2,000 protest Chernobyl benefit cuts in Ukraine

[Omaha Steve]

Source: Omaha World Herald-AP

By ANNA MELNICHUK

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) - About 2,000 veterans of the Chernobyl cleanup operation rallied Sunday in Ukraine's capital to protest cuts in the benefits and pensions they receive to compensate them for their exposure to radiation.

Days before the 25th anniversary of the explosion at the nuclear power plant that sent clouds of radiation over much of Europe, protesters in Kiev expressed their anger at the government over drastically reduced pensions and the rising cost of health care, with more cutbacks to come.

Leonid Lytvynenko, 48, said his monthly pension has been cut from 1,700 hryvna ($212) to 1,200 hryvna ($150) since January, and he spends more than half of it buying medicine that until this year was free. He gave no details about his illness, saying only that it stemmed from his work in Chernobyl in 1986.

"I was 23 then and performed my national duty," said Lytvynenko, a small, thin man whose face is deeply wrinkled. "Now I am disabled and my country has thrown me overboard."


Read more: http://www.omaha.com/article/20110417/AP15/304179979

[ArcticFox]

1. Sadly, not surprising

We will do the same to 9/11 workers and gulf of mexico workers, and Japan will do the same to Fukushima workers.

Does anyone think not?