Aidila Razak
Jul 29, 10 | 10:53am
There is an apparent gag order on statistics on a disease endemic to Sarawak, which is said to be afflicting workers at the Bakun Hydroelectric Dam.
According to an official from the Sarawak Health Department, a directive this month from a high-ranking government officer barred the release of any information on melioidosis.
"We were instructed by (the senior official) not to release any information starting this month, although we have not done so for several months now," she said when contacted, adding that she cannot disclose the reason.
However, Ministry of Health Director General Ismail Merican (left) said that he is "not aware of" such a directive.
Another officer at the state's Communicable Disease Control department also claimed ignorance on the matter , saying that information can only be released upon written request.
The disease recently caught public attention when six died, stricken by melioidosis and leptospirosis (cause by bacteria in rat urine) infection after taking part in a search and rescue operation for a victim of drowning in Lubuk Yu, Pahang on July 10.
This prompted the closure of the recreational area and a subsequent clean-up operation there by various government departments.
Malaysiakini contacted the Sarawak Health Department to obtain statistics on the disease after receiving claims of its prevalence among Bakun dam construction workers.
Bakun project: Nine dead, 50 infected
According to a management personnel for one of the dam's subcontractors, a number of workers had contracted the disease since the project began.
The officer who requested anonymity, spoke to Malaysiakini to express concern over the apparent trend. He knows of nine workers who died from the disease in the past year.
However, he estimates that 50 workers from his company had recovered from the disease after receiving treatment within the same period.
Most of the workers are foreigners and would be sent home even after recovering as the company does not want the risk of re-infection. A relapse can occur at any point in a person's life, even after adequate treatment.
To his knowledge, his employer has sent home 10 workers for that reason in the past year.
At the same time, he said that he is aware of some workers who were sent home in dire condition because the companies no longer wanted anything to do with them.
"The workers who died did not receive treatment at the early stages because they did not report the illness, possibly because they were afraid of being sent back," he said.
The workers are likely to have been directly exposed to the bacteria during ground drilling.
"I am concerned that this will continue to be the case at the Murum dam," he said.
Two currently in intensive care
He added that two people are currently admitted to the Bintulu Hospital intensive care unit (ICU), including a resident of Belaga who is part of the community displaced by the dam.
A medical personnel at the hospital's ICU confirms that one of the patients had been admitted for 38 days and the other for 26.
Experts researching the disease have claimed that available statistic may be unreliable due to underreporting, as melioidosis is currently not a notifiable disease.
Besides Lubuk Yu, incidences have been reported in other areas of Peninsular Malaysia including Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur.
Symptoms of melioidosis may include pains in the chest, bones, or joints, cough, skin infections, lung nodules and pneumonia.
It can be diagnosed via blood screening and is treated using antibiotics. Without treatment, chances of mortality can exceed 90 percent.
According to the Sarawak Health Department statistics, there were 353 government hospital admissions and seven deaths in the state from 2002 to 2004.
However, from 2004 till 2006, only 16 cases were investigated by the health offices, eight of them by the Kapit Divisional Health Office, out of which five were related to the Bakun dam project.
Malaysiakini has written to the department for the latest statistics.
Source: Malaysiakini.com
URL: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/138625
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Indigenous tribes occupy dam in Brazil, demand reparations
Jeremy Hance
mongabay.com
July 27, 2010
An indigenous group in Brazil has taken over a hydroelectric dam, which they state has polluted vital fishing grounds and destroyed sacred burial ground. They are demanding reparations for the damage done and that no more dams are built in the region without their prior consent.
The occupation of the dam began on Sunday when approximately 300 Indians from eleven different tribes took over the Dardanelos Dam in the Brazilian state of Matto Grosso. Despite wearing war paint and bows and arrows, the occupation was said to be non-violent and no injuries have been reported.
