Blowing Up ParadiseMururoa Atoll

The use of the Mururoa Atoll by the French for nuclear testing, the role of government, the impact on the

indigenous people

Role and Responsibility of Government1768: The French sailed to Tahiti1842: Tahiti became a French colonyUp until 1950 there were only 1500 French

settlers in a total population of 75000After World War II Tahiti was classified as a

French territoryAn indigenous equal rights movement began,

but it was crushed by the French government

1954, the French Prime Minister decided to build the atomic bomb

13th February 1960, first atomic bomb detonated in Algeria

Algeria became independent, so France had to search for a new test sight

Mururoa was chosenThe US and Russia and Britain signed an

agreement in 1963 to ban nulcear testing in the atmosphere, under water and in space. France did not.

Impact on Indigenous PeopleMururoa Atoll and Fangataufa Atoll were

surrounded by inhabited islands.The French government were warned that

about 7000 islanders lived close by.2nd July 1966 – a plutonium device was placed

on a barge in the lagoon. All the water in the lagoon was sucked into the air. The contents of the lagoon rained down on the islands. It was reported that mounds of irradiated fish covered the surrounding islands.

10th September 1966 the French President came to Mururoa for a bomb to be detonated in front of him.

The wind was blowing in the wrong direction, but De Gaulle was impatient to get back to France, so it was detonated anyway, despite warnings that it was not safe

Heavy radioactive fallout across the region was registered by monitoring stations.

A thermonuclear weapon detonated in 1968 over Fangataufa left the whole atoll uninhabitable.

ProtestsIn the 1970s a boycott of French goods,

airlines and shipping was having an impact on French business and trade

In 1974, the new French President ordered testing be moved underground

In the 1980s there were many independence movements in French Polynesia, Vanuatu gained independence in 1980

The Sad FactsBetween 1966 and 1992, France conducted

41 atmospheric tests and 138 tests in French Polynesia

Heavy radioactive fallout was registered in the area

In June 1996 President Jaques Chirac announced the end of nuclear testing at Mururoa and Fangataufa