On october 4th, Mr Pierre-Joël Bonté, president of region Auvergne in France, put an end to the contract the former president had signed with France Telecom in 2000. This contract allowed France Telecom to put six GSM antennas on the roof of a high school owned by this region: the lycée "Mme de Staël" in Montluçon. There are 1100 pupils aged 14 to 19, among them 300 also sleep there, 100 meters away from two of the antennas. Elected representants of the teachers and a parents association (FCPE), along with our local association called CIARTéME, urged the Region to remove this base station since 2002. Mr Bonté had promised he would apply the precautionary principle, before he was elected in march 2004. As Orange had agreed to, but did not seem to be able to find a more appropriate place for its masts rapidly enough, the president finally put an end to the contract. He leaves Orange a full year to dismantle the masts, though. Now we hope that the other regions, owners of similar schools all over the country, will follow this first example. We also hope the operator will not use the whole year it has been granted.

If you feel like it, you may send congratulations and encouragement letters to

Mr Pierre-Joël Bonté president of Region Auvergne
13-15 avenue de Font-Maure BP 60
63402 Chamalières France

Thank you for all the useful news you send.

Hélène Hétier

CIARTéME ( Contre l'Implantation des Antennes-Relais de Téléphonie Mobile près des Ecoles - Against Masts located near schools), Montluçon also coordinator in Auvergne for the National association PRIARTéM

ciarteme@wanadoo.fr