Public Meeting with Linda Walker Report

Lessons from the Chernobyl Disaster - On Sunday 2 June, we invited the leader of the British supporters's group Chernobyl Children's Project UK who has worked to help Chernobyl accident survivors; especially their children.

2nd June 2013, JAN UK had a public meeting. Guest speaker: Ms Linda Walker, Exective Director of Chernobyl Children's Project UK answered questions and gave a talk about the reality after the Chernobyl incident.

Linda explained how people have suffered after the Chernobyl nuclear accident - not just soon after but the whole 27 years since the disaster, with many pictures shown on the screen, and at Qs and As session.

After the "Black sticky rain", even the healthy survivors began to suffer health damage. (Which reminded us about Hiroshima and Nagasaki!)

Residents began to suffer all kinds of diseases and disabilities including many types of cancers, but it's not just cancers unlike many people vaguely imagine. (Which also reminded us about Hiroshima and Nagasaki) But the government initially denied health effect. (Just like Japan!) It was why, Chernobyl Children's Project needed to be launched in 1995, even 9 years after the accident.

'This kid died last year'

When we talk about the risk of exposure to low level radiation, we are criticized as "too cautious". IAEA block has blocked the publication of studies carried out by WHO that show major health effects due to radiation. A few specialists, like Dr Ian Fairlie, study the risk of low level radiation, but it's really difficult to get statistics. We'd like to say that if more people can evacuate further away, especially the children, that's safer. Unlike Belarusi, people in Japan can make a fuss about it.

Please listen to what Linda says on the movie clips by yourself. As her speech was so good and powerful, we'd like to invite her next year again on the Chernobyl Day in order to learn what we can do more.

Let's stop restarting of, and new build of nuclear power stations in Japan, UK, and everywhere and have fewer running reactors on 11 March and 26 April next year!

Velar Grant is a photojournalist who came to the event. You can see her photos she took of Chernobyl. Velar Grant Photo

If you were at the meeting, your feedback/review would be welcome!