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Dr. Brundtlands story (17/9/02)
Tramès per Klaus Rudolph (Citizens'
Initiative Omega)
by Penny Hargreaves
pahargreaves@ihug.co.nz
Good morning Klaus, thank you for the information. I am sending you
a copy of an article re Dr Brundtlands microwave sensitivity which you
may know of and a letter I sent to her. I think the most important thing
we should be demanding as exposed populations who are told microwave beams
are safe is that they are all mapped and then we can see for ourselves
if the places we are living are where MW and FM frequencies are directed
to. We can see where power lines are and can choose whether to live there
or not but most people are unaware of the directions of continually transmitting
FM and MW. My apologies if you have this already.
Best wishes Penny Hargreaves
English translation from Cover story in Norwegian newspaper "Dagbladet"
of March 9, 2002:
http://www.dagbladet.no/nyheter/2002/03/09/318013.html
Copyright Dagbladet 9/3/2002
[Former Norwegian Prime Minister, WHO Director-General, Gro Harlem Brundtland
is getting headaches every time she's using a mobile phone.]
Mobile phone radiation gives Gro Harlem Brundtland headaches.
WHO Director-General Gro Harlem Brundtland (62), gets headaches from talking
on a mobile phone. That is not enough: People in her proximity must turn
their phones off in order to prevent discomfort.
By Aud Dalsegg
Saturday 9 March 2002
"It's not the sound, but the waves I react on. My hypersensitivity
has gone so far that I even react on mobiles closer to me than about four
metres," Gro explains. When we sit with her in her office at "Helsetilsynet"
in Oslo she asks if there is an active mobile phone in the room. She finds
that she has developed a slight headache. The cellular phone of the photographer
was turned on but without sound in the pocket of his jacket.
The earlier Minister of State [Prime Minister] never had a mobile of her
own, but she has close associates who do and she earlier often received
calls on their phones. She says there are reasons to be cautious about
mobile phone use. "In the beginning I felt a local warmth around
my ear. But the agony got worse, and turned into a strong discomfort and
headaches every time I used a mobile phone," Gro says. She thought
she could escape the pain by shorter calls, but it didn't help. Neither
did it help that she herself stopped using a mobile phone. Today it is
a tool everybody uses, also at her workplace, the World Health Organisation
(WHO) in Geneva.
"I felt after a while that I had developed a sensitivity against
the radiation. And in order not to be thought to be hysterical - that
someone should believe that this was just something I imagined - I have
made several tests:
People have been in my office with their mobile hidden in their pocket
or bag. Without knowing if it was on or off, we have tested my reactions.
I have always reacted when the phone has been on - never when it's off.
So there is no doubt."
What about PCs? - "If I hold a laptop to read what's on the screen,
it feels like I get an electric shock through my arms."....
The headache she gets from mobile radiation abates about half an hour
to an hour after the radiation exposure stops.
Cannot stand wireless [phones].
Wireless phones, becoming more and more common in homes are said to radiate
stronger than mobile phones [due to the lack of low power modes of DECT].
Gro cannot stand such [phones] either. "I get an instant reaction
if I touch such a phone".
Do you advise against using a mobile phone? - "We do not have scientific
evidence to go out with a clear warning. It is not established that the
radiation for instance can result in brain cancer. WHO has a big study
going on and in 2-3 years from now, we will have better answers to all
these questions. But I understand the scientists who warn. I think we
have reason to be cautious, and not use the [mobile] phone more than necessary.
And the younger you are, the more reason to take this seriously. I think
you should follow the precautionary principle", Gro Harlem Brundtland
says.
Previously scientists and physicians have ignored hypersensitivity to
electricity. The Norwegian Association for Electro-sensitive felt the
resistance to be so strong they closed down their work [they have since
started again].
"But I am convinced this has to be taken seriously. Some people develop
sensitivity to electricity and radiation from equipment such as mobile
phones or PCs. If this sensitivity can lead to adverse health-effects
as cancer or other diseases, we do not know yet. But I think we should
follow the precautionary principle, especially with regard to our children."
EMFacts Consultancy
PO Box 96,
North Hobart, 7002
Tasmania, Australia
Phone: (03) 62430195
Fax: (03) 62430340
Email: emfacts@trump.net.au
Web: http://www.tassie.net.au/emfacts/
Letter to Dr Brundtland, Director General of The World Health Organisation,
from Penny Hargreaves, 1 Cranmer Court, 33 Kilmore St
Christchurch 1, New Zealand.
Tel 3770953, Email pahargeaves@ihug.co.nz,
25th March 2002
Dear Dr Brundtland,
I enclose a copy of an email sent to me last week which describes the
symptoms you experience when near a cell phone. I too suffer from a similar
effect when in the vicinity of cell phones although mine is not a headache
but severe ear ache. I have never used a cell phone and I believe my sensitivity
has come from long term exposure to FM/AM transmissions from a radio tower
situated 800 metres from my home and adjacent to my farm. In 1996 I had
to move myself, my family and my animals from my farm as the adverse effects
suffered from were so bad it was impossible for us to live there.
