US CONGRESSMAN AND TAHITIAN LEADERS JOIN THE RAINBOW WARRIOR IN PROTEST AT MORUROA

Off Moruroa atoll, August 31:- A ranking United States Democrat Congressman, Eni Faleomavaega and two leading Tahitian activists, Oscar Temaru and Vito Maamaatua, today joined Greenpeace's protest against French nuclear testing at Moruroa.

85KB GIF or 28KB JPG. ©Greenpeace/Morgan

Congressman Faleomavaega, Oscar Temaru, (the leader of the major opposition party in Tahiti, Tavini Huiraatira) and Mr Maamaatua, (the president of the youth section of Tavini Huiraatira), joined the Rainbow Warrior this morning. They had sailed from Tureia, an atoll 60 miles north of Moruroa, after flying there from Tahiti.

Congressman Faleomavaega, who represents American Samoa and is a member of the Congress's Foreign Affairs and International Relations Committee, said he had come on behalf of the people of both American and Western Samoa. Mr Faleomavaegaa is a ranking Democrat on Native American and Territories affairs.

"The world has changed. French nuclear testing is not just about France, it endangers the lives of millions of people in the Pacific region. France has no right to sit 15,000 miles away and explode nuclear bombs -- actually weapons of genocide -- in the midst of the Pacific," Congressman Faleomavaega said.

Mr Faleomavaega said he had visited Moruroa in 1992 and disputed French claims about the safety of testing.

"I was taken to areas which were absolutely contaminated, where nothing could be done about it. I wish the French government and officials would quit lying to the interational community about this idea of 'ecologically safe' nuclear tests. It's pure baloney. If Chirac is to become a leader of Europe, this is certainly not the way to prove his leadership qualities."

Oscar Temaru said he had come to Moruroa to deliver a last message to President Chirace from all the children of Tureia, the atoll closest to Moruroa. Yesterday, all 76 inhabitants of the island signed a petition opposing French testing. He and Mr Maamaatua said the vast majority of Tahitian people opposed any resumption of nuclear testing at the atoll. An anti-nuclear demonstration on Saturday is being preceeded by a march around Tahiti today.

Further information: Stephanie Mills, SV Rainbow Warrior, +872 1300312
Blair Palese, Greenpeace Communications +44 171 833 0600
Sebia Hawkins or Tom Clements, Greenpeace USA +1 202 462 1177