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The 38th National Action day of Environmental pollution victims negotiation with TEPCO/Japanese government 6th of June, 2013
(Editor’s
note: The Young Fukushima farmer made a brave speech in front of the
Government and Tepco. I am so glad to hear the voice of very
sincere Fukushima farmer and to know that he is not the only one who
feels the same as he does.)
(Typescript
by Mia)
I
am still engaged in agriculture full time in Fukushima. I live
in Sukagawa in Fukushima prefecture. Last year, cesium
exceeding 100Bq was detected in the brown rice produced there.
First case nationwide. As a result decontamination of the rice
fields started. But please keep this in mind. I hope you heard me. I am not talking about the radiation readings in the air!
In my district, farmers were also mobilized to do the decontamination work in the rice fields. I hope you heard me,
I
am not talking about the radiation reading in the air.
Day
in, day out we are working in the field without knowing the level of
soil contamination.
In
my district, farmers were also mobilized to do the decontamination
work in the rice fields. Myself included.
Do
you understand the meaning of "de" in the word
"decontmination?" We are just tilling deeply and spreading
the radiation thinly.
We
are not removing the contamination.
No
wonder that radiation level has not gone down.
We
measured the radioactivity in the air. It has not gone down at
all.
We
have
not
removed the contaminated soil. Of course not!The environment has not changed at all two years after the explosions.
The
guidelines say we cannot use farm materilas such as coverings that
are contaminated.
But
we have no way of measuring the radiation level for those. So
we have to replace them wiwth new ones.
Are
you going to do something about
this?
Please don't take lightly what we farmers are going through.
We
grow food.
We
eat safe and clean food ourselves. And we supply them to our
consumers.
But
there is no longer the joy in harvesting our produce.
The
farm produce from Fukushima
is cheaper than that from other
areas.
Do
you think we can keep our motivation going, knowing that in advance,
and expecting the compensation payment
for
the loss? How we we keep going?
(Editor’s
note: For farmers to be able to claim the compensation to the
government to maintain their livelyhood, they need to produce and
sell their food accordingly depending on the level of radiation in
their food, and see how much loss they had.) There is one more thing. In Fukushima all farm produce must be checked for the cesium level prior to shipping. The current government limit is 100Bq/kg. The farmers know how many Bq of cesium their produce contains. We can ship them if the reading is lower than 100.
But
I would not dare eat them myself.
The
consumers assume there is no radiation in the food they buy.
(Editor’s
comment: Prof. Koide at Kyoto Research Reactor Institute commented
that it was 0.1Bq/kg for cesium in rice
before the Fukushima disaster. So 100Bq/kg means 1000
times more radioactively contaminated
than before.)
What
do you say about this?
We
Farmers know better.
We
feel guilty about growing it and selling it.
We
won't eat it ourselves, but we sell it. I want to hear what you think
about this. I would like you to respond to my question.
(Editor's
note: I may type up the other farmer's voice as well if I have
some time.)
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