《经济学人》：中国核武测试夺去19万人生命

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[2009.04.19] Revolt stirs among China’s nuclear ghosts 核武冤魂

From The Sunday Times
April 19, 2009
by Michael Sheridan

Revolt stirs among China’s nuclear ghosts
核武冤魂

Up to 190,000 may have died as a result of China’s weapons tests: now ailing survivors want compensation
中国核武器测试夺去了将近190,000人的生命。现在，体弱多病的幸存者要求补偿



The nuclear test grounds in the wastes of the Gobi desert have fallen silent but veterans of those lonely places are speaking out for the first time about the terrible price exacted by China’s zealous pursuit of the atomic bomb.
戈壁滩的废墟中，核测试场地一片寂静；在这些偏僻角落，老兵们第一次道出，中国对原子弹的热烈追求，让他们付出了多么惨重的代价。

They talk of picking up radioactive debris with their bare hands, of sluicing down bombers that had flown through mushroom clouds, of soldiers dying before their time of strange and rare diseases, and children born with mysterious cancers.
他们道出赤手拾捡放射性残骸的经历，道出冲洗穿越过蘑菇云子弹的体验，道出自己的战友尚不足年就患怪病而死，道出自己的孩子刚出娘胎就得上了前所未有的绝症。

These were the men and women of Unit 8023, a special detachment charged with conducting atomic tests at Lop Nur in Xinjiang province, a place of utter desolation and – until now – complete secrecy.
他们来自8023部队。他们在缄口如瓶的秘密中，在渺无人烟的新疆罗布泊驻扎，特别指派执行原子弹试验。

“I was a member of Unit 8023 for 23 years,” said one old soldier in an interview. “My job was to go into the blast zone to retrieve test objects and monitoring equipment after the explosion.
一位接受采访的老军人说：“我在8023部队当兵23年。当时我们干的就是进入爆炸区寻找试验品，还有在爆炸后监控设备。”

“When my daughter was born she was diagnosed with a huge tumour on her spinal cord. The doctors blame nuclear fallout. She’s had two major operations and has lived a life of indescribable hardship. And all we get from the government is 130 yuan [