A chara, - We, members of IERVN (Irish Electromagnetic Radiation Victims Network), are dismayed at the insensitivity of Martyn Turner's cartoon on the front page of The Irish Times of Saturday, October 2nd. That a nuclear tragedy of this nature, resulting in possible mortality and dangerous levels of radiative exposure to countless Japanese (the insidious bio-effects from this accident may not become apparent for years), should be used as an apt visual analogy to point up something as trite as the "radiative" dangers to Irish offshore account holders, from the "nuclear explosive" news leakage of their investments, is appalling. How would we have liked it if the Japanese media had used the Omagh bombing as humorous material to underscore some Japanese domestic banks "bombing" or collapsing? Would we have been amused?
Martyn Turner is usually a superbly witty cartoonist, but the Japanese people deserve an apology from your paper for this insensitive treatment of their tragedy. - Yours, etc.,
I. R. O'Connor, Secretary, IERVN, Carrigaline, Co Cork.