Crying Forever: Semey
Struan Stevenson, a Scottish Conservative Member of the European Union has spent a lot of his career trying to bring public attention to the tragedies surrounding Semipalatinsk. During the Soviet period, the “Polygon” an area near this city was the testing-ground for nuclear weapons. As a result, the population still suffers from cancer, birth defects and other serious health issues. Recently, his book Crying Forever was released in Almaty. It is an excellent, if extremely disturbing read about the issue. The pictures certainly lay to rest any doubts about the severity of exposure to radiation.
In 2004, his essay of the same name won the Power of Purpose award, and you can download that essay here.
Amazon.com lists the book as unavailable, but hopefully you can find a copy near you.
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I have been working very hard with many people for several years to try to help doctors in Kazakhstan. In the United States, those of us who have met Kazakh people, like them very much and see the possibilities of a very bright future for the entire country. I am sad to hear about how we are perceived as fat, because indeed, I have gained quite a lot of fat by sitting every day at my computer gathering support for the work in KZ, when perhaps I should have been on my treadmill walking for exercise. I have forfeited work for pay so that I could continue this work. Many Americans are not smart, perhaps that is true, but many are very dedicated to helping others and are very smart, and most who are smart even in unique ways have opportunity to explore their gifts. That is what makes this country so unique is that the range of people is great. I think maybe this is less true in KZ. People all learn more languages, they all work hard, most seem very smart and those who know they are not smart probably are smart enough to keep their mouths shut. However, perhaps not so many ordinary people have had the opportunity to learn how to follow their dreams. Some will give up everything to pursue a dream, and some will follow the dream when it is to help someone far away who will never know about the sacrifice. I know a few Kazakhs who do this. Here, I know many people who donate so much time and energy and money to help people all over the world. Many, many people in the U.S.A. act this way! I hope when people think of America they will think of this and not just think of Americans as people who eat too much hamburger.
Comment by Diana Underwood — 13 April 2009 @ 10:30 am
PS. This was in response, not just to Crying Forever, because that was very inspiring and has helped me continue my work, but to the recent podcast on what Kazakh’s think of foreigners.
Thank you
Comment by Diana Underwood — 13 April 2009 @ 10:33 am
Diane: I hadn’t heard the recent podcast. Which one do you mean? In any case, I know that most Kazakhs are amazed and grateful when foreigners donate their time and effort to help their country. Your organization sounds like it does a lot of great work.
Comment by KZBlog — 15 April 2009 @ 9:47 pm