THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR DISASTER

FOR THE RECORD: UCCA on the Chornobyl anniversary

On the night of April 26, 1986, an irresponsible experiment forced by the Soviet regime ended in a horrific tragedy of historic proportions. An explosion took place at the fourth unit of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, which resulted in a large-scale radioactive spill. By attempting to hide this disaster from its own people, the Soviet government caused irreparable damage to their health.

Human nature dictates that we slowly forget the horrors of 20 years ago. The international attention to the Chornobyl zone problems has gradually diminished. However, we cannot forget that the consequences of Chornobyl will last for thousands of years.

The most pressing issue is the structural integrity of the "shelter" encasing the site of the accident. Scientists agree that approximately 95 percent of the nuclear waste is still located within the confines of the unit. If it were to collapse before the second confinement structure is built, the tragedy will exceed the Chornobyl explosion by far. Ukraine and the world need to concentrate on erecting the second confinement layer to prevent the radioactive waste from re-entering ground waters and the air, further damaging people's health.

Another important issue is children's health. Pediatric oncology and hematology require immediate attention in Ukraine. Lack of infrastructure necessary to deal with the serious diseases caused by radiation exposure adversely affects the chances of children's healthy and normal survival. We must work together to help Ukraine develop a network of hospitals and collect the necessary equipment to help medical experts fight childhood cancer and other illnesses.

In order to ensure safety of the explosion site, Ukraine has shut down all reactors at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant, a move that adversely impacted its economy. The international community should provide assistance to Ukraine in order to develop alternative sources of power and help ensure the safety of the remaining nuclear power plants.

Ukraine should not have to face all these problems caused by the Chornobyl explosion alone. The Ukrainian Congress Committee of America urges Ukrainians in the United States to mark the 20th anniversary of the Chornobyl tragedy and honor the memory of those who sacrificed their lives, protecting the world from its consequences. Let us remind the world that we must work together and do all in our power to neutralize the consequences of Chornobyl as much as possible so that we can pass our land to future generations clean and without pollution.

- Executive Board of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, April 23, 2006, No. 17, Vol. LXXIV

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