The oil industry in South Sudan has left a landscape pocked with hundreds of open waste pits, the water and soil contaminated with toxic chemicals and heavy metals, according to four environmental reports obtained by The Associated Press. The reports also describe alarming birth defects, miscarriages and other health problems among residents of the region and soldiers who have been stationed there. There’s been no clear link established between the pollution and the health problems. But community leaders and lawmakers in the oil-rich areas in Upper Nile and Unity states accuse South Sudan’s government and the two main oil consortiums, the Chinese-led Dar Petroleum Operating Co. and the Greater Pioneer Operating Co., of neglecting the issue and trying to silence those who have tried to expose the problem. An AP reporter was detained and questioned by government officials and government security forces working on behalf of the oil companies.
SOURCE: VOA
More Stories
South Africa Still a Long Way Off in Building a National Culture of Human Rights
After Lawsuits and Demonstrations Led by Chagossian Women, Britain Paid Some Compensation through the Mauritian Government to the Exiled Chagos Population
Sister to Egypt’s Most Prominent Political Prisoner Takes the Fight to the UN and EU
MSI Reproductive Choices in Africa Helps Women and Girls Make Informed Decisions about their Bodies and Futures
Kenya’s ‘Linda Mama’ Policy is a Step in the Right Direction Towards Universal Health Coverage
The Women and Caregivers behind Uganda’s Model for Palliative Care
Tunisian President’s Speech was Essentially the “Great Replacement” Theory, but with a Local Twist
The UN’s Largest Annual Gathering on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Tackles the Gender Digital Divide
Challenges And Opportunities – Global Survey Results On Women’s Tech Careers
WHO Director’s Insights on Health in Africa and the IIAG Results
Best Style Moments of Tems
To the World