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Wararkii ugu
dambeeyay ee Laascaanood..;
Laascaano: 3 qof ayaa ku dhimatay 7 kalana
way ku dhaawacmeen xarunta gobolka Sool ee Laascaano ka
dib markii ay faraha isula tageen dad mudaaharaadayay iyo
wasiiro ka socday maamulka Hargaysa oo la diidanaa soo galitaankooda
gobolka Sool.
Wasiiradaan ayaa u yimid inay ka hir galiyaan
halkaas doorashooyinka dhawaan la filayo inay ka dhacaan
jamhuuriyadda isku magacowday Somaliland, waxayse rabshadu
halkii ugu saraysay gaartay ka dib markii ay Wasiiradaasi
soo galeen magaalada iyagoo doonayay inay ka furaan goob
la isga diiwaan galiyo codaynta.
Dadweynaha magaalada oo ay ka muuqatay inay aad uga caraysan
yihiin koox yar oo u adeegaysa maamulka Hargaysa ayaa dhagxaan
ooda uga qaaday wasiirada maamulka Hargaysa, ilaaladii wasiirada
ayaa tacshiirad (Rasaas) huwiyay dadkii isku soo baxay ayadoon
ilaa hadda aysan odayaasha iyo waxgaradka iyo Isimaduba
aysan wax hadal ah ka oran dhimashadan meesha ka dhacday.
Warar aanu ka helnay ilo lagu kal soonyahayna aya sheegaya
in mid ka mid ahaa wasiiradaasi uu dhagaxaantii dadweynuhu
ku tuurayeen uu soo gaarsiiyay dhaawac fudud.
Wasiiradii ayaa lagu soo waramayaa inay dag dag ugu noqdeen
halkii ay kayimaadeen ee Hargaysa.
AllPuntland
Pollution Concern
In Ethiopia
Eventhough, famine and Aids/HIV is the priority
concern nowadays in Ethiopia, there is a silent killer like
industrial pollution which had affected and still affecting
thousands of lives of residents who live in Wonji, Wonji/Shoa,
and Metehara sugar factories. In 1950s, HVA started to pioneer
the sugar industry in Ethiopia. Wonji, Wonji/Shoa and Metahara
sugar factories were established in 1954, 1960 and 1968.
There are three major department in sugar factory manufacturing,
a) mill house, b) process house, c) boiler house.
Each produce different types of waste in the air and are
responsible for the emission of harmful gases into the air.
There was also pungent smell from the mill house. Molasses
were poured on the streets in Wonji, Wonji/Shoa, and Metehara
which produced odd smell, flies around the town and sticky
to walk on it. Wouldn't be nice if HVA had an asphalt paving
instead? These three communities were exposed to toxins
emitted from the factory, and they are less informed and
less aware. These communities were vulnerable because they
perceived as weak and passive citizens who will not fight
back against the poisoning of their environment in fear
that it may jeopardize their jobs and economical survival.
I know this much damages had happened to me, my family and
other people.
1) The exhaust fumes get so thick until they form a sort
of fog around the community I was living. Dust, gases and
smoke had affected many people lung and respiratory tract,
asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular
disease and cancer of the lung.
2) Drinking water was heavily polluted by the hazardous
wastes generated from the discharge by the factory, and
excess of fluoride
3) The noise pollution was also very prominent due to the
power looms situated in the community.
4) HVA also neglected the defluoridation of the drinking
water. Excess fluoride in a drinking water causes dental
and skeletal fluorosis. Normally fluoride should not exceed
4.0 milligram per litter, I wonder to what level of fluoride
I and my family were exposed.
5) Asbestos was widely used for ceiling panels, pipe insulation,
well insulation, cement pipe and sealant. No doubt I and
my family are exposed to asbestos fiber concentration. As
we know asbestos are extremely aerodynamic and it may affect
someone to cancer, shortness of breath, and pain in the
lower back. Even after 1970 when asbestos use was curtailed
by scientist, HVA did not took action to prevent the community.
6) Heavy vehicular traffic who carry sugar canes to the
factory pass through resident area which caused a lot of
dust and resulted many death to many people due to vehicular
accident.
Approximately around 1967 I came to Wonji
as a kid. I grew up in Wonji, and my two children were born
and raised in Wonji until the age of 6 & 7. At that
time in Wonji the drinking water had excess fluoride, the
air was polluted from the smoke and dust which was coming
out of the factory, and most of the houses were built from
asbestos. As we know human health is closely tied to environmental
conditions, the quality of air, water, in Wonji, Wonji/Shoa,
and Metehara had risked the health of many families including
myself and my family.
