NH #623: Historic Nuclear Lies – Independent W.H.O. on World Health Organization Chernobyl Cover-up – Alison Katz

NOTE: Return travel from the International Uranium Film Festival in Rio has delayed my ability to produce the second show on that amazing, important event. Pt. 2 will post next week as Episode #624. Feel free to check out last week’s #622 for Pt. 1.

Chernobyl liquidators – from the film Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes, directed by Directed by James Jones

This Week’s Nuclear Hotseat CLASSIC Episode: Independent W.H.O.’s Alison Katz on World Health Organization’s Chernobyl Cover-up

  • Chernoby Truth, World Health Organization Lies Revealed – Alison Katz is a psychologist and sociologist who heads Independent WHO. The international watchdog group draws attention to the World Health Organization’s failure in its duty to protect those populations who are victims of radioactive contamination from Chernobyl and, later, Fukushima.  The group has held a vigil in front of WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, five days a week, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., since April 26, 2007 – the 21st anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.  Given the visibility and popularity of 2021’s HBO series on Chernobyl series – it now ranks as the most seen television program in the world, ever – it seemed the right time to reintroduce this classic Nuclear Hotseat episode to an audience that either has not yet heard it, or wishes to have their understanding of Chernobyl’s devastating impacts refreshed. Originally recorded for Nuclear Hotseat #118, September 17, 2013, the material covered is still very relevant and important.
WHO Chernobyl Vigil

Snapshots from Independent W.H.O.’s vigil in front of the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. It was held in front of WHO headquarters in Geneva from 26 April 2007 until 26 April 2017. Every working day, between 8am and 6pm, a relay of members of the “Independent W.H.O. – Health and Nuclear” collective demanded that WHO should assume its responsibilities, independently of the nuclear establishment.

Chernobyl Truth – Other Excellent Information Sources:

  • Manual for Survival: A Chernobyl Guide to the Future by Kate Brown. Superb accounting of the health devastation of Chernobyl, constructed from over three years of investigation into medical archives in eastern Europe. 
  • Midnight in Chernobyl by Adam Higgenbotham.  NOTE: the author does a superb job reconstructing the horrors of Chernobyl, but then goes full-on pro-nuke during the final chapter, citing statistics from only the pro-nuclear WHO, IAEA, and UNSCEAR. I recommend that you skip that chapter and read the rest of the book for its narrative of nuclear lies, miscalculations, cover-ups, and destruction of people and the environment. In particular, the description of the physical devastation of high level radiation exposure is comparable to the visuals provided in the HBO series.)