Switzerland: Deployment of 5G: the Federal Council insists on moving forward despite opposition from the majority of Swiss citizens

Deployment of 5G: the Federal Council insists on moving forward despite opposition from the majority of Swiss citizens
Stop5G Association - Press release, 24 April 2020 - translation by the Editor of "Towards Better Health"

Bern, 24 April 2020 - Last November, the Confederation failed to take a position on the risks associated with 5G. Against this backdrop of great political and scientific uncertainty, on 22 April 2020, the Federal Council announced that it wanted to force the deployment of this new technology, even though according to a recent poll a majority of the Swiss population is opposed to it. At the same time, the abandonment, in full confinement, of the investigation into the modification of existing antennas into 5G antennas constitutes a real denial of democracy.

In the midst of this serious crisis, the Federal Council has once again presented the Swiss people with a "fait accompli" on the subject of 5G.






On November 28, the report "Mobile Telephony and Radiation", published by the group of experts mandated by DETEC [Federal Department of Environment, Transport, Energy and Communications], was bogged down by the divergence of interests represented (industry, administration, doctors). It failed to achieve its goal by proposing five diametrically opposed options instead of the clear recommendations expected by the population and the cantons. The report admitted its own shortcomings, in particular its own lack of scientific expertise and the lack of irrefutable studies on non-ionizing radiation, even though numerous studies had pointed out the probable danger to living organisms. Common sense would have dictated that, in view of this failure and the evidence of harm to human health, the Federal Council should have immediately commissioned the necessary studies from independent, qualified and recognized international experts.

However, doubts about the good faith of our authorities were in order, given their previous statements. Already in 2018, on the occasion of the Council of States' rejection of the increase in the emission limit values for non-ionizing radiation, the Federal Council stated, in a shocking reply to a member of parliament, that it was considering the adoption of measurement and calculation methods that would still allow 5G to be deployed without changing the emission limit values. This iniquitous statement could be interpreted as an admission by the Federal Council of its willingness to circumvent the will of the people in order to force the deployment of 5G by technical means that the electorate could not control.

On 22 April 2020, by instructing DETEC to draw up an implementation aid on 5G adaptive antennas, even though no serious scientific study on the consequences of 5G technology on human health has been carried out, the Federal Council is once again betraying its mandate to protect the population, for the benefit of private companies. Furthermore, there is a fear that only the main part of the directional beams will be measured, leaving aside the additional interference created by adaptive antennas.

According to a recent study by bonus.ch, which was taken up by the RTS [Swiss Broadcasting Corporation: French-speaking Switzerland], a majority of Swiss people are opposed to the deployment of 5G. However, despite worrying scientific data, a parliamentary refusal to increase the emission limit values and the popular rejection of 5G, the Federal Council continues to force the deployment of this technology through the back door. These methods raise serious questions about the health of our democracy and about the interests that our government considers to be paramount.

Furthermore, it is not true to suggest that only 5G can meet the increased connectivity needs, when fiber has much better performance with infinitely less exposure and a much more favorable environmental balance sheet. It is surprising that the Federal Council does not emphasize the benefits in terms of data security, network quality and public health of such a solution and does not commission a study on the possibility of deploying optical fiber on a very large scale in the country.

Finally, it should be noted that during this period of containment, it is unacceptable that certain cantons, such as the canton of Vaud, should take the liberty of changing their practice concerning the modification of existing antennas into 5G antennas, and no longer invite the communes to put such modifications to inquiry, which makes it possible to authorize them in complete opacity, without the population being able to oppose them.

The Stop5G association remains vigilant and will continue to fulfil its mission of informing the population, while awaiting the launch of its campaign for the collection of signatures for the initiative "For a reasonable development of mobile telephony".

www.initiative-5g.ch

Pour l’association Stop5G :

Louisa Diaz : louisa.diazlentz@protonmail.com

Camille Selleger : camilleselleger@protonmail.com

Original press release in French:
https://mieuxprevenir2.blogspot.com/2020/04/suisse-deploiement-de-la-5g-le-conseil.html