One man dies in Chernobyl cuts protest

http://www.euronews.net/ One person died in overnight protests in Ukraine on Sunday held by Chernobyl workers over planned cuts to their compensation benefits.

The government says it can no longer afford the welfare program agreed 25 years ago.

Survivors of the world's worst ever nuclear disaster have been on hunger strike for two weeks

Police removed their tent encampment in the eastern city of Donetsk after a court ruled it illegal last week.

The man who died has been named as 70-year-old Gennady Konoplyov. He died on the way to hospital after the raid.

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[elsdonsmithers]

Belarus and Ukraine can't cope with the continuing cost of the tragedy. Many people (firemen, reservists,plant staff) gave their lives or their health to prevent a worse catastrophe, and they deserve much more gratitude.

[elsdonsmithers]

@lucyedinburgh Chernobyl was caused by a number of factors. Firstly and most directly, an experiment to test the cooling system, which was mismanaged at the plant. Secondly, the unshakeable belief in Soviet technology which created a culture of complacency with regards to safety and transparency. In the context of your comments, perhaps Chernobyl stands as proof conversely that great damage and enormous human suffering can be caused in the absence of capitalism also.

[DenysUS17]

@lucyedinburgh Chernobyl plant was built and exploded in the days of Communism, so there wouldn't effectively be an actual company behind it. In this case governement is the only to be held responsible and should continue the payments to the victims.

[lucyedinburgh]

The companies that built the plant should be paying all this anyway, even if only reimbursing the government for what they pay out. How long are multi-national corporations going to corrupt governments so they don't have to pay for the damages they cause? This is truely disheartening, I will pray for the victums of Chernobyl, I am truely sorry they are being put through this, How Rude!

[1WORLDLIFE]

Illegal. What about everything our governments have done. Legit if its in your eyes. Stand up or be buried.