Somali pirates have accused European firms of dumping toxic waste off the Somali coast and are demanding an $8m ransom for the return of a Ukranian ship they captured, saying the money will go towards cleaning up the waste.The ransom demand is a means of "reacting to the toxic waste that has been continually dumped on the shores of our country for nearly 20 years", Januna Ali Jama, a spokesman for the pirates, based in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, said."The Somali coastline has been destroyed, and we believe this money is nothing compared to the devastation that we have seen on the seas."The pirates are holding the MV Faina, a Ukrainian ship carrying tanks and military hardware, off Somalia's northern coast.According to the International Maritime Bureau, 61 attacks by pirates have been reported since the start of the year.While money is the primary objective of the hijackings, claims of the continued environmental destruction off Somalia's coast have been largely ignored by the regions's maritime authorities.Dumping allegationsAhmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy for Somalia confirmed to Al Jazeera the world body has "reliable information" that European and Asian companies are dumping toxic waste, including nuclear waste, off the Somali coastline."I must stress however, that no government has endorsed this act, and that private companies and individuals acting alone are responsible," he saidAllegations of the dumping of toxic waste, as well as illegal fishing, have circulated since the early 1990s.But evidence of such practices literally appeared on the beaches of northern Somalia when the tsunami of 2004 hit the country.The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) reported the tsunami had washed up rusting containers of toxic waste on the shores of Puntland.Nick Nuttall, a UNEP spokesman, told Al Jazeera that when the barrels were smashed open by the force of the waves, the containers exposed a "frightening activity" that has been going on for more than decade."Somalia has been used as a dumping ground for hazardous waste starting in the early 1990s, and continuing through the civil war there," he said."European companies found it to be very cheap to get rid of the waste, costing as little as $2.50 a tonne, where waste disposal costs in Europe are something like $1000 a tonne."And the waste is many different kinds. There is uranium radioactive waste. There is lead, and heavy metals like cadmium and mercury. There is also industrial waste, and there are hospital wastes, chemical wastes – you name it."Nuttall also said that since the containers came ashore, hundreds of residents have fallen ill, suffering from mouth and abdominal bleeding, skin infections and other ailments."We [the UNEP] had planned to do a proper, in-depth scientific assessment on the magnitude of the problem. But because of the high levels of insecurity onshore and off the Somali coast, we are unable to carry out an accurate assessment of the extent of the problem," he said.However, Ould-Abdallah claims the practice still continues."What is most alarming here is that nuclear waste is being dumped. Radioactive uranium waste that is potentially killing Somalis and completely destroying the ocean," he said.Toxic wasteOuld-Abdallah declined to name which companies are involved in waste dumping, citing legal reasons.But he did say the practice helps fuel the 18-year-old civil war in Somalia as companies are paying Somali government ministers to dump their waste, or to secure licences and contracts."There is no government control ... and there are few people with high moral ground ... [and] yes, people in high positions are being paid off, but because of the fragility of the TFG [Transitional Federal Government], some of these companies now no longer ask the authorities – they simply dump their waste and leave."Ould-Abdallah said there are ethical questions to be considered because the companies are negotiating contracts with a government that is largely divided along tribal lines."How can you negotiate these dealings with a country at war and with a government struggling to remain relevant?"In 1992, a contract to secure the dumping of toxic waste was made by Swiss and Italian shipping firms Achair Partners and Progresso, with Nur Elmi Osman, a former official appointed to the government of Ali Mahdi Mohamed, one of many militia leaders involved in the ousting of Mohamed Siad Barre, Somalia's former president.At the request of the Swiss and Italian governments, UNEP investigated the matter.Both firms had denied entering into any agreement with militia leaders at the beginning of the Somali civil war.Osman also denied signing any contract.'Mafia involvement'However, Mustafa Tolba, the former UNEP executive director, told Al Jazeera that he discovered the firms were set up as fictitious companies by larger industrial firms to dispose of hazardous waste."At the time, it felt like we were dealing with the Mafia, or some sort of organised crime group, possibly working with these industrial firms," he said.Nations have found it difficult to tacklethe problem of piracy [AFP]"It was