___________________________________________________________________ S O M A L I A N E W S U P D A T E ____________________________________________________________________ No 13 September 12, 1992. ISSN 1103-1999 ____________________________________________________________________ Somalia News Update is published irregularly via electronic mail and fax. Questions can be directed to antbh@strix.udac.uu.se or to fax number +46-18-151160. All material is free to quote as long as the source is stated. ____________________________________________________________________ From: dmorse@igc.apc.org (Dorothy Morse) Date: 12 Sep 92 00:25:00 GMT Newsgroups: soc.culture.african Subject: Somalia watse scandal - Greenpeace ~From: Dorothy Morse ~Subject: Somalia watse scandal - Greenpeace /* Written 4:16 pm Sep 11, 1992 by gn:fmartone in cdp:reg.africa */ /* ---------- "Somalia watse scandal - Greenpeace" ---------- */ [A(b| GREENPEACE REVEALS NAME OF ITALIAN COMPANY ILLEGALLY EXPORTING TOXIC WASTE TO SOMALIA Rome, 9 September 1992 ---- Greenpeace today revealed that the Italian company PROGRESSO s.r.l. is the waste trader behind the illegal trafficking of toxic waste to Somalia. Greenpeace said the agreement for the scandalous deal was signed in Rome, on 5 December 1991 , and authorizes the Swiss company ACHAIR and PARTNERS to annnually export 500,000 tonnes of hospital and industrial waste from Italy to Somalia over the next twenty years. The waste is to go to a 10 million ton disposal site. UNEP director Dr Mustafa Tolba this week publicised the deal, but was told the media that he was afraid to reveal any details of the company involved, describing the parties involved as "mafia". One of the founding members of ACHAIR, Pierre Andre RANDIN, has already been prosecuted for illegal trade in information technology to Eastern Europe between 1981 and 1982. Last spring he co-founded, together with Marcello GIANNONI, a company called "MANAWASTE", for waste exports to the Third World. GIANNONI now is a director of PROGRESSO. "This Somalian toxic waste export scandal underlines the failure of the 1989 Basel Convention to control waste trade, and the urgent need for a total ban on hazardous waste exports to developing and Eastern European countries" commented Greenpeace Italy's Roberto Ferrigno. The case also shows how Italian companies circumvent the prohibition of hazardous waste expor s from EC Member states to Somalia, as provided in the LOME IV Convention between the European Community and a group of 69 developping countries amongst which Somalia. Dr Tolba publicised the agreement this week after the Basel Convention Secretariat was notified of it. Under the terms of the Basel Convention it is perfectly legal to export hazardous waste from Switzerland to Somalia as long as both governments agree to do so. "We absolutely have to get to a total ban of all waste exports from all industrialized countries to the Third World and Eastern Europe" Ferrigno concluded. ENDS For more information: Roberto Ferrigno, Greenpeace Italy tel (39) (6) 5782484 - 5750053 Stefan Weber, Greenpeace Switzerland tel (41) (1) 2413441 - 2413621 From: dmorse@igc.apc.org (Dorothy Morse) Date: 12 Sep 92 00:24:00 GMT Newsgroups: soc.culture.african Subject: Re: SOMALIA: As if hunger is not bad en The fax number for the Swiss Mission to the UN is 212-751-2104. Those faxing to protest the dumping of toxic wastes can also request that Switzerland contribute aid to Somalia, in the form of money to finance World Food Progam food purchases, or aircraft to fly food, or any other constructive aid. When faxing, you can also note on the bottom of your fax that you are sending a carbon copy to some important media outlet. Fax numbers for these are posted in Media Contacts, which I believe is posted in this conference. In this way, not only do the Swiss know you've protested, but they know the New York Times, or the Washington Post, or the Los Angeles Times knows you've protested. BH: You may fax your protest via E-mail, FREE OF CHARGE. Address your mail in the following way Swiss_UnMission@f00912127512104.fax.sunet.se Your letter goes to a faxgateway in the Swedish university net that is government subsidised. I do emphasize that urgent action is needed in this matter.