07 March 2004 16:16
Chernobyl veterans in central Russia on hunger strike for benefits
[Presenter] Veterans of the Chernobyl disaster living in the town of Staryy Oskol have gone on an indefinite hunger
strike. They demand that the local authorities observe the law. For 17 years Chernobyl veterans have not been able to
get the benefits they are entitled to.
[Correspondent Aleksandr Mostoslavskiy] Many Russians are fasting and praying these days. But only seven residents of
Staryy Oskol are not eating anything at all and staging a protest. Their aim is to get the state to deliver the benefits
they were promised for taking part in the Chernobyl disaster relief operation.
These people are not demanding anything that they are not legally entitled to. Flats bypassing the waiting lists,
compensation of damage done to their health and free treatment at sanatoriums each year - the federal law guarantees
these benefits to thousands of Chernobyl rescuers. However, in reality most of them - 17 years after the disaster - are
still unable to get all the benefits promised by the state.
[Unidentified protester] We shall fight to the end, until the [presumably, local] administration meets our
demands.
[Another unidentified protester] Of course we should not be refusing food, given our state of health. But we decided
to do so because we could not stand it any longer.
[Correspondent] Only seven Chernobyl veterans in Staryy Oskol have decided to go on hunger strike. The other 50
promised to provide moral support. Their neighbours in the town of Belgorod have condemned the protest staged by Staryy
Oskol activists, describing it as a crime against their own health. They believe the protest will not bring any tangible
results and is politically motivated.
[Aleksandr Goroshko, chairman of the regional branch of the all-Russia public organization of the disabled called
Soyuz-Chernobyl] It appears that the reasons behind this protest are purely political. It is no coincidence that it is
taking place in the run-up to the presidential election. Moreover, protesters' actions are being coordinated by
members of the campaign staff of a presidential candidate.
[Correspondent] For their part, the protesters quote the old saying that those with their stomachs full will never
understand those who are hungry.
[Unidentified protester] In Belgorod, cottages are being built for Chernobyl veterans; they are provided with new
flats there. But none of that applies to us.
[Correspondent] This hunger strike is an act of desperation first and foremost. Staryy Oskol veterans of the
Chernobyl disaster no longer know whom to blame and from whom to demand the benefits due to them. The local authorities
say they have no money, while Russian and international court rulings in favour of Chernobyl veterans remain useless
papers. In the beginning of the year Igor Malinovskiy won a case [at the European Court of Human Rights] in Strasbourg.
However, no documents confirming the court ruling have reached Russia yet.
[Igor Malinovskiy, Chernobyl veteran] Laws in this country are not applied. This is exactly what our protest is
about. Even court rulings are not applied. One has to go all the way to Strasbourg, an international court, to see the
ruling of a local court implemented. Our authorities take no heed of rulings passed by our courts.
[Correspondent] Staryy Oskol Chernobyl veterans say that this is there final battle. They intend to remain on the
hunger strike to the bitter end.
[Unidentified protester] We shall last until they carry us out of here on stretchers.
[Video shows Chernobyl rescuers staging a rally in the street, carrying slogans that read: "Indefinite hunger
strike of Chernobyl invalids", "Down with officials who ignore Russian court rulings", "Implement
Russian law on Chernobyl".]
[Ren TV] |
RUSSIA IN FACTS
