It would be wonderful if some of friendly organisations could make some follow-up in the different capitals, at the level of the Health Ministry or the government of their country, and/or ask for a discussion in the Parliaments, especially in non-nuclear countries.
Yours in peace
Solange Fernex
NB: the Chernobyl book is still available, now also in German
(50% discount for bulk orders)
Physicians for Social Responsibility/International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War -
Switzerland (PSR/IPPNW - CH)
35, Mühlebachstrasse, 8008 - Zurich,
fax.: 00.41.1.260.6929, email : bottomup@access.ch
To the Health Ministers, attending the World Health Assembly, May 1997, WHO, Geneva.
Zürich, May 2, 1997
Your Excellency,
We have the honour to present to you the Permanent People's Tribunal's Verdict and its
Proceedings on "The Environmental, Health and Human Rights Consequences of the
Chernobyl catastrophe", which 11th Commemoration took place last week, on April 26.
The Swiss affiliate of our international physician's organisation, has sponsored the Permanent
People's Tribunal, and we are very concerned by the biased reports of the follow-up of the
Chernobyl catastrophe and by the continuation of the worldwide promotion of the commercial
atomic industry.
After listening to about 40 outstanding international witnesses, the PPT as you will see, came
to the conclusion that every step of the nuclear cycle is associated with the production of
dangerous, carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic substances and that the same
regulations which apply to drugs and chemicals should also apply to this source of energy;
i.e. it should be forbidden.
The Tribunal therefore demanded the banning of nuclear power for civil and military uses, and
the withdrawal by the United Nations of the mandate given to the International Atomic Energy
Agency (IAEA) to promote nuclear energy for commercial uses.
Our physician's organisation believes likewise that it is urgent and imperative that the World
Health Organisation should terminate its Accord, signed in 1959 with the IAEA, and regain
the complete control on the reports on health effect of radiation and set itself the regulations
protecting health from the radiation hazards, which for the time beeing are dictated by the
ICRP and imposed by the IAEA. As an annex, you will find this Accord (Res. WHA12.40,
28.5.1959), and a very troubling1958 WHO document.
The International Commission for Radiological Protection, (ICRP), has never been under the
control of health professionals. Its voice should not be considered authoritative on health. It
has never protested atmospheric nuclear testing, never demanded ventilation in uranium
mines, never protested such excesses as shoe store use of X-rays or others.
The IAEA has obvious vested interests in its findings at Chernobyl. This explains why their
conference : "Ten years afther Chernobyl" was totally controlled and biased as was found
by the Permanent People's Tribunal.
We hope that these documents will be of interest and use for you, your delegation and your
government, and we ask you, as the one holding the highest responsibility for the health of
your people, to take action in the direction indicated by the Permanent People's Tribunal's
Judgement, for instance by revoking Res WHA12-40.
Remaining at your disposal for any further question,
Yours very respectfully,
For PSR/IPPNW Switzerland :
Dr. med Monika Brodmann, President
Prof. Dr. med. Michel Fernex, Internat. Councillor