October 2021 World Peace Congress in Barcelona with Documentaries about Depleted Uranium Weapons
In cooperation with the International Uranium Film Festival (IUFF) the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW) is organizing a film side event on “NATO bombing Yugoslavia with DU and testing on Sardinia with severe damage to the environment” at the IPB World Peace Congress in Barcelona, October 15-17, 2021.
Saturday, October 16 at 7:30 pm ICBUW presents in Barcelona two films about the use of depleted uranium weapons: “Uranium 238 – My story” by Miodrag Miljkovic (awarded with the yellow heart of the IUFF) which follows lawyer Sdran Aleksic in his efforts to come to the truth about the consequences of the bombing of Yugoslavia with depleted uranium who has just started legal proceedings against NATO on behalf of DU victims. And the feature documentary “Balentes - The Brave Ones” (top photo) by Lisa Camillo (awarded as best documentary at IUFF Berlin 2020). Balentes shows the environmental catastrophe done through NATO tests to the island of Sardinia and the struggle of the island’s people against it.
URANIUM 238 - MY STORYSerbia, 2018, directed by Miodrag Miljkovic, documentary, 22 min, English - Depleted uranium (DU) is obtained by processing mined uranium ore. Most of the radioactive isotopes extracted from the ore are used for nuclear weapons or atomic power plants. What remains is a less radioactive isotopeto 238, depleted uranium. It is almost two times denser than lead and flammable at impact, which makes it extremely effective when penetrating the armour.Miltary experts have in 1970s started to embed DU into the nozzles of conventional nuclear projectiles, granades and bullets. Every projectile contains about 350 grams of DU and that part of the projectile is called a “penetrator”. When a uranium “penetrator” hits a tank, the “penetrator” and the armour partially soften under the pressure. According to Pentagon’s literal description, a depleted uranium projectile goes through a tank like “a hot knife through butter”. But only one particle of DU in the lymph glands could destroy the whole immune system, says doctor Rodger Coghill.
"The impressive short documentary film sheds light on the damage caused by the NATO bombing of former Yugoslavia with depleted uranium ammunition. While the military is well aware of the dangers of this weapon, civilian casualties are often inadequately helped. Depleted uranium weapons must be forbidden", says Professor Manfred Mohr, spokesman of ICBUW Germany.
BALENTES - THE BRAVE ONES (I CORAGGIOSI)
Italy/Australia, 2018, Director Lisa Camillo, Documentary, 84 min, English - When Sardinian-Australian Lisa Camillo, an anthropologist and film director, returns to Sardinia she finds that large chunks of her homeland are devastated by mysterious bombs. On her journey she uncovers secret NATO bombing ranges. Tests with depleted uranium weapons have been having devastating consequences on the local human and animal population. Lisa joins the islanders’ fight to reclaim their land and livelihoods and, in doing so, she is learning about herself and her roots. “Balentes’ is a Sardinian word indicating ‘a man of valour’, who strives for social justice, defending the weak against the oppressors. Sardinians have always been a warrior people, a fact sometimes forgotten, combatting the many invaders landing on their shores over the ages with courage and valour. Lisa Camillo is a passionate human rights driven filmmaker, anthropologist, presenter and writer. She has directed, produced and wrote award-winning documentaries and films that travelled across the world in several international film festivals. http://www.balentesfilm.com
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