(December 22, 1989) On 6 December the Kirchlicher Umweltkreis Ronneburg (Church Environmental Circle) in Ronneburg, East Germany, released a paper demanding a stop to uranium mining in East Germany.
(323-324.3243) WISE Amsterdam - The Circle put together a catalogue of five points:
- an end to all uranium mining in East Germany
- clean-up of tailings
- abolishment of farming in the area of uranium mills and tailings
- availability of information to the people living in the affected areas concerning everything that has to do with health risks and dangers connected with uranium mining and milling;
- independent measurements of contamination in the affected areas.
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"Energie und Umwelt" (Energy and Environment), from which this article is taken, is a report urging the consideration of justice, peace and integrity of creation when solving energy problems in East Germany. The report has recently been released by an East German association of churches and covers the official energy policy as well as perspectives for the future. All East German energy sources are listed and considered in relation to environmental arguments, sufficiency and social impact on the society. The report also includes an overview of recent and anticipated environmental problems caused by the East German official energy policy. Available in German language only. Contact: Bund der Evangelisehen Kirchen in der DDR, Ausschuss Energie/ Kirche und Gesellschaft, Auguststr. 80, Berlin 1040, GDR. |
Uranium mining and milling in East Germany is done by the Soviet! East German company SDAG (SowjetDeutsche-Aktiengesellschaft) "Wismut". The main mining area is Gera-Ronneburg. Ore with too little uranium for production, along with waste from the mines and mills, is "stored" in enormous piles of tailings, covering an area several square kilometers. These tailings often reach the surrounding villages and farmland. Rain water wash the tailings away, endangering the ground water. Radon gas from inside the mines is simply pumped up to the ground and pipes bringing radon to the surface can often be found right in the middle of farming land still in use. The uranium mining is thus a constant threat to the health of not only those working in the mines and mills, bet also to the people just living in the area.
SDAG Wismut runs several hospitals in the area which are specialized in health effects connected to uranium mining and milling. Workers are not permitted to go to any other hospital for treatment. However, no statistics and information on uranium related illnesses are available from these hospitals or the authorities. All the relevant information is kept secret. But it is obvious to observers that cancer and leukemia rates have risen dramatically in that area.
Source: Energie und Umwelt, 1988. For more on this report, see accompanying box.
Contact: Pfr. Wolfram Rädicke, Kirchplatz 3, Ronneburg 6516, GDR, tel: 3119.