very shady, and quite underground, and I would agree with Ould-Abdallah’s claims that it is still going on... Unfortunately the war has not allowed environmental groups to investigate this fully."The Italian mafia controls an estimated 30 per cent of Italy's waste disposal companies, including those that deal with toxic waste.In 1998, Famiglia Cristiana, an Italian weekly magazine, claimed that although most of the waste-dumping took place after the start of the civil war in 1991, the activity actually began as early as 1989 under the Barre government.Beyond the ethical question of trying to secure a hazardous waste agreement in an unstable country like Somalia, the alleged attempt by Swiss and Italian firms to dump waste in Somalia would violate international treaties to which both countries are signatories.Legal ramificationsSwitzerland and Italy signed and ratified the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which came into force in 1992.EU member states, as well as 168 other countries have also signed the agreement.The convention prohibits waste trade between countries that have signed the convention, as well as countries that have not signed the accord unless a bilateral agreement had been negotiated.It is also prohibits the shipping of hazardous waste to a war zone.Abdi Ismail Samatar, professor of Geography at the University of Minnesota, told Al Jazeera that because an international coalition of warships has been deployed to the Gulf of Aden, the alleged dumping of waste must have been observed.Environmental damage"If these acts are continuing, then surely they must have been seen by someone involved in maritime operations," he said."Is the cargo aimed at a certain destination more important than monitoring illegal activities in the region? Piracy is not the only problem for Somalia, and I think it's irresponsible on the part of the authorities to overlook this issue."Mohammed Gure, chairman of the Somalia Concern Group, said that the social and environmental consequences will be felt for decades."The Somali coastline used to sustain hundreds of thousands of people, as a source of food and livelihoods. Now much of it is almost destroyed, primarily at the hands of these so-called ministers that have sold their nation to fill their own pockets."Ould-Abdallah said piracy will not prevent waste dumping."The intentions of these pirates are not concerned with protecting their environment," he said."What is ultimately needed is a functioning, effective government that will get its act together and take control of its affairs."
Greek tanker hijacked near Somalia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia — A maritime official says a Greek chemical tanker with 20 crew members has been hijacked by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden near Somalia.
Noel Choong of the International Maritime Bureau says the ship was sailing from Southeast Asia to the Suez Canal when it was seized late Friday.
He says this brings the number of attacks this year in Somali waters to 69, with pirates raiding ships off eastern Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden flanking the country's northern coast despite U.S.-led patrols.He says a total of 27 ships have been hijacked in the attacks, and 11 remain in the hands of the pirates along with more than 200 crew members.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ex-Somali Police Commissioner General Mohamed Abshir
Sultan Kenadid
Seyyid Muhammad Abdille Hassan
Sultan Mohamud Ali Shire
Designation of Al-Shabaab
SOMALI REPUBLICANS
About Us
The Foundation is dedicated to networking like-minded Somalis opposed to the terrorist insurgency that is plaguing our beloved homeland and informing the international public at large about what is really happening throughout the Horn of Africa region.
Blog Archive
-
▼
2008
(1069)
-
▼
October
(143)
- It's A Great Time To Be A Pirate
- The US Presidential election and anti-Ethiopian lo...
- House Approves Appointment Of Nine Ministers
- -Southern Somali regional official dies after land...
- Statement from the United Nations on two UN staff ...
- Igad heads issue ultimatum to Somalia Government
- Ships repel five pirate attacks off Somalia in a s...
- Explosions, suicide car bombs rock Puntland, Somal...
- 5 Suicide Bomb Attacks Hit Somalia
- 21 victims dead in Somalia suicide attacks
- Watchdog Group Says Human Rights Remain Under Atta...
- Somalia: Ethiopia Must Admit Defeat, Says Islamist
- Bomb kills Somali officer
- Foreign navies powerless to uproot Somali piracy: ...
- girl stoned to death by mostly hawiye al- shaba...
- Ethiopian Health Minister Brings News of Great Adv...
- African leaders to meet over Somalia
- Somalia Makes Peace Deal With a Militia
- Somali Pirates: Islamist and Jihadist Influences a...
- Another aid worker killed in Somalia, Al-Shabaab t...
- Rights Campaigner Murdered in Somalia
- Kenya downplays Somali Islamists' remarks on milit...
- U.N. council mulls action in Eritrea-Djibouti dispute
- Somali government troops capture southern town
- Tanzanian fear at Islamic courts
- A Week in the Horn
- Is a Columbus City Hall staffer providing an ear (...
