RECYCLE - Selected pictures

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Kazakhstan. Dolon. Zhuldyzkhan Kenzhebekov (R), 32 years old, is the son of Nurgaly Kenzhebekov (L) 74 years old and Pana Kenzhebekova (C) 70 years old . The son is mentally handicapped. He suffers from mental deficiency and retardation. The village of Dolon is near the Semipalatinsk Polygon ( called today National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan). Zhuldyzkhan Kenzhebekov is a second generation victim of the 456 atomic testing - 116 atmospheric, 340 underground - from 1949 to 1989. Zhuldyzkhan Kenzhebekov's parents still remember seing the first atom test in 1949. The regions high frequency of mentally handicapped diseases is primarily due to fallout from nearby nuclear test sites. Zhuldyzkhan Kenzhebekov shows the human and environmental effects of nuclear radiation, genetic contamination and pollution from atomic tests programs of the former Soviet Union. Dolon is located in the Eastern Kazakhstan Province. © 2008 Didier Ruef..