Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) and the Appalachian Peace Education
Center (APEC) held a press conference on July 15 announcing the findings
of a recent study revealing uranium contamination in the area
surrounding Aerojet Ordnance Tennessee (AOT) in Jonesborough, Tenn. Ken
Edwards, an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren and a
resident of Jonesborough, is involved with the CPT and APEC project.
Johnson City Press newspaper and NBC-affiliate WJHL Channel 11
attended the press conference, held on Old State Route 34 across from
the northeast Tennessee uranium weapons facility. Standing at a table
arrayed with soil samples gathered outside the facility, representatives
of CPT and APEC spoke about the contamination in the area while
affirming their faith in the goodness of humanity.
John Mueller, a former chemist, noted that a 2013 study has
demonstrated that soil, creek sediment, and biological life near the
plant are contaminated with waste from the manufacturing of radioactive
weaponry. “Because Aerojet is the only nearby company that can work with
processed uranium, we assert that the Aerojet plant is polluting the
environment with uranium,” Mueller said.
Amarillo, Texas, resident Rusty Tomlinson spoke about the health
implications of the uranium contamination. “Studies of veterans exposed
to uranium weapons showed that male vets have three times the normal
rate of children with birth defects,” he said. “Female vets have four
times the normal rate.” He cited the case of Army major Doug Rokke whose
contact with uranium munitions in Iraq in 1991 caused life-threatening
illnesses with which he continues to struggle.
Depleted uranium (DU), widely used by the US military, is both highly
toxic and radioactive. It becomes an aerosol fume when it combusts--as
part of the process of uranium waste incineration and as a result of
munitions deployment--and has traveled airborne thousands of miles. When
ingested, DU particles travel via the bloodstream throughout the body
where it can cause cancer and disease associated with resultant DNA
disruption (source: Roselie Bertell in “Depleted Uranium: All the
Questions About DU and Gulf War Syndrome Are Not Yet Answered,”
“International Journal of Health Services” 36.3 (2006): 503-20).
Aerojet declined an offer by CPT to participate in the press
conference. Guards looked on as APEC Board member Ken Edwards handed
fliers to people driving by. However when Edwards began approaching
people within the facility parking lot a guard came out and told him,
“You cannot do that here.”
Maryknoll nun Rosemarie Milazzo emphasized CPT and APEC's commitment
to a nonviolent path toward transformation. “We believe all weapons are
immoral and their use is incompatible with the most basic principles of
humanity and environmental health protection. How can we as a civilized
society continue to harm others by disregarding our responsibility to
care for and protect our land?”
-- Michael Henes provided this release from CPT, an organization
originally begun by the Historic Peace Churches (Church of the Brethren,
Mennonites, and Quakers). Its mission is to build partnerships to
transform violence and oppression, with the vision of a world of
communities that together embrace the diversity of the human family and
live justly and peaceably with all creation.
Source: 7/24/2013 Newsline
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