- US Muslim voters are election year outcasts
- France 'captures Somali pirates'
- Pirates, clerics, warlords and the chaos in Somalia
- Pakistani Soldiers Saved U.S. Marines In Somalia, ...
- UNICEF water engineer, Mukhtar Mohammed Hassan, ki...
- Implications of Terrorism and Counterterrorism in ...
- Al-Qaeda websites blocked
- Report: Hijacked Iranian Ship Contained 'Dirty Bom...
- Mostly Hawiye pirates threatening to kill Ukrainia...
- Africa mentioned only in passing in all the debates
- Somalis free hijacked Indian dhow with 13 crew ..P...
- Somalia National Day
- J. Peter Pham, Ph.D ??.or Formar Child Molester ??
- Somalia Journalists Kidnapping: Inside Job
- No end in sight in Somalia, but the future bears l...
- Islamist Guerrillas Battle Each Other, Two KilledI
- Somali gov't says foreign warships in territorial ...
- Peeling the Layers, Donald Payne and Obama politic...
- Shoot On Sight, Shoot To Kill
- IFJ Calls for Release of Journalists Held for Near...
- Al Qaeda behind Red Sea piracy, official
- UN prepares new Somali peace support plan
- UN aid worker gunned down in Somalia
- No title
- Teenagers facing terror plot charge
- South Korean firm pays ransom to Somali pirates
- Bomb found in man's luggage at US airport
- At least 23 killed in Mogadishu fighting: witnesses
- Problems in the VOA-Somali Service (Part Two)
- Next round of talks to cement UN-backed Somali pea...
- ETHIOPIAN PM HOLDS TALKS WITH SENIOR US DEFENCE OF...
- Ethiopia has been working in collaboration with th...
- Terrorist administration launched in southwestern ...
- Somali group threatens to attack Kenya
- US Seeks Cooperation with China in Africa
- A new war-on-terror chapter
- Security Adviser To U.K. P.M. Foresees More Terror...
- Hijacked arms ship running out of fuel
- Videos: Jihad Camp in Somalia; English-Speaking Re...
- Time For McCain To Talk About Somalia Lesson For Iraq
- Ethiopian PM holds talks with UN peacekeeping chief
- Terrorist kidnappings continue to rise
- Suicide bomber from Somalia may have slipped into ...
- Insurgents Attack African Union Troops in Mogadishu
- Lawless Somalia elbows its way back into the news ...
- Shebaab al-Mujahideen in Somalia Release Video of ...
- Somali forces kill pirate on Panama ship
- kenyan forces participating crimes against humanity
- Internal clashes with pirates
- Here We Go Again ..the propaganda arm of the terro...
- America must adjust foreign aid to a new world order
- U.S. takes North Korea off terror list
- As US warships lurk nearby, pirates threaten to bl...
- Commentary: AFRICOM: No good deed Bush does goes u...
- FA president escapes assassination attempt
- 'Toxic waste' behind Somali piracy
- 400 AU Troops Arrive in Mogadishu - Sources
- Salvation Corps and Toxic waste on the shores of S...
- Questions swirl around arms on abducted Ukrainian ...
- Pirates threaten to blow up hijacked tanker off So...
- A Week in the Horn of Africa (10/10/2008)
- 2 expats appeal for release in Somalia
- Russia to U.S.: Let's Team up, to Fight Pirates
- WFP-chartered aid ship arrives in Merca town under...
- NATO to send warships to combat piracy off Somalia
- Ethiopia Always Calls International Community To E...
- All at sea in Somalia
- Somali insurgents soften stance on Mogadishu airpo...
- us aircraft bombs Somalia al-shabaab Stronghold
- France And Russia Want To Play Rough
- Taking The War To The Terrorists
- Kidnapped Briton freed in northeastern Somalia
- Chemtanker hijacked off Somalia
-
▼
October
(143)
Al-Qaida in Somalia. ...
We Are Winning the War on Terrorism in Horn of Africa
The threat is from violent extremists who are a small minority of the world's 1.3 billion Muslims, the threat is real. They distort Islam. They kill man, woman and child; Christian and Hindu, Jew and Muslim. They seek to create a repressive caliphate. To defeat this enemy, we must understand who we are fighting against, and what we are fighting for.
No comments:
Post a Comment