Initially the indigenous protesters held some 150 workers at the dam, but have since released the employees. The tribes are currently holding talks with government officials and representatives from the dam in hopes to come to an agreement to end the standoff.
A spokesperson with the Enawene Nawe tribe, one of the tribes represented in the action, told indigenous rights organization Survival International that "[they] joined the protest to raise awareness about the damage the dams cause, about the recognition of our land and the dangers of future projects like this".
After two years with poor fish catches, the government was forced to bring in farmed fish for the tribes.
"They don't want money in their hands. What they want is a sustainable program in the area that will recover the loss they have suffered in this archaeological site," explained Antonio Carlos Ferreira Aquino from the National Foundation for Indigenous Affairs in an interview with CNN.
Brazil has become increasingly dependent on hydroelectric power to boost energy production, however dams in Brazil have been implicated in flooding pristine rainforest, disrupting natural river ecosystems, hurting already marginalized indigenous people, and releasing vast amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane arguably equal to carbon emissions released by fossil fuel powered plants.
Source: http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0727-hance_occupation_dam.html?utm_campaign=General+news&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_source=SNSanalytics
mongabay.com
July 27, 2010
An indigenous group in Brazil has taken over a hydroelectric dam, which they state has polluted vital fishing grounds and destroyed sacred burial ground. They are demanding reparations for the damage done and that no more dams are built in the region without their prior consent.
The occupation of the dam began on Sunday when approximately 300 Indians from eleven different tribes took over the Dardanelos Dam in the Brazilian state of Matto Grosso. Despite wearing war paint and bows and arrows, the occupation was said to be non-violent and no injuries have been reported.
Initially the indigenous protesters held some 150 workers at the dam, but have since released the employees. The tribes are currently holding talks with government officials and representatives from the dam in hopes to come to an agreement to end the standoff.
A spokesperson with the Enawene Nawe tribe, one of the tribes represented in the action, told indigenous rights organization Survival International that "[they] joined the protest to raise awareness about the damage the dams cause, about the recognition of our land and the dangers of future projects like this".
After two years with poor fish catches, the government was forced to bring in farmed fish for the tribes.
"They don't want money in their hands. What they want is a sustainable program in the area that will recover the loss they have suffered in this archaeological site," explained Antonio Carlos Ferreira Aquino from the National Foundation for Indigenous Affairs in an interview with CNN.
Brazil has become increasingly dependent on hydroelectric power to boost energy production, however dams in Brazil have been implicated in flooding pristine rainforest, disrupting natural river ecosystems, hurting already marginalized indigenous people, and releasing vast amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane arguably equal to carbon emissions released by fossil fuel powered plants.
Source: http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0727-hance_occupation_dam.html?utm_campaign=General+news&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_source=SNSanalytics
Monday, July 19, 2010
SCANE: Amend the Sarawak Natural Resources & Environment Ordinance
Sarawak Conservation Alliance for Natural Environment (SCANE) calls upon the Sarawak state government to amend the existing Sarawak Natural Resources and Environment Ordinance 1994 (NREO 1994) relating to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and allow for public participation prior to the approval of the EIA in the state.
SCANE opines that it is time for the state government to review and amend the NREO 1994 to provide transparency in the EIA processes that requires public participation and scrutiny prior to EIA approval as well as strengthening environmental measures by incorporating the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), the Equator Principle and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.
As it is now, the authority of the EIA approval for certain projects in Sarawak is the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) which is subject to the NREO 1994.
Unlike the Federal Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA), the NREO 1994 excludes public participation in the EIA process, unless the project proponent so desires. The nature of the EIA process in Sarawak is non-transparent and contrary to good governance, as there is no right given to the public to scrutinize and give feedback prior to EIA approvals. As a result of this exclusion, there were several shortcomings in the EIA approvals in Sarawak.
