---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2002 20:47:58 -0700 From: Carol D. McRoberts <[log in to unmask]> Reply-To: [log in to unmask] To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [WASAN] Fw: [women-csd] Sustainable Development news FYI Subject: [women-csd] Sustainable Development news > 2. Report from Women's Peace Train > 4. Action Alert Against Incinerator in South Africa > > Press Release Press Release Press Release > > The Women's Peace Train from Kampala to Johannesburg for the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD), 16 August - 26August, 2002 > > A month this week the locomotive engines of the Women's Peace Train rolled out of Kampala in the historic journey to World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. The Ten day Journey saw the Peace Train travel from Kampala Uganda through Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa, departing Kampala on 16 August, 2002 at 10.00 Am and arriving in Johannesburg on 26 August at 7.15 Am . The Peace Train carried a symbol for peace in the form of a Peace Torch which women exchanged from country to country along the train route. The peace torch, kindly donated by UNIFEM, was handed over to the Uganda women by Rwanda women on behalf of the Great Lakes Region, in a colourful ceremony held in Kampala's Freedom Square on 15 August 2002 and attended by five Ministers among others, in which the Deputy Speaker of the Uganda Parliament Hon. Minister Rebecca Kadaga read H. E. President Museveni's Speech. The Women's Peace Train was successfully coordinated by the African Center for Empowerment Gender and Advocacy, a pioneer NGO in Africa involved in advocating for key global issues at national, regional and international level. > > The Women's Peace Train was an overwhelming success. Right from the flagging off from the Uganda railway platform in Kampala by Minister Hon. Zoe Bakoko Bakoru on Behalf of H.E. President Yoweri Museveni (Due to unrest in northern Uganda town of Gulu, The President had to travel to attend urgent Peace matters), the Peace Train generated so much following that the Center was forced to double the number of official stopovers from the original 9 to 18 in order to accommodate the high demand in various transit cities. In all the 18 whistle stops, the train was greated with music and dance in lively ceremonies in which the Peace Torch would be light, speeches delivered around peace and sustainable development and contribution to the WSSD delivered to the torch bearers. Whether we are talking of the Train passing through the town during the day such as Jinja, Nairobi, Taveta, Dar, Kapiri Mposhi, Bulawayo, Mafeking and Johannessburg or at night such as Lusaka, Livingstone, Victoria Falls, Fransistown and Gaborone, people eagerly waited for Peace Train, participated in the train programme and showered the passangers with gifts which included drinking water, manila and straw hats, balloons, local crafts, T-shits, Kitenges etc, all depicting the Peace Train theme. This is a demonstration of the continents commitment to lasting peace and an end to war and conflict in this continent. > > Greeted by the First Ladies, Government Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, High Commissioners, Mayors, NGOs, Public Administration, Rail authorities, entertainment groups, women groups, ordinary men, women, the youth and children passangers in the train received encouragement and moral support. Just to sum up the list of dignatories, we had 2 First Ladies, 10 Ministers, 2 Permanent secretaries, 6 Mayors, 2 Ambassadors, over 100 government officials, top rail authorities, over 70 NGOs, women groups and umbrella organizations and over 10,000 people participating in the Peace Train ceremonies. Special mention goes to the two First Ladies particularly for giving up their comfort to meet the train in the night. Her Excellency Mrs Barbara Mogae the First Lady of the Republic of Botswana drove 500 Kms from Gabar one to the border town of Fransistown to receive the Peace Train and Torch in the evening. Thereafter she traveled in the Peace Train from Fransistown to the Capital City of Gaborone where she handed over the Peace Train to the Minister for Health at 2.30am. The First Lady of the Republic of South Africa H. E. Mrs Zanele Mbeki had to wake up at 4.00 Am to travel to Johannesburg to receive the Peace Train at 5.00 Am but due to the train delay, had to wait at the train station until 7.15 in the morning when it finally arrived. It was a big sacrifice for Mrs Mbeki to spare 6 hours for the train on a day when the official opening for the WSSD conference was taking place. Mrs Mbeki was with us until 9.30 Am when she left the Train station for the official opening. Between the 2 First Ladies, some 16 hours were devoted to the peace train for which we were very grateful not to mention the other benefits that accompany such guests. > > All these achievements would not have been possible without particular actors who worked closely with the Center through out the preparatory and implementation process. These are first and fore most our counterpart in South Africa, Ilitha la Bantu without who the SADCC coordination would not have been the success it was. Being the official hosts for the Women's Action Tent it would not have been possible to factor in the Peace Train Agenda into the WSSD