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CADU NEWS 7
Spring 2001
Contents
1) WHO and DU
2) Pakistan has joined
DU producing nations
3) Chernobyl Research
on Birth Mutations
4) People Power
5) Royal Society Report
6) Depleted Uranium
in Iraq and Gulf War Veterans
7) Potential Health
Effects
8) Manufacturing in
Britain
9) Testing in Britain
10) The Use of Uranium
in Munitions & Industry at the European Parliament
11)
Response To The Royal Society Report On
The Health Hazards Of Depleted Uranium (DU) Munitions
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WHO
and DU
Several countries
pressed the World Health Organization on Monday to urgently determine
whether depleted uranium used in NATO ammunition in the Persian Gulf and
Balkans conflicts could have made soldiers and civilians sick.At the annual
World Health Assembly, the first gathering of health ministers since the
use of themunitions sparked a health scare across Europe earlier this
year, Iraq said it has new evidence that a recent increase in cancers
and birth defects among its people is linked to the weapons.
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Pakistan
has joined DU producing nations
Insider news on the arms race at Jane's Land Forces,
9 May 2001: Available at URL:
http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/
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Chernobyl
Research on Birth Mutations
Research published
by the Royal Society shows an ‘unexpectedly high’ mutation rate
among the children of liquidators who worked on the Chernobyl nuclear
reactor following the 86 explosion. The researchers state that this means
that a ‘significant proportion of the world’s population doing
jobs where even low-level radiation is present are exposing unborn children
to increased risk’.
(Paul Brown Guardian 8.5.01)
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People Power
Protesters blocked the United
States navy bombing exercises on the Puerto Rican island of Vieques
on April 25th, after they occupied the range and vowed to act as human
shields. Vieques mayor was one of the first into the restricted zone.
“You can capture and arrest me that’s for sure. But when you
do, you should understand that you will have to jail the mayor of Vieques.
I have no intention of defending myself in court, nor paying bail to
win my release.”
The US has used Vieques, a small island with about 9,000 residents as
a bombing range, including the testing of DU weapons, for more than
50 years and in 1999 an islander was killed during the bombing. Figures
compiled 1990-94 show that the islanders are 27% more likely to get
cancer than those on the mainland of Puerto Rica. It is estimated that
since then the rate has risen to 52%. The US military have water for
their own use piped over from the mainland to avoid contamination. For
the Puerto Ricans this is a colonial struggle against US imperialism.
Do send messages of solidarity.
Contact: Committee for the Rescue and Development of Vieques P.O. Box
1424 Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765 Tel. (787) 741-0716 E mail: [email protected]
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Royal Society
Report
This was a report on the
radiological effects of DU munitions; the report on chemical toxicity
will be published later this year. The Report leaves many questions
unanswered but Professor Spratt did acknowledge that governments have
a responsibility to understand the ‘possible risks to soldiers
and civilians’ of the weapons they use. It does not seem to have
advanced the understanding, but has asked for more studies to be carried
out.
http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk/policy/du.htm
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Depleted Uranium
in Iraq and Gulf War Veterans
In the areas where
depleted uranium was used in Southern Iraq, a number of serious health
problems have emerged among both soldiers and civilians.
For instance, there has been a 66% increase in leukaemias and cancers
in Southern Iraq. There has also been a marked increase in the numbers
of children born with birth malformations, with horrific reports of 3
children in one family being born with severe congenital malformations.
Maggie O'Kane, Felicity Arbuthnot, and journalists working with Desert
Concerns, have all reported on the health crisis in Southern Iraq.
The former reported a Dr Zenad Mohammed, from a hospital in Basra, herself
pregnant, who was so terrified of giving birth to a severely malformed
child, that she was doing her own monitoring of the problem. Her notes
begin "In August we had three babies born with no head. Four had
abnormally large heads. In September we had six with no heads, none
with large heads and two with short limbs. In October, one with
no head, four with big heads and four with deformed limbs or other types
of deformities."
Severe
case of hydrocephalus with defects of the cerebral nerves and debility,
seen in Southern Iraq
photo:
Siegwart-Horst Günthor
There
are also large numbers of soldiers who served in the Gulf
with Allied forces and in the Iraqi army, who are now suffering
from mysterious illnesses - often referred to as Gulf War
syndrome. Many of these illnesses reflect those seen
among Iraqi children and civilians. For example, of
the 697,000 US troops who served in the Gulf, over 90,000
have reported medical problems. Symptoms include respiratory,
liver, and kidney dysfunction, memory loss, headaches, fever,
low blood pressure. There are also defects reported among
their newborn children. In a veterans community in Mississippi,
67% of the children were born with malformations.
