Nuclear colonialism and French nuclear tests, Polynesia

Problems

• French Polynesia is a French overseas Pacific Ocean territory with over 100 islands and atolls. The Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia are mainly of Polynesian origin and have a rich and diverse culture, language, and history. However, they have also faced many challenges and injustices, especially due to the French nuclear tests that took place in their lands and waters from 1966 to 1996.
  
  France conducted 193 nuclear tests in French Polynesia, 41 of which were atmospheric tests that exposed the local population, site workers, and French soldiers to high levels of radiation. The tests were conducted at Moruroa and Fangataufa atolls, part of the Tuamotu Archipelago. The tests had devastating impacts on the environment, health, and human rights of the Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia.

• Main challenges for the Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia

  The environmental impacts of the nuclear tests included the contamination of the soil, water, air, and marine life by radioactive fallout. The tests also caused damage to the coral reefs, lagoons, and ecosystems of the atolls, as well as the erosion and cracking of the islands. Some of the tests resulted in the formation of large craters and the displacement of huge amounts of water, creating massive waves that flooded nearby islands and villages. The tests also increased the risk of earthquakes and landslides in the region.
  
  The Centre d’Expérimentations Nucléaires du Pacifique (CEP) also left the landscape of some previously pristine islands and atolls across Polynesia unrecognisable. For example, more than two million cubic metres of land was excavated, while 2000 metres of the waterfront was erected over just two years of constructing the CEP. Uninhabited Moruroa became home to a 2000 metre airstrip and housing units for over 2000 personnel, while partially-leased Hao waved goodbye to 50,000 cubic metres of coral for access channels.
  
  The health impacts of the nuclear tests included the increased incidence of cancer, leukaemia, thyroid diseases, and other illnesses among the Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia. According to a study by Disclose, a French investigative journalism newsroom, and other researchers, France underestimated the impact of its nuclear tests and concealed the true extent of the contamination. They estimated that around 110,000 people in French Polynesia were affected by the radioactive fallout, representing “almost the entire” population at the time. The study also found that the French authorities did not always consider the drinking of contaminated rainwater, which was a common practice among the Indigenous Peoples, when calculating the dose of radiation they received.
  
  The human rights impacts of the nuclear tests included the violation of the Indigenous Peoples’ right to self-determination, free, prior and informed consent, participation, and consultation. The French government did not adequately inform or consult the Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia about the risks and consequences of the nuclear tests, nor did it obtain their consent or respect their wishes. The Indigenous Peoples were also denied access to their ancestral lands and resources and faced discrimination, marginalization, and stigmatization. The nuclear tests also disrupted the Indigenous Peoples’ cultural, social, and spiritual ties to their lands and waters and affected their identity and dignity.
  
  The Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia have been demanding justice, recognition, and compensation for the harm caused by the nuclear tests for decades. They have also been advocating for protecting and restoring their environment, health, and human rights. They have faced many obstacles and challenges in their quest for justice, such as the lack of transparency, accountability, and responsibility from the French government, the limited access to information and evidence, the restrictive criteria and procedures for compensation, and the insufficient and inadequate measures for remediation and rehabilitation.
  
  The Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia have also been seeking the support and solidarity of the international community, especially the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms. In 2020, the UN Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes, Baskut Tuncak, visited French Polynesia and issued a report that highlighted the legacy of the nuclear tests and the ongoing violations of the Indigenous Peoples’ rights. He called on France to fully disclose the truth about the nuclear tests, to ensure effective remedies and reparations for the victims, and to prevent further harm to the environment and health of the Indigenous Peoples.
  
  The nuclear tests in French Polynesia are a tragic example of the “cruellest” environmental injustice, as the UN Special Rapporteur described it. The Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia have suffered and continue to suffer from the impacts of the nuclear tests, which have violated their rights and endangered their lives and livelihoods. 
  
  The Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia deserve justice, recognition, and compensation for the harm they have endured, and they also deserve the protection and restoration of their environment, health, and human rights. The French government and the international community have a moral and legal obligation to respect, protect, and fulfil the rights of the Indigenous Peoples of French Polynesia and to ensure that they can live in dignity, peace, and harmony with their lands and waters.