International Policies and Laws Research Paper

• Length: 4 pages
• Sources: 4
• Subject: Government
• Type: Research Paper
• Paper: #86323620
• Related Topics: International Management, Red Cross, Humanitarian Intervention, Gardening

Excerpt from Research Paper :

Chernobyl Nuclear disaster took place in 1986 in Ukraine which is a former Soviet State. This plant was built back in 1970 and consisted of 4 reactors. The plant was scheduled to undergo a scheduled and controlled shut down so as to test the generator's ability to produce electricity using the plant's safety system. Reactor 4 of this plant exploded after interior energy increased beyond control discharging radioactive debris and smoke on close by cities and created a radioactive cloud that spread out to a big region of the U.S.S.R. And Europe. This catastrophe involved over 500,000 workers, and over 18 million Rubles. It was considered an International disaster due to the large area that it impacted negatively.

Immediately after the incident, firefighters arrived at the scene and tried to put off the fires. Lieutenant Pravik was among the first commandants to arrive at the scene and he died in 1986 due to acute radiation sickness. The firemen were not warned on the dangers of radioactive smoke and debris and maybe they thought this was a normal fire outbreak. The workers did not seem to know the amount of radiation in the plant. They felt the taste of heavy metal in their mouths but did not know what it was. The fires were put off by helicopters that dropped off sand, clay and lead on the burning reactor.

The United Soviet Socialist Republic thought they would solve the problem until 1989 when they asked World Health Organization to come to their aid. They also asked the International Atomic Energy Association (IAEA) to assess the consequences of health and environmental terms (Berger 2010). This is when International Chernobyl Project was created to go to the affected areas and make comprehensive reports on the radiological consequences and the protective measures that could be taken. The public was concerned especially after the U.S.S.R. broke up to three Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus which was most affected though poorest.

The government was slow in reporting to the citizens on what happened. They only reported two days after the explosions and the effect was already being felt. Within hours, dozens of people were ill with headaches and uncontrollable coughs and vomits. General population was informed of the explosion via radio and TV news programs as the government placed Scientist teams on alert. A state Commission was set up on the same day after two people were reported dead and fifty two were getting treated as they ordered immediate evacuation on the following day. Everyone living in the city of Pripyat where the disaster had occurred had to move due to the deteriorating conditions in the region. The children were given the first priority, and moved to Kiev Oblast and other near towns via buses that were guarded by police and other officials. They were to carry only the important documents to expedite the evacuation (Jargin 2012). The Sovereignty in the state during this disaster was in control because the government had opted to keep it secret. This way there were no alarming outbursts from the community. This plant was being run by authorities in Moscow and so Ukraine government did not receive prompt information on the situation. Shevchenko asked how the people were and the report was "some are attending weddings, others gardening while others were fishing."

United Nations Development program initiated a certain project in 2003 called Chernobyl Recovery and Development Program (CRDP) to assist in the recovery of the affected area and people. This program was created courtesy of the recommendations given in a repot on Human Consequences of the Chernobyl Nuclear Accident. Its main goal was to support the Ukraine Government in justifying a long-term economic, social, and ecological costs of this catastrophe. International Project on Health Effects of the Chernobyl Accident (IPEHCA) was also created to help discover the main causes of health effects…