UK and US Gulf War veterans have tested positive for depleted
uranium poisoning, although the governments of both countries
have at every turn denied proper independent testing for
all veterans.
For more information on depleted uranium and Gulf War
Veterans see the National Gulf War Resource Centre's information
at http://www.ngwrc.org/Dulink/du_link.htm
or the Military Toxics Project: http://www.miltoxproj.org
Severly
injured Iraqi soldier, the lesions in his face
are due to radiation
Photo:
Siegwart-Horst Günthor
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Potential
Health Effects
In the areas where
depleted uranium was used in southern Iraq, a number of serious health
problems have emerged among both soldiers and civilians.
For instance, there has been a 66% increase in leukaemias and cancers
in southern Iraq. There has also been a marked increase in the numbers
of children born with birth malformations, with horrific reports of 3
children in one family being born with severe congenital malformations.
There are also
large numbers of soldiers who served in the Gulf with Allied forces and
in the Iraqi army, who are now suffering from mysterious illnesses - often
referred to as Gulf War syndrome. Many of these illnesses reflect
those seen among Iraqi children and civilians. For example, of the
697,000 US troops who served in the Gulf, over 90,000 have reported medical
problems. There are also defects reported among their newborn children.
In a veterans community in Mississippi, 67% of the children were born
with malformations.
The area of
southern Scotland used to test depleted uranium weapons has the highest
rate of childhood leukaemia in Scotland. The residents of the
flats in Amsterdam into which the El Al jet crashed in 1992 have also
reported mysterious illnesses (the jet had depleted uranium counterweights
- see CADU News issue 3).
However, although we can point to these facts and statistics in relation
to the use of depleted uranium, it is impossible to prove a causal
link. Just as it is impossible for scientists to prove a causal
link between the leukaemia clusters around Sellafield nuclear power
station, and radioactivity released from the plant. It is not
scientifically possible to categorically state that depleted uranium
has caused any particular illness in any person - certainly, in relation
to the Gulf War, there were many other 'compounding' factors - other
toxics present which could be linked to illnesses.
What we can do though, is examine the toxic and radioactive properties
of depleted uranium, and the potential adverse effects resulting from
these - and place this alongside reported illnesses where depleted
uranium has been used.
Like other heavy metals, depleted uranium is chemically toxic: it
causes chemical poisoning of the body, particularly to kidneys and
tubules.
However, it is its radiological properties which cause the most
concern. On impact, depleted uranium burns and oxidises to form
tiny ceramic aerosol particles. These particles are between
1 and 5 microns in size, which means they are easily breathed in.
As they are ceramicised depleted uranium, they are insoluble - they
do not dissolve in bodily fluids, and so are not easily flushed
through the body and may remain lodged in the lungs or other organs
for years. It is also important to note that these particles
can be carried in air, by wind, or can be disturbed by movement
of vehicles or people. Tests have shown they can be carried
for at least 26 miles.
The Ministry of Defence, government scientists, among others, claim
that as depleted uranium is only of low level radioactivity, it
is not particularly dangerous. In fact, it is this type of
thinking which is dangerous, as they use a radioactive model based
on the effects of gamma and beta radiation, external to the body.
Depleted uranium, however, is an alpha particle emitter. Of
all the types of radiation alpha particles when released internally
(ie breathed in) are the most dangerous to living cells. They are
the biggest and most heavy of the three types of radiation. Because
they can be stopped by a piece of paper they are sometimes considered
less dangerous than beta (which need a centimetre of aluminium to
stop it.) or gamma (which need several feet of lead to stop it),
but that is only when they are outside of the body. As the
Low Level Radiation Campaign and other scientists have proved, an
alpha source next to living tissue can severely damage the DNA in
the nucleus of the cell, cause mutations and later cancers. On its
way from the lungs to the bladder the depleted uranium spends time
in the blood and could get lodged in a capillary or tissue anywhere
in the body and cause cancer there. This is why depleted uranium
is so dangerous if it is in the body: particularly if it stays there
for many years.
