THE EVIDENCE OF TOXIC AND RADIOACTIVE WASTES DUMPING IN
SOMALIA AND ITS IMPACT ON THE ENJOYMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS: A CASE STUDY
Read
the Study.... HERE
Bashir Mohamed Hussein, PhD.
Geneva , 8th of June, 2010
Paper presented at the United Nations Human Rights Council (Geneva)
14th Session
Panel discussion on Toxic Wastes
Read the
Paper.... HERE (pdf)
Toxic waste dumping
in Somalia and its impact on human rights
Human Rights Council holds Panel Discussion on Adverse Effects of Moving
Toxic Waste on Enjoyment of Human Rights
Geneva, 8 Iune 2010:
BASHIR MOHAMED HUSSEIN, Founding Director of SomaCent Development Research
Foundation, said Somalia had been a victim of hazardous toxic waste dumping
since the mid 1980s. Foreign companies had used the country as a dumping ground
to dispose of large quantities of toxic wastes illegally. In particular, the
illicit dumping had intensified after 1990, and had seriously impacted on
health, livelihoods, the prospect of development, and the overall human security
of the affected population. In addition, the dumping had been associated with
other equally harmful and internationally-driven illicit practices such as
illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and army smuggling. Together, these
factors represented the main pillars that underpinned the war economy,
contributing to the perpetuation and exacerbation of the armed conflict. The
combined effects of the toxic waste dumping and other illicit practices in
Somalia had denied the affected population the enjoyment of fundamental human
rights, including the right to life, right to health, right to a safe
environment, right to enough food, income, and safe drinking water, as well as
the right to development.
Unfortunately,
Somalia had had no effective Government for a long time now, and the
international community had failed to pay enough attention to these problems
when dealing with the Somali crisis. But it was clear, due to many sources, that
Somalia had been turned into a dumping ground for the worst toxic wastes
produced by industrialised countries, at the expense of the already very fragile
health, food security, and overall prospect for development of the affected
population in Somalia. Alongside the domestic factors, Somalia's political and
economic crisis was fuelled and perpetuated by internationally driven economic
and other strategic interests. To reverse this tragic trend, the Human Rights
Council and the international community in general should make sure that
intertwined problems such as toxic waste dumping, illegal, unregulated and
unreported fishing, army smuggling and all other international dimensions of the
Somali crisis were properly dealt with. The Special Rapporteur on toxic wastes
should undertake an urgent country mission. There should also be an in-depth and
extensive field research on the nature, scale and impact of the toxic waste
dumping in Somalia, identification, isolation, and reclamation of the polluted
sites, and the adoption of effective deterrent measures against the toxic
traffickers at the international level.
Read More
READ The Case Study.... HERE
(pdf)
Wixii faah-faahin dheeri ah fadlan kala xiriir Email: shakiib@hotmail.com
Faafin: SomaliTalk.com | June 10, 2010
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