without them. The Focal Points altogether helped mobilize over 10,000 people for the Train and deserve a special thank you. These are Uganda (National Association of Women Organisation in Uganda - NAWOU and the Ministry of Gender and Community Development), Tanzania ( Tanzania Non Governmental Organisation - TANGO and the Ministry of Community Development, Women and Children), Zambia (Zambian Non Governmental Organisation Coordination council - NGOCC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs ), Zimbabwe (Ministry Gender, Community Development and Foreign Affairs) and in Botwsana (Women's Affairs Department). In Kenya the Center the Center worked with Maendeleo Ya Wanawake Organization, National Council of the Women of Kenya, Kenya Women's Political Caucus and the Office of the Vice President and Ministry of Heritage, Culture and Social Services through the Women's Bureau > > Three Working Committees were set up to assist the Center. They worked actively from Nairobi and met weekly for a period of 6 weeks to ensure that all the preparatory work for the peace train were well done. Inline with the train time table they assisted border ceremonies through contacting local administration ensuring conformity with the master roll out plan. The first committee, Chaired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya consisted of High Commissions of governments accredited to Kenya in whose territory the train was to cross namely Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa. They worked tirelessly in getting their capitals informed, assisting with immigrations details, liaising with rail authorities and connecting us to top government officials. The second committee was of rail authorities and occasionally attended by representatives from Uganda and Tanzania Railways. It was chaired by Kenya Railways and sychronised the time tables, gave technical advise on rail lines, provided guidelines on travel expectations, requirements and journey duration. The third working committee was the Kenya NGO committee Chaired by the Center and co-convened by Maendeleo which oversaw the Kenyan preparatory ceremonies, Fundraising, media coverage and mobilization process for escorting the Peace Train and Torch from Nairobi/Malaba /Nairobi/Taveta /Nairobi. > > This Women Peace Train from Kampala to Johannesburg would not have been the success it was without the support from many Governments, United Nations Agencies, NGOs, railway authorities, partners and friends of the Center who contributed financially, technically and otherwise. Special thanks go to United Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Fund for Women (UNIFEM). The Ford Foundation (who supported the youth component), Global Fund for Women the WSSD Civil Society Secretariat and the Women's International League for Peace and freedom (WILPF) for their financial and technical support. The media played a key role in covering almost all the ceremonies on TV, radio, print and electronic media and gave the Peace Train great prominence through out its journey for which we are very grateful. Indeed, some of accompanied the Train and helped us dissimenate the peace message nationally, regionally and globally. > > The Women's Environment and Development Organization deserves special thanks for their financial and technical backstopping of the entire Peace Train process and for giving the Peace Train prominence in the Women's Action Tent programme. At the WSSD WEDO and Iltiha la Bantu ensured that the Peace Torch flames continued to burn away which was a constant reminder of the sacrifice African women had made to call for lasting peace in women lives for women world over. The Women's Peace Train dream was born out of the WSSD Women's Caucus of which WEDO was the Major groups convenor. May be if it was not for WEDO sharing the space in the WSSD process with all women of the world we would never have started. WEDO's encouragement, moral support, faith in the Center and technical safety nets contributed significantly to the big dream. This train taught all of us a lot of lessons. Although at the beginning it sounded like a dream, on the chilly morning of August 26 in Johannesburg, it was no longer one. In the worlds of H.E. Mrs Mbeki, if the Peace Train which was conceived, masterminded and delivered by African women could travel from Kampala to Johannesburg, then the dream of lasting peace in Africa could also be converted from a dream to reality. She went on to say that if African women could enjoy their rightful place in society they could conceive, mastermind and deliver the dream of a peaceful and prosperous Africa. > > On behalf of the African Center for Empowerment Gender and Advocacy what can we say to all of you for such a good job! Congratulations and Asante Sana, and please look out for the Kampala to Johannesburg film to be launched soon on this historical journey. > > Contact Person > > Litha Musyimi-Ogana, Regional Director > The African Center for Empowerment Gender and Advocacy (AC-EGA) > UN Avenue, Opposite Untied Nations, Gigiri > P.O. Box 60375,Nairobi, Kenya, Telephone: 254 - 2 - 520247 > Fax No. 254 - 2- 710305 / Cell: 0733 - 840603 > Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] > > > >> 4. Action Alert Against Incinerator in South Africa > > ACTION ALERT > FOR CLEAN AIR AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IN > SOUTH DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA > > Greetings from the international secretariat of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives/Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (GAIA) based in the Philippines. > > We write to seek your kind endorsement of an international NGO letter that will be sent to the South African authorities, asking them to scrap a proposed incinerator in Merebank, South Durban and respect the right of the people to a healthy environment as enshrined in the South African Constitution. This Action Alert is in solidarity with the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) and other NGOs striving against POPs and environmental injustice in South Africa. We are urging concerned public interest groups to endorse the said letter. As of today, 87 groups from 32 countries have endorsed the letter. > > Please e-mail GAIA at [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> by 10 October 2002 at the latest to signify your endorsement. We will need the complete name of your group and that of your representative and her/his e-mail contact. > > Kind find below a brief background information about the incinerator project and the community opposition. > > We thank you in advance for your support and solidarity. > > Best wishes. > > Manny C. Calonzo > GAIA Secretariat > Unit 320, Eagle Court Condominium, 26 Matalino St., Quezon City 1101, Philippines > Phone: +632-9290376, Fax: +632-4364733 > Website: www.no-burn.org <http://www.no-burn.org/> > > Case Background > > On 11 September 2002, the Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAE) of KwaZulu-Natal issued a decision authorizing the construction of a multifuel Fluidised Bed Combustor (FBC) by Biotrace Trading Pty.Ltd. for the production of steam and power at the Mondi Plant in Merebank, South Durban. The approval was given without requiring a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The Department has also agreed to allow the incinerator to be powered by coal. Concerned citizens/groups were given until 11 October 2002 to appeal against the authorization or condition/s of authorization at the office of the MEC for Agriculture and Environmental Affairs. > > By resolution of the Annual General Meeting of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) on 28 September 2002, the poor communities of South Durban condemned the proposed Mondi incinerator and call on Mondi to scrap all plans to build this hazardous installation. The alliance opposes the incinerator which will release POPs into the environment and exacerbate the industry-caused health problems of the surrounding communities. Formed in 1997, the SDCEA is a multiracial alliance of community-based groups fighting for environmental quality and corporate responsibility in environmental care. > > "In South Durban, members of the local community have consistently complained of high levels of cancer and respiratory illnesses. Studies undertaken within the community concluded that respiratory illnesses were clearly elevated when compared to areas outside of South Durban... In 2000, a local journalist wrote a series of articles on the impact of pollution in South Durban, focusing particularly on the incidence of cancer. He asked a medical researcher to review his investigation and the latter concluded that it suggested a leukaemia rate 24 times the national average... The Universities of Natal and Michigan and the Natal Technikon conducted a health study at the Settlers Primary School situated between the two Durban refineries. The study found that 53.5% of student suffered from some type of asthma, a prevalence higher than any comparable findings reported in the scientific literature. It also found strong evidence that ambient air pollution exposures were associated with acute changes in the health status of pupils with moderate to severe asthma. It concluded that current guidelines may not be adequate to protect the health of susceptible portions of population. Government is still to react to the findings." (Excerpts from "Ground-Zero in the Carbon Economy: People on the Petrochemical Fence-Line," published by groundWork, August 2002) > > For more information, please contact Anna Weekes of SDCEA at [log in to unmask] > > Letter to Mr. Valli Moosa, Minister of Environment and Mr. Narend Singh, MEC for Agriculture and Environment Affairs, South Africa > > Dear Sirs, > > We, _ public interest groups from six continents, join the South Durban communities in asking your government to rescind the authorization given to Mondi Paper to put up a fluidized bed combustor at its plant in Merebank. The authorization issued by the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Environmental Affairs (DAE) on 11 September 2002 came as a kick in the teeth, occurring barely days after South Africa ratified the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), a global treaty that seeks to minimize and ultimately eradicate an initial list of 12 most dangerous chemicals on the planet, including dioxins and furans which are unintentional by-products of the incineration process. > > While welcoming South Africa's ratification of the Convention, as endorsed by both Houses of the Parliament, the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces, we cannot help but feel confused