Three Russian experts with firsthand experience of the Chernobyl reactor tragedy and other Russian radiological disasters arrived in the U.S. for the start of a pre-arranged informational tour organized by Beyond Nuclear. The speakers â Chernobyl âliquidatorâ Natalia Manzurova; prominent anti-nuclear leader, Dr. Nataliya Mironova; and Chelyabinsk spokesperson Tatiana Muchamedyarova, were in Vermont from Sunday, March 20th to Wednesday, March 23rd as part of a national U.S. tour commemorating the 25th commemoration of the Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe. The Chernobyl nuclear catastrophe began with the explosion at Chernobyl Unit 4 reactor on April 26, 1986, which then burned for ten days, lofting large amounts of hazardous radioactivity into the atmosphere. They shared their Chernobyl and Chelyabinsk experiences in light of the nuclear power and radioactive waste crisis now unfolding in Japan.
Natalia Manzurova was a lead engineer in cleaning up the consequences of the accident at Chernobyl atomic power station for over 5 years. Three years after returning from Chernobyl, her work as an engineer at a Russian nuclear facility was interrupted by a serious illness caused by radiation. In 1997 she organized the Chernobyl Union non-profit to defend the rights of the victims of radiation exposure. She also works at the Planet of Hope NGO (non-governmental organization) to advocate for the rights of people exposed to radiation, such as liquidators of radiation accidents and catastrophes, nuclear weapons test site workers, people living in radioactively contaminated areas, and workers in nuclear power and weapons facilities. Natalia is the author of numerous articles on radiation ecology, and she speaks at international scientific conferences and collaborates with international environmental and human rights organizations on radiation issues.
Dr. Nataliya Mironova is a prominent leader in the human rights and anti-nuclear environmental movements in Russia. She founded the Movement for Nuclear Safety and was one of the first organizers to press for government openness on pre-Chernobyl nuclear catastrophes. Through her work in regional Parliament, she made public information on the 500,000 victims affected by the activities of the first plutonium production in Russia and on the catastrophes in the Mayak plutonium production plant, including a 1957 radioactive waste explosion that contaminated a vast region with hazardous radioactivity. As a Member of the Supreme Environmental Council of the Russian State Parliament from 1997-2006, she organized broad public discussions for federal referendums on radioactive waste issues. In 2002, Nataliya won in the Supreme Court case against the Government of Russia to stop the import of 370 tons of Hungarian high-level radioactive waste for storage and reprocessing (plutonium extraction) in Russia. An author of several books and over 70 articles, she has examined the roots of nuclear weapons proliferation and the role of non-governmental organizations in abolishing Weapons of Mass Destruction, particularly nuclear weaponry. She advocates for public participation in governance to promote environmental justice and human rights.
Tatiana Muchamedyarova has been an outspoken voice in making public the horrible consequences of the nuclear accidents in her native region of Chelyabinsk, Russia. A member of the Movement for Nuclear Safety since 1992, she has worked with Russian and foreign journalists to cover the fate of the victims of radiation exposure. She took part in US-Russia negotiations on nuclear issues and participated in international conferences against atomic bombs in Japan to draw attention to the victims of nuclear production. She also worked with the Women of Europe for a Common Future non-profit organization on radiation and chemical pollution and sustainable development.
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