d'un représentant du
Département d'État. « Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense
(Record Group 330)
[http://www.archives.gov/iwg/declassified_records/
rg_330_defense_secretary/rg_330_records.html], site de l'Interagency
Working Group.
[2] « US Coverup of Nazi Scientists », par Linda Hunt, Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists, avril 1985, p.24.
[3] Le chef de l'état-major de l'US Army était alors Omar N. Bradley.
[4] L'Affaire Paperclip - La récupération des scientifiques nazis par
les Américains 1945-1990, de Linda Hunt, Stock, 1995. (1ère éd. 1991).
[5] L'utilisation de la molécule qu'Albert Hoffmann avait expérimentée
lui-même de manière triviale, cette fois dans le cadre des expériences
d'Edgewood puis de l'opération « MK ULTRA » pour le contrôle de la
contre-culture, le conduira plus tard à l'appeler son « enfant
terrible ».
[6] Voir également à ce sujet « Les manuels de torture de l'armée des
États-Unis » [http://www.reseauvoltaire.net/article14005.html%5d, par
Arthur Lepic, Voltaire, 26 mai 2004.
