Switzerland was among the first countries to begin deploying 5G, but health fears over radiation from the antennas that carry the next-generation mobile technology have sparked a nationwide revolt.
Demonstrators against 5G technology are organized to fill the streets of Bern later this month, but already a number of cantons (the equivalent of states in the US) have been pressured to put planned constructions of 5G-compatible antennae on hold.
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The technology has been caught up in the deepening trade war between China and the United States. The US has tried to rein in Chinese giant Huawei, the world’s leader in superfast 5G equipment, over fears it will enable Beijing to spy on communications from countries that use its products and services.
The spying issue aside, an increasing number of Swiss are voicing alarm at the very real health effects from exposure to the electromagnetic rays radiating from the 5G antennas, and are threatening to put the issue to a vote in the country famous for its straightforward democratic system.
Switzerland took a big step in February towards deployment when it assigned 5G frequencies to three major operators, Swisscom, Sunrise, and Salt. The move allowed the country to rake in revenues of nearly 380 million Swiss francs ($384 million).
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Anxious to get moving, the three operators raced to brag on TV ads and billboards that the cutting-edge technology would be available this year in cities, in the countryside and even in mountainous regions.
Authorities told AFP that by early July, 334 antennae stations for 5G were operational across the country.
But the rollout has run into some serious hurdles. According to Yahoo:
Several cantons, including Geneva, have caved to pressure from online petitioners demanding a halt to construction of the 5G infrastructure. But while no new antennas are being built in parts of the country, the operators are still converting existing 4G antennae for 5G use — something they can do without authorization.1
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National carrier Swisscom thus says it expects 90 percent of the population to have 5G access by the end of the year.
Meanwhile, opponents caution that 5G poses unprecedented health and environmental risks compared to previous generations of mobile technology. They are pressing authorities to place a full-fledged moratorium on the rollout.
They will organize a massive protest on September 21 in front of the government buildings in Bern, and are also working towards putting the issue to a popular vote. Coco Tache-Berther, of the organization Fequencia, said the rapid rollout of 5G was ultra-shocking, adding:
“I think we have most citizens on our side.”1
Olivier Pahud, who regularly demonstrates against 5G in front of the UN in Geneva, agrees. He insists the technology will have “impacts on health, on the environment, on people’s capacity to think.”1 He suffers from “electromagnetic hypersensitivity”1 and said 5G will be devastating for people like him.
Most countries don’t recognize electromagnetic hypersensitivity as a medical disorder, but sufferers insist that exposure to mobile phones, wifi routers, smart meters, televisions and other gadgets cause them anything from mild discomfort to life-ruining disability.
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Even the powerful Swiss Federation of Doctors is also urging caution, announcing:
“as long as there is no scientific proof that raising the radiation limits will not impact health, one must refrain from raising them.”1
Leading the battle in Geneva is Daniel Buchs, a doctor and a regional parliamentarian with the centrist Christian Democratic Party. He told AFP:
“We are waiting for a serious, independent study that shows whether, yes or no, 5G has a noxious effect for the population.”1
He maintained such a study could help avoid a health scandal similar to the one the world has seen with asbestos. It was long promoted as safe but today is known to kill at least 107,000 people around the world each year.
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There are some studies underway, including one by the World Health Organization, which told AFP it had begun “conducting a risk assessment of health outcomes from radiofrequency fields exposure.”1
The Swiss government also appointed a group of experts last year to probe the risks involved with introducing 5G, and their findings should be published by the end of the year. Their study results had initially been scheduled to be published the first half of the year.
The government said the delay was due to “the size of the task.”1 The delay has sparked outrage among 5G opponents, who speculate that pressure from operators might have played a role. Tache-Berther added:
“You really have to ask yourself what is behind this.”1