and outraged by DAE"s decision authorizing Mondi's incinerator application, particularly as it was not informed by a full environmental impact assessment (EIA). In a statement made on 2 September 2002, the Ministry of Environmental Affairs and Tourism proclaimed that "this ratification speaks to South Africa's political commitment to further enhancing the effectiveness of environmental legislation... (the) participation of South Africa... is aimed at strengthening global environmental governance, with the sole purpose of protecting human health and the environment." > > In ratifying the Convention, South Africa is required to take measures to reduce or avoid existing and new sources of POPs. The planned construction of incinerator in Merebank, an additional source of unintentional POPs, is against the spirit and intent of the Convention and cannot be justified no matter how much power and profit is generated from the plant for Mondi Paper. Further, the Convention requires Parties to "promote the development and, where it deems appropriate, require the use of substitute or modified materials, products and processes to prevent the formation and release of [unintentional POPs]." > > The Convention has critically implicated waste incineration as part of the global POPs crisis, specifically identifying waste incinerators as primary sources of dioxins, the most powerful carcinogens (cancer-causing agents) and most notorious pollutants associated with incinerators. According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), incinerators create 69% of dioxins in the global environment. Exposure to even miniscule amounts of dioxins can lead to harmful health effects. For South Durban communities who have long been exposed to elevated levels of chemical and industrial pollutants resulting to high incidents of cancers and respiratory illnesses, the Mondi incinerator project is but another lethal threat to their health and future. > > In 1998, the Durban Metro supported by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), proposed a refuse-derived fuel (RDF) incinerator for Mondi. Civil society representatives from SDCEA and Essential Action, met the IFC, and called for them to reconsider their proposal. The project was scrapped. It is sad to see it being re-invented under the guise of a boiler developed by Biotrace, a US company. We reject this brazen dumping of incinerators in the south by US companies, particularly in South Africa where there are five such proposals. > > In developing countries like South Africa, incineration technology is even more problematic due to the apparent lack of capacity to monitor stack emissions or ash toxicity, lack of technical ability to test releases, lack of enforcement of operational parameters and lack of secure landfills for the ash. In its recent report "Bankrolling Polluting Technology: The World Bank Group and Incineration," the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives/Global Anti-Incinerator Alliance (GAIA) pointed out that "even in Northern countries, it is routine for incinerator operators to evade emissions and ash monitoring." > > In the interest of environmental justice, we call upon the Government of South Africa to heed the demands of the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA) to which we concur. Specifically, we join the South Durban communities in asking the Government to: > > Hear the community call from the public meeting on 30 September 2002, which called for a scrapping of the Mondi incinerator project, at which a DAE representative, Dr. Fashuen was present. > > Stop the construction of new incinerators and phase out all existing ones and replaced them with sustainable approaches to discards management that put emphasis on waste prevention, separation at source, recycling, reuse, composting. > > Comply with the Stockholm Convention by putting in place an action plan, with time frame, to reduce and eliminate POPs, without incineration. > > We are united with the communities of South Durban and the whole of South Africa in asking your Government to uphold and protect the people's right to a healthy environment as enshrined in Section 24 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa: "Everyone has the right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation..." > > We thank you for your affirmative action. > > SIGNED BY: > > Name of Representative > Name of Organization > Country > E-Mail Address > > -------------------------------------------------------- > Manny C. Calonzo > GAIA Secretariat > Unit 320, Eagle Court Condominium > 26 Matalino St., Barangay Central > Quezon City, PHILIPPINES > Tel. + 632 9290376 > Tel/Fax: +632 4364733 > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > This is a listserver set up by the CSD Women's Caucus, a global group of women and men working on gender & sustainable development issues. It has been established to circulate information in preparation for the UN Commission on Sustainable Development Sessions and Earth Summit 2002 (officially the World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa, Sept. 2002). > To learn more about the CSD Women's Caucus activities, check the web-site at www.earthsummit2002.org/wcaucus/csdngo.htm. > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Home Selling? 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