The liquidators

A view of a monument to "liquidators" (R, front), emergency workers who fought the blaze at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor, with a sarcophagus covering the damaged fourth reactor at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in the background; March 31, 2011. Photo: Reuters/Gleb Garanich

In a strange coincidence, I was able to have a video chat with Anatoly this morning for the first time ever. He lives in the Ukraine, but I did not realize today was the Chernobyl anniversary until a bit later. It may ‘mean’ nothing, but I can’t help but keep thinking about that first face-and-voice meeting and its timing; he and I are both in the age range most of the “liquidators” were 25 years ago. – amanda

1 thought on “The liquidators”

  1. For an interview discussing the “liquidators” and the continuing effects of the radiation on children born even last decade or so, click here:
    http://www.democracynow.org/2011/4/26/chernobyl_catastrophe_25th_anniversary_of_worlds

    ***
    from “This American Life”: http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/431/see-no-evil

    segment two is a heartbreaking reading of two interviews with survivors of the Chernobyl disaster, from the book Voices from Chernobyl, written by Svetlana Alexievich and translated by Keith Gessin. you have to listen to part one in order to get to it (which is just as heartbreaking in its own way), but it is worth it.

    ****

    more photos, including the one above, can be seem here at the Calgary Sun: http://www.calgarysun.com/2011/04/26/ukraine-marks-chernobyl-anniversary-eyes-fukushima

    and the article includes this choice quote from the Russian president, addressing survivors yesterday:

    I think that our state must learn the lessons from what happened — from the now-distant Chernobyl incident in 1986 and the recent tragedies in Japan. Perhaps the most important lesson is the need to tell people the truth.

    Because the world is so fragile and we are all so inter-connected, any attempts to hide the truth — to refrain from talking about something publicly, glossing over a situation, making it more optimistic than it is — these subsequently result in the tragic loss of human lives.

    he makes it sound so simple. it should be.

Leave a Comment