Government scientists claim that the radioactivity dose received
from inhaling depleted uranium would not exceed the minimum radiation
dose permitted. However, this is because they take the effects
of alpha particles in one small section of body tissue, and average
the harm out over the entire body. Yet as shown above, the
damage to this small part can lead to cancers and mutations affecting
the whole body.
The expected health effects of chronic lung burdens of depleted
uranium include fibrosis of the irradiated lung tissue, lung cancer,
eventual entry of depleted uranium into blood over subsequent years,
with effects on liver and kidney, together with incorporation of
depleted uranium into bone. When in bone, the uranium can
irradiate the sensitive stem cells which form the white blood cells,
especially the monocytes. Clinical manifestations of this
toxicity include kidney and liver damage, anaemia, depressed cellular
immune system and general heavy metal poisoning. Uranium can
pass the placenta causing congenital malformation and can be carried
to the infant in mothers milk. It can damage the ovum and sperm
causing genetic damage.
Therefore, when
we look at the properties of depleted uranium, the effects it could have
on the body, and compare this with the medical problems among depleted
uranium workers, Gulf veterans, Iraqi civilians and so on, we cannot rule
out depleted uranium as one of the causes.
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Manufacturing
in Britain
The MET Report
1993 (MET, 601 Holloway Rd, London, N19 4DJ) says that 'Manufacturing
of depleted uranium shells probably takes place at Radway Green near Crewe,
with development at Fort Halstead near Sevenoaks in Kent. depleted
uranium has also been imported from the United States to Royal Ordnance
factories at Wolverhampton and Chorley in Lancashire. The hazards are
unknown, but in the US a depleted uranium shell manufacturer was forced
to close down after radioactive particles were discovered up to 26 miles
from the factory.
The Royal Ordnance
factory is currently non-operational after a serious fire involving depleted
uranium in February 1999. West Midlands CND ([email protected])
have researched the incident thoroughly - their report is featured in
cadu news issue 3
CADU is currently
researching the manufacture and use of depleted uranium in Britain,
to facilitate more focused campaigning.There is a list of companies
who have patents to use DU here.
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Testing
in Britain
The risks of Depleted Uranium are not only present during wars, or far-off
conflicts, but affect us much closer to home, where the weapons are manufactured
and tested.
Regular test-firing
of depleted uranium shells started in 1980 at Eskmeals in Cumbria and
at the Ministry of Defence's firing range at Dundrennan, near Kirkcudbright
in South-west Scotland in 1981. Firing of depleted uranium by the MoD
has also occurred at West Freugh near Stranraer, White Sands, New Mexico,
Aberdeen, Maryland in the United States, and Gramat in France. In June
1993 the MoD, answering a parliamentary question, in effect denied that
there was any problem with 'only very low levels of radioactivity' detected.
But when radiation reports were made public (with some excisions) in July
these revealed serious contamination outside the controlled area at Eskmeals,
and grass and soil samples at Kirkcudbright were 'well above acceptable
limits'. The firing result in the accumulation of radioactive waste at
these sites, currently 91 cubic metres at Eskmeals estimated to rise to
468 cubic metres by 2030. At Kirkcudbright there is considered to be no
nuclear waste as depleted uranium shells are fired into the Solway Firth.
At Kirkcudbright a misfiring on 13 November 1989 involved a depleted uranium
shell exploding into fragments on hitting a stone bank. This resulted
in a local concentration of 1,692 mg/kg well exceeding the MoD's normal
limit of 72 mg/kg and upper limit of 300 mg/kg. Presumably, in investigating
this incident, military personnel inspected the site of impact and were
exposed to this concentration. Depending on wind and weather conditions,
local populations in Britain may be exposed to unknown concentrations
over prolonged periods.
For a report on the potential testing of depleted uranium off Cape Wrath
in Scotland, see CADU News 3.
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The
Use of Uranium in Munitions & Industry at the European Parliament
By Raymond A.Bristow
27th October 2000
On 25th October
2000 the issue of the use of Uranium in Munitions & Industry was finally
taken to the European Parliament Strasbourg. I express a special note
of thanks to 'Nibby' (Mr Richard David, DU Poisoned through exposure in
industry), instrumental in organising the event and also to Graham Watson
MEP who hosted and chaired it.
