| Front Page |
One of the hazard sites in Berbera. Many bunkers exist in this site which contain toxic fuels |
|
 |
Un-assembled SAM 2 Missiles at Berbera |
Deformed kid-goat (Berbera) |
April 2007 – The purpose of this preliminary brief report is to sound the alarm bell for the implications of the presence of Lethal Radio Active radiation and other toxic materials in and around Berbera and the damage that this hazard may have already inflicted on the Berbera community, livestock and other forms of life and the environment in general and the future catastrophe waiting to explode. And to enlist the co-operation of all concerned for mitigating the impact. Other objectives of this report include:
a). Conducting awareness campaign for exposing the damages already done and for exposing the alarming potential dangers if appropriate measures are not taken soon. b). Sealing off all sources of radio-active radiation and other toxic materials from public and livestock access. c). The deployment of local and foreign expertise for the quantities and qualitative assessment of sources of radio-active and toxic materials, their intensity of the level of damage already done, potential implications in future, appropriate measures for their mitigation and eventual elimination, measures for addressing damages already done and determining those institutions, individuals responsible for these damages. d). Prevention of looting activities, collection of all ransacked items contaminated and materials in households and business premises and the storage of these items collected stored in safe place. e). Relocation of people from the vicinities of radiation emissions and abolishing the allocation of land plots in those locations, at least until such time when the elimination of the hazards will be achieved. f). Possible relocation of export – bound for livestock holding grounds. g). Creation of permanent branches of the environmental agency with proper instruments for the constant monitoring of the radio active and toxic poison levels. h). Sealing of any leakages or open vaults likely to emit radiation and other environmental dangers, until disposed off permanently.
Methods employed in accessing high level of hazards
The ceaseless efforts of the local councilor Mr. Awil Ali Sugulle, since the demise of the Siyyad Barre regime up to present date has instigated members of the investigative team (CCN) to probe into these hazards, methods employed included but not limited to:
- Search for radiation detection instruments and the expertise to use them
- Search for ex-servicemen with first knowledge of missile system and their fuse and utilities.
- Search from medical expertise of local level for signs for ailment connected to radio active radiation and other toxic materials.
- Visual observations attesting to claims of the councilor
- Probes into Web sites
- Contact of individuals both inside the country and overseas for any information known or heard in matters concerning these hazards.
- Search for any documents regarding these hazards inside the country and abroad.
Findings of the investigative Probe so Far
- Having taken the geophysicist Dr [PHD] Ahmed. H. Mohamed Bihi who conducted a test in the hazard area with radiation detector (gigametre), was astonished with the high presence of intensive radio-active readings in the first three sites visited.
- Verb alum records of interviews conducted with ex-servicemen in different parts of the country attesting to presence of radio-active materials [depleted Uranium, Red Mercury, and toxic subsistence] like concentrated fumicnitrc acid etc. in the fuels Sam missiles.
- Reports of sudden death of scavengers (wildlife) who descended into some open underground storage bunkers indicates the presence of highly toxic hazards and possibly of radiation caused deaths.
- Medical report of both regional health authorities and the central ministry of health also confirmed numerous related deaths, ailments, and deformation of humans and livestock in the area of Berbera.
- Reports by foreign institutions and individuals.
- Information retraced from Web sites or sent to us by email, further reinforce our conviction of the presence of the hazard.
- Eyewitness accounts of observation Audio-recorded or Videotaped are also available with us.
- Warnings heard of Radio Moscow Somali languages section regarding the lethal buried toxics – and radio active activity materials in Berbera.
Recommendations
A major human disaster with far reaching implications for the people living in Berbera and the country and the environment as a whole is waiting to erupt unless emergency measures are taken soon as possible. As such, it should be the concern of all public authorities and the government on all levels and the public at large.
The international community and UN agencies should waste no time in responding to this emergency.
For the moment, at local level, we should concentrate on the short term solutions which are:
- Conduct a national wide awareness with special emphases in Berbera area both for public awareness and for more information obtaining assistance in disposing of these hazards safely.
- Stop further looting by individuals and scrap metal merchants with immediate effect and relocation of all contaminated pillaged materials to safe storage.
- Identify the end-users of the materials looted from the hazard sites and for what purpose for prospects of local agents serving the institutions with strategic interests in this country.
- Look into the possibility of relocation of people and livestock to safer areas and the inspection of foods in storage facilities in the vicinities of radiation and toxic sources.
- Create an environment agency branch in Berbera for monitoring developments.
- Decide on action plan at regional [local] level prior to any arrival of international experts concurrent to the national action plan to minimize the impact of the matter and address the plight of those already affected.
Further research recommendation:
- Documentation and tabulation of all information available about subject matter.
- Develop strategies for mitigating or rather addressing the already inflicted damage and minimizing potential dangers.
- Pay particular attention to children and women of the fertility rate of all age groups living in Berbera.
- Acquire inexpensive hand-held tools and\or instruments like:
Gauges, mauler, Survey meters, ionization chambers and personnel safety clothing and monitoring film badges.
- Seal off dangerous sources from human and livestock access.
- Completion of a comprehensive report containing all supportive evidences available locally to support the assertions of the hazard
Report by Committee of Concerned Nationals
- LOCAL CONSULAR AWIL ALI SUGULE
- COL. IBRAHIM ABDILAHI HUSSIEN (DHEGO WEYNE)
- COL. Eng. ESSA M. XUSEN (URAGTE)
- COL. MAHAMED XASAN (BASHE)
- COL. HUSEN JAMA YONIS
- COL. ENG. HUSSEIN AHMED KHAIRE
- AHMED JAMA SAEED (JIBIIQE)
- ISMAIL HAMUD MUSE
- SHARMAAKE YUSUF ABBAS
- SAHARDIID SAMATER ISMAIL
- MUSE MAHAMED AWED
- SULIEMAN HALA OBLE
- ISMAIL DIRIYE MAHAMED
- AYIDIID FARAH AHMED
- SULIEMAN ISMAIL HUSSIEN (CIRRO)
- HASSAN ABDULLAHI (ARBUSH)
- KHADER JAMA GUUSH
- ABSHIR GEYDH ALI
- HASSAN ALLALE ISMAIL
- AHMED ADEN HERSI
- MAHAMED ISMAIL OMER
- RASHID MUSTAFA X NOOR
E-mail Address: a.a.sugulle@hotmail.co
Source: Somaliland Times
Home | Contact us | Links | Archives