Tahiti nuclear group calls on French president for compo

12:15 pm on 12 February 2016

The French Polynesia Nuclear Workers' Association, or Mururoa e Tatou, is planning to use the French President's visit to Tahiti as an opportunity to raise awareness about nuclear testing in the region.

The French government carried out 193 nuclear tests in French Polynesia between 1966 and 1996.

Although France conceded in a 2010 law that the tests have had a negative effect on human health, practically all requests for compensation have been rejected.

According to the head of Mururoa e Tatou, Roland Oldham, when the French President Francois Hollande visits the territory later this month, he will make sure the voices of those affected by nuclear testing are heard.

"We will have to do some mediatic action to let the world know how what we think about this situation and how we are very disappointed about the French government not taking responsibility. We want to talk about the plutonium; we want him to take his plutonium back with him to France," said Mr Oldham.

Roland Oldham, head of Mururoa e Tatou

Roland Oldham, head of Mururoa e Tatou Photo: RNZ / Walter Zweifel