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Toxic waste, including nuclear, behind Somali piracy

Toxic waste behind Somali piracy

Axis of Logic By Najad Abdullahi

Al Jazeera

Monday, Apr 13, 2009 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………………

………….Ahmedou 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……………

………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. “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……………

………………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.”

http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_55437.shtml

April 14, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | secrets,lies and civil liberties, Somalia | antinuclear, nuclear, radioactive, Somalia, uranium