SCANE has found several shortcomings and flaws in the EIA processes and reports since the NREO 1994 came into force in 1995. There had been numerous of development projects related to forestry, plantations and dams where EIA have being conducted were approved without the knowledge of the public. The public at large is still in the dark as to how the EIA reports of these projects were approved in the first place. Even the approval of EIA for highly controversial projects such as hydro-power dams remain shrouded in mystery, despite of public outcry.
SCANE has also noticed that certain development projects that involve government-link corporations and certain private companies have started their activities ahead of the approval of the EIAs. In the case of the Murum hydropower dam project, the works have started about 10 months prior to EIA approval.
SCANE is also extremely shocked to learn that the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SIEA) studies for Murum hydropower dam has yet to be completed and approved by the NREB.
The EIA process and practices are clearly a mockery of the NREO, since they are approved despite suffering from serious flaws. As a result, public perception of the NREO is that its job is none other than to legalise stitched up jobs and the collusion of project proponents and the appointed EIA consultants in order to get the EIA approval of out of the way.
SCANE has also noticed that the EIA process under the NREO 1994 is only procedural and meant to pave the ways for the implementation of development projects. In most cases, it seems to serve merely to comply the requirements of the project proponents and their financiers.
SCANE therefore calls for the Sarawak government to amend the NREO 1994 for the sake of transparency and pave the way for free, prior and informed consent in the exercise and enforcement of the laws pertaining to the conservation and management of the environment in the state.
SCANE trusts that amending the NREO 1994 is the only way forward if the Sarawak government is serious about achieving sustainable development and putting in place sound environmental management policy to deal with our sensitive ecosystems.
SCANE opines that it is time for the state government to review and amend the NREO 1994 to provide transparency in the EIA processes that requires public participation and scrutiny prior to EIA approval as well as strengthening environmental measures by incorporating the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), the Equator Principle and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples.
As it is now, the authority of the EIA approval for certain projects in Sarawak is the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) which is subject to the NREO 1994.
Unlike the Federal Environmental Quality Act 1974 (EQA), the NREO 1994 excludes public participation in the EIA process, unless the project proponent so desires. The nature of the EIA process in Sarawak is non-transparent and contrary to good governance, as there is no right given to the public to scrutinize and give feedback prior to EIA approvals. As a result of this exclusion, there were several shortcomings in the EIA approvals in Sarawak.
SCANE has found several shortcomings and flaws in the EIA processes and reports since the NREO 1994 came into force in 1995. There had been numerous of development projects related to forestry, plantations and dams where EIA have being conducted were approved without the knowledge of the public. The public at large is still in the dark as to how the EIA reports of these projects were approved in the first place. Even the approval of EIA for highly controversial projects such as hydro-power dams remain shrouded in mystery, despite of public outcry.
SCANE has also noticed that certain development projects that involve government-link corporations and certain private companies have started their activities ahead of the approval of the EIAs. In the case of the Murum hydropower dam project, the works have started about 10 months prior to EIA approval.
SCANE is also extremely shocked to learn that the Social and Environmental Impact Assessment (SIEA) studies for Murum hydropower dam has yet to be completed and approved by the NREB.
The EIA process and practices are clearly a mockery of the NREO, since they are approved despite suffering from serious flaws. As a result, public perception of the NREO is that its job is none other than to legalise stitched up jobs and the collusion of project proponents and the appointed EIA consultants in order to get the EIA approval of out of the way.
SCANE has also noticed that the EIA process under the NREO 1994 is only procedural and meant to pave the ways for the implementation of development projects. In most cases, it seems to serve merely to comply the requirements of the project proponents and their financiers.
SCANE therefore calls for the Sarawak government to amend the NREO 1994 for the sake of transparency and pave the way for free, prior and informed consent in the exercise and enforcement of the laws pertaining to the conservation and management of the environment in the state.
SCANE trusts that amending the NREO 1994 is the only way forward if the Sarawak government is serious about achieving sustainable development and putting in place sound environmental management policy to deal with our sensitive ecosystems.
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