As my health improved I found that I was experiencing severe ear pain,
chest pain, burning skin, feeling as if I had a temperature, and nausea
when I drove through some neighbourhoods. I have since found that
those areas are where the FM licences state the main FM power is
directed to in Christchurch. Research calls my allergic reaction RF hearing
and it is explained in a document we have compiled called "Hidden
Dangers of Electromagnetic Radiation from Communication Towers, Power
lines and Cell phones"(HDER) and our web site is http://canterbury.cyberplace.co.nz/ouruhia/.
RF hearing comes under pages 37 and 88. My body reacts adversely to FM
and microwave beams and I can tell you where they are 20 plus kilometres
from the source and in many cases they do not lose their strength. I can
tell you where a power line is by the buzzing noise but I do not feel
ill under those lines. I believe the reason why is because that frequency
has not been responsible for my illness. However I do now react to computers,
TV, burglar alarms, lights in some shopping centres etc. I understand
the condition I suffer from is called electromagnetic sensitivity and
it makes life very difficult. Most people cannot understand how ill the
reaction from EMR exposure can make sufferers from this illness feel.
Prior to my RF exposure I did not have a problem in the vicinity of anything
electronic. I did not feel ill immediately after exposure at my farm but
over a period of time my health deteriorated dramatically as did my animals.
Later, I discovered neighbours had similar problems. When we left the
area health improved, when we returned health deteriorated again.
Utilities may cause different effects in different areas. Our document
cites case stories in the neighbourhood of power lines near Fishpond in
Dorset where similar illnesses were experienced to those we had at Ouruhia
and Philpotts Rd. The geology of the land sounded similar with underground
streams and close to the sea with high salt content. Operators, and the
standards, do not seem to make allowances for higher conductivity
when siting towers or power lines near people.
You say 'you have reservations regarding the possible association
of exposure to cancer'. I enclose a page regarding leukaemia cases
in Christchurch. The areas the children are ill/dead I find my allergic
reaction is very strong. Two teenagers have died recently who also lived
where the FM beams were directed to approximately the same distance from
the Ouruhia tower as the school where 3 children are suffering leukaemia.
These areas have the AM towers nearby.
A similar distance from the tower, where I had strong reaction,
I am told there were 7 suicides in 9 months. This was an area where
the FM frequencies from two towers, Philpotts Rd and Ouruhia seem to overlap.
Since the FM has been removed from the Philpotts Rd tower I do not feel
ill in that area and, as far as I am aware, there have been no more suicides
there. There were many, many, deaths from cancer in that area.
We have asked the NZ government for a health study but there reply has
always been "NZ are members of the World Health Organisation and
are unaware of any adverse health effects within the ICNIRP Standard"
In 1995 the only two babies born in the Ouruhia area in houses facing
line of sight to the tower both had unusual heart problems. My neighbours
child died at 6 weeks. Research links cardiac problems to exposure to
some frequencies. Most people living near the Ouruhia radio tower suddenly
experienced heart problems when the FM was first introduced and when the
2nd FM was added. It would be interesting to know if other children born
with heart problems lived where frequencies were directed near, or through
their homes. Refer to page 92 HDER where increased cancer was experienced
in buildings in line of radar.
We are currently trying to raise money for an investigation into the effects
of these three radio towers. We would welcome any contribution
from the World Health Organisation. On page 71 /72 of HDER you will
read the letter written by Professor Whale requesting a thorough investigation
into the unusual siting of the FM/AM transmissions. His request
was ignored.
I sympathise with your reaction to cell phones but I sympathise more with
the Christchurch children suffering leukaemia and their families and I
hope you will participate in a health study here in ChCh.
ChCh has the highest suicide rate in NZ. Depression is one of the symptoms
experienced by people exposed to EMR. ChCh also has 3 radio towers at
low lying sites close to the population. The FM transmissions seem
to interfere with cell phone reception therefore where the main FM power
is directed more cell phone towers have to be built which again increases
the electromagnetic smog experienced in these neighbourhoods.
At the moment our primary aim for a health study would be statistical.
For example:-
a. Addresses where all children with leukaemia live in ChCh and where
they lived when born.
b. Similar for children born with heart problems or who develop heart
problems..
c. Where children live who have autism/attention deficit syndrome,
and where they were born.
d. EMR research shows links with epilepsy. Find out from the support groups
if there are areas where children have more fits.
e. Addresses suicides lived at when died. Addresses where they lived when
first became depressed.
Copies of licences for the last ten years showing where operators direct
their main power and microwave links. See Dr Cherry's recommendations
Page 117 no 14.(HDER)
Thank you for reading this letter and we hope you will be able to support
a health study.
Yours sincerely,
Penny Hargreaves
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