When I was a kid there were Dutch citizens
who were the top representatives and employees for H.V.A.
the rest in the bottom of the pyramid were all Ethiopians.
At that time the Dutch were living in a secluded area called
"Shebo Gibi," which means "wired area."
No, Ethiopian was allowed to go to that area unless she
or he had a pass, or working as a baby sitter, kitchen maid,
or a garden boy. The Dutch also had their own club, swimming
pool, tennis court, hospital, and school. They were drinking
bottled water, because they knew that the drinking water
at the time was not pure and had excess of fluoride. But
they let us use the well water which was contaminated and
with excess of fluoride. In most reports of chronic fluoride
toxicity indicate that it cause weight loss, dental skeletal
changes, indicators of carcinogenesis, hypocalcemia (low
blood calcium), hyperkalemia (excess blood potassium) which
will affect the spine, cerebral impairment, and damage of
soft tissues. Excess fluoride consumption also lead to cancer,
osteoporosis, neurological, cerbrovascular effects, and
other physical ailments.
The Dutch were using the Awash River for irrigation
which some runs in our area, which resulted many death from
drowning and ameba infection. If the Dutch had fenced these
irrigation instead of their home, they would had saved many
lives. It is too late for me and my family who are totally
exposed to the pollution, but I believe we have to help
the present generation and the next coming generation.I
am one of the victims who is suffering from asthma because
of the air pollution at that time. I am also suffering from
teeth decay, knee and other joint problem because of the
excess fluoride in the water. My parents had knee joint
problems but they passed away recently. My kids are suffering
from teeth decay, cavities and staining. Recently I visited
Ethiopia and I found out that many people whom I know were
sick from various disease caused from the air and water
pollution. Some of my father's friends are sick and bed
bounded because of the skeletal fluorosis. Many young beautiful
girls of these communities hide their mouth with their hand
when they smile to hide their heavily stained teeth, and
those who have money replace their front teeth with artificial
teeth. The sad thing is nobody knows whom to blame, or where
to seek help.
The 30 Articles of the Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
[From 1 to 10 ] [ From 11 to 20 ] [ From 21 to 30 ] Article
1: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity
and rights."
You have the same human rights as everyone else in the world,
because you are a human being. These rights are inalienable
-- they cannot be taken away from you. Every individual,
no matter who they are or where they live, should be treated
with dignity.
Article 2: "Everyone is
entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this
Declaration, without distinction of any kind."
Article 13: "Everyone has the right to
freedom of movement."
Discrimination in health care is a violation of internationally
declared human rights and defies the very fabric of freedom
and justice. The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
states in articles 2, 3, and 25 that everyone has the right
to all freedoms in the declaration, including health and
security of person, without distinction of race, color,
sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national
or social origin, property, birth or other status. Wonji,
Shoa, and Methara were segregated Ethiopian community in
which outsiders had full control of these communities. Since
the Dutch are white, it's the all-Negro section that was
a segregated community. When you're under someone else's
control, you're segregated. The Dutch were always treating
us as the lowest and offering the worst to Wonji, Wonji/Shoa
and Metehara communities. My father used to warn me not
to go to Shebo Gibi because is a white residential areas,
and I asked him why? His answer was we are black, they are
white who run these three sugar factories, back then It
is morally wrong that these communities had to face the
burden of factory pollution, and it hits the poorest hard.
Why in my country?
I want a respond from H.V.A. why this happened
to me, my family and all residents that are exposed to the
pollution? I wish my voice will be heard and to see some
changes on this issue. I hold HVA accountable and to clean
up the mess that it had left behind. Fluoride has been banned
in Sweden, Norway, Denmark, West Germany, Italy, Belgium,
Austria, France, and The Netherlands. HVA was run by the
Dutch and their main office is located in The Netherlands.
I sent email weeks ago to HVA regarding this pollution but
they didn't respond back. I believe we Ethiopians who live
abroad can make a difference. I am sending this email to
various global environmental pollution agencies for help.
There is no environmental and health pollutants data collected
in these communities, I know this much, many people are
dying from this pollution. I will be happy to receive your
email or your input and to join me in this campaign.
Thanks,
Almaz Mequanint
