Death of Roland Oldham

Dear friends

We bear the tragic news that Roland Oldham, a true champion of Moruroa workers, has died.

After a long struggle with cancer, Roland died last Saturday in Tahiti, aged 68.

Roland was President of Moruroa e Tatou, the association of former workers from the Moruroa and Fangataufa nuclear test sites. He founded the association in July 2001 with John Taroanui Doom and Bruno Barrillot – sadly both John and Bruno have also died in recent years, after battling successive French governments who refuse to address the health and environmental consequences of thirty years of French nuclear testing.

Roland was a driving force in the campaign for recognition, compensation and reparations for the Maohi workers who suffered adverse health effects from their work at the nuclear test sites. Trade unionist, anti-nuclear campaigner, guitarist with the band Atomic Blues, member of the Conseil économique social et culturel de la Polynésie française – he was a man of many parts and a true Pacific warrior, serving on behalf of others.

In a final interview, Roland stated simply: “In spite of all the mistakes I’ve made in my life, I’ve tried to learn from them. I think that in all I’ve done, I’ve tried to bring a bit of happiness to others.”

We salute his courage and send our condolences to friends and family

Nic Maclellan

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