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DRINKING POISONOUS
WATER !!!
Pollution Concern
I am so happy to learn that this year (2003) is declared to be an international
year of fresh water. Being one of the victims of polluted water and
air; at the same time; I feel helpless and in despair when I think of
myself, my whole family and for the 100,000 voiceless residents of Wonji,
Wonji/shoa and Metehara. Thousands of children and adults are at risk
by drinking the poisonous water in these industrial communities.
Even though, 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 International 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.
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 HVA 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. The Dutch
had withhold information from us and took our rights away from having
a healthy environment.
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 suffer from asthma because of the air pollution at that time. My teeth
are decayed and I have knee and other joint problems 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.
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. HVA
withheld information about the excess fluoride in the drinking water
from the Ethiopian workers. HVA violated the human rights of Ethiopian
workers in those three communities. 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. Fluoride has been banned in Sweden, Norway, Denmark,
West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Austria, France, and The Netherlands.
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.
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.
\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."
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. 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 HVA why has 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.
HVA was run by the Dutch and their main office is located in The Netherlands.
I sent emails months ago to HVA regarding this pollution in Wonji/Wonji-Shoa
and Metehara, but they didn't respond back. I hold HVA accountable and
to clean up the mess that it had left behind.
Ethiopia has no budget to eradicate this pollution right now while facing
famine and Aids crisis. There is no enough environmental and health
pollutants data collected in these communities, I know this much, many
children are dying from this pollution, and it is a human rights violation
of these residents. I will be happy to receive any email, help from
agencies, or posting this article in newspapers to make the world hear
my voice, bring HVA ( the human rights abuser) to justice, and end pollution
in these three communities.
I am 39 years
old and a mother of two children. My children now are at college. My
family and I are victims of this deadly pollution. I came to USA in
1991.
Also, I am
the mother of thousands children, youngsters; I am a sister of thousands
adults and a daughter of thousands elders who are victimized by this
slow killer pollution. I am the voice of those voiceless and poor. Since,
I am advocating to many youngster, it might be interesting for young
members of this organization to know that in the third world young generation
don' have a voice and also they don't have the opportunity to stand
up for their human rights. If they do, they will go to jail or be killed.
I am lucky to be in America, where there is a freedom of speech whereas
in Ethiopia many are afraid to be candid about their true feelings.
I also I would like you to take a look. It will give you the idea how
deadly the situation is.
The picture of the tap water is treated water which all residents in
that area used to get drinking water, unfortunately now is not working.
You will understand the magnitude of the gruesomeness of these pictures
of the victims that is why the world should know.
There is also
a picture of a house that probably gives you the idea about the houses,
and if you look at the roof, it is total asbestos. Some of the pictures
show bed-bounded victims who were disabled from 17-28 years. Most teenagers
have dental fluorosis. Then when they reach 30 years they will develop
skeletal fluorosis. There are also picture shows that the irrigation
canal passes through residential areas, which many children drowned
to death, and caused many people to die from malaria, ameba, and bilharzias
disease.
God bless and Best Regards,
Almaz Mequanint
Gelialma@aol.com
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