Sign in to follow this  
Sky

UN warns of nuclear wastes in Somalia waters

Recommended Posts

Pacifist   

If we want a little of publicity. Their is a Environmental Magazine that I usually read. They are majorly interested in stories like ours.

 

www.grist.org

 

Muck it up: We welcome rumors, whistleblowing, classified documents, or other useful tips on environmental policies, Beltway shenanigans, and the people behind them. Please send 'em to muckraker@grist.org.

 

We need to send letters, emails what ever we can to pressure this so called organizations like GREENWATCH. I went to the website and search on somalia guess what nothing found at all. If we are all serious about doing something then lets get started unless we just come up in here and feel sorry for our sorry behinds. I have been hearing the greenwatch is softening their tactics but as usual it might be all Prapaganda.

 

I have some reports that I read a while back on waste on somali waters. Will be back later.

 

To Bashi The sierra group I am a member of the cascade chapter. I actually talked to them, but their are not very much interested or should I say their priority outside of the US. But I sensed that they would like to help in other ways like if we had a co sponsorship with our somali Organizations towards environments.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
STOIC   

i just read the UNEP report of Somalia,it is heart breaking.The main chemical waste that they suspect are uranium radioactive waste, lead, cadmium, and mercury.I will try to explain the toxicity of this metals.

1. LEAD-The toxicity effect of this metal is that it has a neurologic, neurobehavioral and development effect in children.It impairs the timed programing of cell to cell connection during development.It also impairs the normal calcium hemostasis and uptake by calcium membrane.

2.CADMIUM-The principle long time effect of this metal is chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases also cardivascular diseases.It also affects calcium metabolism which may lead to bone pain.

3. MERCURY- The only liquid state metal.Mercury may lead to bronchitis, and interstitial pneumonits.It may also affects the central nervous system.

4. URANIUM- In the kidney, the proximal tubule are considered to be the main site for uranium.According to WHO uranium has been atributed to lung cancer.

Hope that wakes you up?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Pacifist   

^^^^^Thanks Stoic for explaining to us.

 

This might be also helpful it is from a org Somali Fisheries Society

 

The Hazardous Waste Imports Issue

Somalia's coastline was very rich and able to support varieties or aquatic organisms. However due to non-policing of Somali waters, many foreign vessels indiscriminately pollute by dumping hazardous waste in her waters. The number of incidents, which were identified as perpetrators include an Italian firm (Progresso) and Swiss firm (Achair Partners) even though there may be many other numerous unidentified cases. These cases were justified by United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) as if the firms have supposedly entered into contracts with Somali government to dump in Somali waters. This is ethically questionable whether an indigene should negotiate a hazardous waste disposal contract within his country even in the midst of instability. This can be classified, as a misleading justification to divert the attention of the less publicized exploitation of the Somali crisis by the firms, which specialize in the disposal of hazardous waste. As a result of the UNEP's investigation, about the issue it became apparent to the UNEP's director Dr. Mustafa Tolba declared that the firms of Achair Partners and Progresso were set up specifically as fictitious companies by larger industrial firms to dispose of hazardous waste. And at that point Dr. Tolba referred that the UNEP was dealing with a mafia. Since there is no unified effective internationally recognized government, suing such matters are not intact. The companies are extremely well off to hide the truth at any cost. These are violations of international treaties in the export of hazardous waste to another country in particular like Somalia.

Every month proportionately a number of indigenous people die or suffer from the effects of such dumping around coastal communities. For instance, at Eel-dher district of Gal-gadud region, in the center of Somalia in April 1992 put out dark blue long barrels in which oily-liquid was filled. When samples taken from them were investigated, it was identified that such were deadly nuclear waste. Similar incidents happened at Adale district in 1996. In 1998, mass mix fish species were washed away along the coastline from Mogadishu to Warsheekh which are 45 km apart and all these are consequences of the hazardous waste imports into Somali waters. All over the world, countries policies deal with these events however it is unfortunate that Somalia with the longest coastline over all Africa does not have a basic strategy to deal with these matters.

 

 

 

 

Recommendation

 

Fisheries rights within 200 nautical miles assigned to individual countries or shared between adjacent countries' rational management have been implicated. At least in Europe, US, Canada and most Asian countries, there are effective control unlike west Indian ocean and in particular Somali waters whereas jointly are harvested as it has been traditionally identified on of the world's richest fisheries ground. Somalia's natural resources are under considerable stress, political and economic preoccupations mean that there is no administrative machinery for sustainable management of these resources. The resources and its management continually baffle Somali fisheries professionals and the use of technological information methods in particular the application of satellite transponders and cameras to monitor the operations of the vessels in territorial waters is beyond imagination. It is hard to say that at the present, we have no management prescription for the problems and we can not keep quiet from such disheartening situations. Therefore, we are to alert internationally of the problem, which can confront in the Indian Ocean pointing that, the apparent serious environmental degradation, which perhaps irreversible in reality. In Somalia, individually and collectively, people are responding to their changing environment through development of appropriate mechanisms and legislation focusing on environmental protection and biodiversity, which are in turn linked to sustainable resource management.

 

Let's conclude by pointing out the importance of fisheries management and rights to respect ownership of territorial waters. The challenges of the new millennium on fisheries and its environment do not pose threat to an individual country but for all and its solution would be for all. The main policy trust of professionals is to promote greater awareness among the people and make heard the problems being faced. At same point of view, it is directed towards understanding the responsibility and the obligations for protection of marine resources and environment under for respective jurisdictions.

 

 

 

Acknowledgements

 

The authors would like to express their appreciation to Mr. Ahmed Jalal Khan Chowdhury who was instrumental the outcome of this paper. Also, we would like to acknowledge Mr. Olubunmi Akinfolajimi and Mr. Shahreza Mohd. Shariff for their contribution improving this manuscript.

 

 

 

Literatures cited

 

Anon 1989. The Annual Report of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Somalia.

 

Dubad, Omar Haji Ahmed. 1990. Status of Tuna in Somalia. Collective Volume of Working Documents Vol. 4. Presented at the expert Consultation on Stock Assessment of Tunas in the Indian Ocean Held in Bangkok, Thailand, 2-6 July 1990.

 

Mohamed, A.1998. Summary of Fisheries and Resource Information for Somalia. http://homestead.com/somfish/FISH.html

 

Musse G. H. 1998. Background Information and Future Business Opportunities on Somali Fishing Industry. (Unpublished).

 

Musse G. H. and Tako, M. H. 1999. Current status of marine fisheries in Somalia. In Assessment & Monitoring of Marine System. S. Lokman, M.S.N. Azhar, M.S. Nasir & M.A. Borowitzka (eds.), Universiti Putra Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia (p 255 - 264).

 

UNEP Official Urges African Nations to Approve Basel Accord on Waste. International Environment Reporter (BNA, October 7, 1992).

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Fabregas   

The European Green Party followed up the revelations by presenting to the press and the European Parliament in Strasbourg copies of contracts signed by the two companies and representatives of the then “President” — Ali Mahdi Mohamed — to accept 10 million tonnes of toxic waste in exchange for $80 million (then about £60 million).

 

Mr Ali Mahdi , who then controlled north Mogadishu and who worked closely with the UN during its disastrous 1992-95 humanitarian mission to the country, has always refused to discuss the issue even though an Italian parliamentary report subsequently confirmed many of the allegations.

 

Rather than brining suspected Somali criminals to court, these individuals are being chosen to govern Somalia and even lead/chair the so called reconciliation meeting.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

What do you think Ali mahadi cares about somalia ?man that is something that duke will have us believe. The man is calooshiis u shaqayste

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Sign in to follow this