(April 6, 1990) In July 1989 Soviet authorities decided that in areas where the lifetime radioactive dose exceeds 35 rem per person, further evacuations would need to be carried out over the next three years. According to a report by a team of six members of the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies who visited the affected areas in January of this year, as many as 100,000 more people will be evacuated.
(330.3295) WISE Amsterdam - In all probability, the number will be even higher, given that in the Narodichi area alone some 93,000 people will have to be evacuated between now and 1993. The following is a press release, dated 26 February 1990, being circulated by the Organizing Committee of the "Chernobyl Telethon" (USSR) in their efforts to seek support for those affected and those still awaiting evacuation (and suffering further due to the strain of simply having to wait).
On the 26th of April 1986 a terrible disaster happened at Chernobyl Nuclear Power station that shook the world...
On the 26th of April 1990 the Soviet TV in a charitable 24-hours long program, "Telethon Chernobyl", will reconstruct what happened on the very first days of the tragedy. The dramatic consequences of atomic power that went beyond human control affecting everything alive on Earth will be shown in this program through examples of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster and the American nuclear power plant "Three Mile Island", where 11 years ago the serious possibility of a nuclear (power plant) accident appeared for the first time in the Nuclear Age. Not less impressive will be the example of Hiroshima, that will show the deadly impact of a nuclear blast on human beings even 45 years after...
"Telethon Chernobyl" is organized by the Soviet Peace Fund, the International Foundation "For Survival and Development of Mankind", the USSR Trade Unions Council, the Foundation for Social Innovations of the USSR and by the "Chernobyl" Union, and will be broadcast on Channel 2 of the Soviet TV.
The goal of this great event is to make the sad lessons of the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster well known to the peoples all over the world. What happened in the Soviet Union must become the serious warning to every person on earth and should be the beginning of the public control of nuclear power plants by the citizens of the planet.
One of the aims of the "Telethon" organizing committee is to attract the attention of the Soviet and world public to the destiny of hundreds of thousands of Chernobyl Disaster victims, affected by radiation. They need to be moved urgently from the radioactively contaminated lands. A fundraising campaign will be organized during the 24-hours long broadcast: any kinds of donations are acceptable: financial, medicine, medical equipment, and different forms of moral and social support for those affected at Chernobyl.
A part of the funds raised during the "Telethon" will be directed to implement the scientifically practical research, allowing for the raising of the operation security of nuclear power plants all over the world.
The TV show that will be broadcast from the "Rossia" concert hail will be attended by outstanding figures in social activities and high level authorities from many countries, scientists, representatives of the church, writers and famous Soviet and foreign artists.
The "Telethon Chernobyl" Organizing Committee, consisting of A.E. Karpov, the chairman of the Soviet Peace Fund, academician E.P. Veiikhov, Ales Adamovich, the writer, Dr. Gale (USA), Mr. Sasagava (Japan) and Soviet movie star Lyudmiia Gurchenko, is inviting all the citizens of earth to take part in this charitable action.
Besides monetary donations, the help to those affected may be offered in the form of medical treatment, "clean foods" supplies, construction materials and equipment for the people about to be moved from contaminated lands, invitations to undergo treatments, or to restore health for those who need it, and the number of the potential acceptors will be hundreds of thousands.
Charitable donations to the Chernobyl victims may be given in person at the "Rossia" concert hall in Moscow or by phone, fax, telex or telegraph on the Telethon account. It's possible to hook up to the Soviet TV broadcast time (buying the right to retransmit it) from 12:00 am until 12:00 pm Moscow time on April 16, 1990, and to retransmit any part of the "Telethon".
Will you please inform us about the ways of your participation not later than April 15, 1990.
Contact: Organizing Committee of the "Chernobyl Telethon" 7-133, Hotel "Rossia" 6 Razina Str. Moscow 103495, USSR
Phone: +7 095 2981337, Fax: +7 095 2302025,
Teletex: 207970 AT, Telex: 412881 SU.
Account No. 70500003 VNESHECONOM BANK USSR