At a meeting on the evening before the event, Watson stated that he had
come under Governmental pressure not to host and pursue this issue, which
only resulted in him becoming more determined. He opened the presentation
in parliament, and then part of a French TV Documentary by Martin Meissonnier
was shown to give an overview on the use of Radioactive Waste in Munitions
and Industry. Following this, Mary Ripley-Gruzman gave a talk about the
work of the Medical Uranium Project (MUP). She presented scientific facts
with slides displaying the results presented by Prof. Durakovic at the
Paris Scientific meeting held a few weeks ago. She stated that the MUP
would work with and share information with any establishment in any of
the European countries but this would involve the MUP protocols and overall
control. (they will only carry out Science & Research for the good
and benefit of the victims of poisoning with Nuclear Waste and not help
in any Official cover up)
'Nibby' David followed Mary and he spoke about the 'secrecy' of the use
of Radioactive Waste in industry. The next speaker was Damacio Lopez a
seasoned anti DU campaigner. His home town in New Mexico is next to a
Uranium Munitions testing range. The community has endured an extremely
high level of health problems, with the signs and symptoms that ill Gulf
War Veterans are suffering from and in addition the terrible birth defects
and cancers. Damacio focused on the moral and legal aspects of the use
of Uranium Munitions. He quoted the United Nations sub committee ruling
where it declares such weapons are illegal.
In a question from the floor a Labour MEP claimed that the MoD had offered
to test the 30
Veterans that had tested positive but none had come forward.
I replied with the following:
1. There was no need for the Veterans to be tested again as they and their
Medical Practitioners had the results.
2. Is it not more important to test the thousands of ill Veterans whom
the MoD accepts are ill but they don't know why?
3. One Veteran came forward and was tested, the result being no DU found.
However the Veterans found this difficult to believe as this Veteran was
highly positive. With a little investigation the Veterans identified that
he had been tested for the presence of naturally occurring Uranium, so
of course no DU had been found and incidentally the establishment concerned
with the test confirmed that they did not have the facilities to test
for DU.
4. I also referred to the reporting of the Paris Conference by Martin
Meissonnier & Jonathon Carr-Brown and the MoD's Statement which was
it is their duty to ensure that the Veterans get the best possible care.
I pointed out that I had a letter from The Gulf Veterans Illness Unit
that clearly states that the Unit and the MoD Medical Assessment Program
is for Medical Assessment and advice and NOT care. Once again the MoD
misled the Public, Veterans and Politicians.
At first we were a little disappointed with the attendance. However, Graham
Watson MEP was very upbeat as those that did attend were very interested
in the issue and were also very influential MEP's. Some of the MEP's stayed
back for personal chats with us asking further questions expressing concern
and a determination to know more. I was encouraged by Linda McAvan, Labour
MEP for Yorkshire & Humberside (my area); she expressed great interest
and said she had been following the issue on TV in the UK. So we came
away very pleased with the day. Interviews were given to the French TV
This is just the beginning. Graham Watson needs much support. An excellent
foundation has been laid. To take the cause further I propose that each
person who is actively concerned with the use of DU should present this
issue to their MEP and encourage others to do the same.
As the United Nations has no Law Enforcement capability then the countries
that choose to ignore the illegality of DU Weapons then they will get
away with its use. If the issue is actively pushed in the European Parliament
we may (must as a goal) then get it referred to the European Courts of
Justice. It is this court that can enforce the law of the UN upon Member
Countries of the EU.
(The views expressed in this document are my own)
E-Mail: [email protected]
The NGWVA is
now waiting for the European Parliament's response to the delegation.
Shaun Rusling said: "We achieved everything we wanted to in bringing
the whole compensation issue to the European Parliament's Justice and
Human Rights Committee. The British government has failed to recognise
our calls, and requests from the Royal British Legion, for an independent
inquiry. When you look at it, 32 people have died from Creutzfeldt- Jakob's
Disease and they have had a public inquiry. But 468 veterans have died
of Gulf War Syndrome and their widows and families get nothing. There
are servicemen out there without proper medical care and support. I am
glad the Government has acted for the families and victims of new variant
CJD, but we want action for the widows, families and veterans who are
all victims of Gulf War Syndrome. Sadly, our members are dying now. That
is the case we have made to Europe and hopefully the European Parliament
will now add its powerful voice to our campaign for an independent public
inquiry.”
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_________________________________________________________
Response to the Royal Society Report on
the Health Hazards of Depleted Uranium (DU) Munitions: Part 1
You can now read Malcolm Hooper's response on the CADU website.
Read the response.
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Page last updated: 6th December 2002
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