12 Dec 2013

Hope after Tahiti court annuls French nuke compo rejection

4:16 pm on 12 December 2013

French Polynesia's nuclear test veterans association says a court order to re-examine a woman's compensation claim brings hope, but is unlikely to result in a victory for victims of French nuclear weapons testing.

The 43-year-old woman, who lived in Rikitea and now has cancer, says she was exposed to nuclear testing until the age of four, but had her case rejected by the defence minister's compensation committee in May.

The head of Moruroa e tatou, Roland Oldham, says this case is first of its kind, as the law does not take into account claimants who were exposed while under the age of 15.

He says it is unlikely her claim will be successful, as it will end up back at the compensation committee.

"We've had false hope until now, so much disillusion, that I cannot tell you that is a victory or whatever. Because there's going to be an appeal probably from the Ministry of Defence - so we're still in the waiting of the final result."

Roland Oldham.