From the Kazakh International News Agency: On December 2, 2009, the United Nations General Assembly declared August 29 as the "International Day against Nuclear Test." This initiative was proposed by Kazakhstan. The choice of this day has a special significance - on this day in 1991, Kazakhstan unilaterally announced the permanent closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site.
So, does the government provide adequate support to the victims of nuclear tests? To this end, we sent an inquiry to the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection. The ministry gave complete answers to some questions, partial responses to others, and no answer at all to some.
There are many books and documentaries that have recorded the dangers of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. However, they are all unable to fully present the suffering endured by the local residents. When the issue of closing the test site was formally brought up for discussion, the first secretary of the Abai District Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, Khafiz Mataev, made a report to the Republic's leaders. In his report, he described in detail the serious impact of nuclear tests on the area.
"Over the past 40 years, this land has been conducting nuclear tests. In the initial 14 years, these explosions, which were extremely dangerous to life, were carried out on the ground. The radiation from the nuclear explosions spread to the nearby Semey, Pavlodar, Karaganda, and Altai (East Kazakhstan) regions, causing large-scale outbreaks of diseases, significantly shortening the lifespan of the residents. In the Abai district, there was a sharp increase in patients with cancer, leukemia, cataracts, cardiovascular diseases, skin diseases, and neurological diseases, and the number of deaths continued to rise. Almost no family was free from the pain of cancer. There was even a family where four or five members died successively," he said.
In that report, Khafiz Mataev also used specific data to prove that nuclear tests not only damaged people's health but also seriously harmed their mental state.
"The explosions over the past 10 years had a huge psychological impact on people. In our district, which has only 27,000 people, 104 people chose to hang themselves. In the Terekman collective farm near the test site, 22 young men committed suicide successively; in the Kenar collective farm, 35 people went mad. In addition, 80% of the 5,500 women of childbearing age suffered from anemia. The infant mortality rate kept rising. Among the 70 children born in June this year, 11 were disabled: some were deformed, some lacked kidneys, some lacked arms, and some were born with mental disabilities. Now, the nuclear tests have moved underground, meaning that the sacred Semey land is becoming a storage of dangerous gases. Who can guarantee that these radioactive gases, such as plutonium that can exist for more than 2,000 years, will not one day leak to the surface and destroy the entire world? In the explosion on February 12 this year, toxic gases leaked to the ground. Now, panic is widespread among the people. I am not exaggerating anything. For 40 years, this cruel truth has been hidden," he said at that time.
For a long time, the public has generally linked the closure of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site to the bravery and patriotism of a political figure. However, in fact, the end of the Cold War, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the reform process in Moscow, and the efforts of the Kazakhstani ruling elite to seek political initiative in the new era, all resonated with the people's demands for 40 years, ultimately leading to the end of nuclear tests.
According to the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Social Security for Citizens Affected by Nuclear Tests at the Semipalatinsk Test Site, citizens who lived, worked, or served in the contaminated areas between 1949 and 1990 are recognized as victims of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site. These people are issued certificates confirming their right to compensation and benefits. Certificate holders receive a one-time cash compensation, the amount of which is determined based on the area of residence, the time period, and the monthly calculation index at the time of issuance, with specific amounts decided by the local maslikhats (local councils). To obtain related benefits and assistance, citizens must submit applications and proof of residence in the test site area to the local government through the state company "Government - Services for Citizens" (convenient service centers) or the "E-Government" portal.
Data from the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection show that as of July 1, a total of 1,117,856 people received a one-time cash compensation. In addition, 20,827 people received allowances equivalent to 2.09 or 1.83 monthly calculation indexes. Moreover, employees working in areas of radioactive danger are entitled to additional wages and paid leave, with subsidy amounts calculated based on the index as well.
However, the ministry stated that it does not monitor the specific amounts of social support provided by employers.
"We cannot provide information about the number of people eligible for these social support measures and other details, because according to the law, such social support is provided by the employers," the ministry wrote in its written response.
Additionally, the ministry did not respond to questions regarding the average life expectancy of victims of the Semipalatinsk nuclear test site and the amount of money the government allocates annually to support these citizens from the budget.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7543843485493903908/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking the [Up/Down] buttons below.