“Radioactive Devastation in Paradise – Sardinia and Hawaii”
FILM &TALK ABOUT NUKES
The tourism industry markets the islands of Sardinia and Hawaii as a "paradise." At the same time, however, arms manufacturers and the militaries of USA and other NATO nations exploit vast areas as firing ranges and weapons testing grounds—sites where weapons and ammunition containing depleted uranium are also used. This results in severe ecological and health damage in the affected regions. Depleted uranium (DU) is a both radioactive and toxic heavy metal. Its use in weapons should be banned internationally like nuclear arms.
As part of their "FILM & TALK ABOUT NUKES" series, the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons (ICBUW) and the International Uranium Film Festival are presenting two films in Berlin that address this critical issue in the context of Sardinia and Hawaii. The event will take place at Lichtblick Kino, Kastanienallee 77, 10435 Berlin (www.lichtblick-kino.org).
Film Program
„Secret Sardinia (How NATO turned Sardinia into a radioactive nightmare)”
Italy, 2019, Director: Emma Alberici, Production: Journeyman Pictures, Documentary (English), 30 min.
Sardinia is home to two vastly different worlds. On one hand, there are the villas of the super-rich along the coast. On the other, the island houses Europe’s largest military training and weapon testing ground. More than a third of Sardinia is off-limits to the local population. The area is controlled by the Italian military, which leases the island out as a testing ground for weaponry. "Small islands have vanished, wiped out by missiles fired from land, air, and sea," says former Sardinian President Mauro Pili. Sardinians living near the firing ranges fear for their health; they are witnessing a rise in cancer cases and the birth of children with deformities. In one village, a shocking situation arose within a single year: one in four newborns suffered from some form of malformation. "My mother-in-law died of cancer. My father-in-law had his leg amputated because it was affected by cancer. My father died. My sister died young of lung cancer," recounts Sardinian resident Giulio Angioni. Livestock are also affected, giving birth to offspring with grotesquely deformed limbs. Despite military secrecy—and attempts to cover up the devastating health impacts of the Sardinian testing grounds—official police investigations have now shed light on the matter. "The causal link between radiation exposure from depleted uranium and the illnesses that occurred... has been confirmed by the courts. This is a milestone," explains Gianpiero Scanu, head of a two-year parliamentary inquiry committee.
„Pohakuloa: Now that you know, do you care?”
USA/Hawaii, 2013, Director/Producer: Dawn Kaniaupio, Ruben Carrillo, Office of Hawaiian Affairs (www.oha.org / www.kamakakoi.com), English, 15 min.
Visitors have long described the Hawaiian Islands as a paradise, yet the living heart of the Big Island has been under bombardment by the US military for decades. The Pohakuloa training area—spanning approximately 54,000 hectares, with vast sections considered sacred—lies at the center of the island of Hawaii, home to 200,000 residents and a destination for a million visitors annually. Most would likely be surprised to learn the true nature of the situation here.
The US military’s firering range and weapons testing ground is located in the immediate vicinity of volcanic peaks revered as sacred land. Peace activists like Jim Albertini speak of areas that have been lost and transformed into radioactive, toxic zones—due in part to the use of depleted uranium. While the US military has acknowledged this fact, the full extent of the contamination remains unclear. It is imperative that the bombing cease so that the damage can be assessed and remediation measures initiated. Activists and experts agree: the worst thing we can do is nothing...
USA/Hawaii, 2025, Directed and produced by Lynda Williams, video/music clip, English, 4 min. Dedicated to Damacio Lopez.
Depleted uranium is not depleted. The US military, UK and NATO use it in wars and for training in Hawaii and Sardinia. Rumor is that Israel has used DU weapons in Gaza. They create radioactive dust when they hit a target and combust, leaving a toxic environment forever causing illness, cancer and birth defects in humans and animals for generations. The half life of Uranium is 4.5 billion years. DU is the byproduct of uranium enrichment for fuel for nuclear power and weapons. There is over 1.5 million tons of DU on the planet and the nuclear industry makes 50k tons per year. It is a very heavy metal that can pierce tanks and armor so they use it for munitions, leaving a toxic deadly legacy wherever they are used and for the people both military and civilians and animals who come in contact with the dust. BAN URANIUM WEAPONS! Clean up Pohakuloa! No New Army Leases in Hawaii!
Following the films, there will be a panel discussion with Prof. Manfred Mohr, Co-Chair of the ICBUW. Joining remotely are environmental journalist Stefania Divertito (Italy) and Lynda Williams, filmmaker, environmental activist, and performance artist from Hawaii.
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