Fwd: women statement on mining, after closure of the negotiations on mining, 3 May
Sascha Gabizon
Submission for intervention for the negotiation working groups by the organising partners of the Women’s Major Group; VAM – Voices of African Mothers, and WECF Women in Europe for a Common Future3 May 2011, New York
Thank you Chair,I am speaking on behalf of the Women's major group. Many mining activities destroy livelihoods and the environment. In particular the mining and extraction sector cause great violence against women and children, we call this environmental violence, to distinguish it from domestic violence. Mining and extraction activities often lead to destruction of the homelands of indigenous peoples.
Women and girls constitute more than half of the death toll among displaced peoples, often following displacements by extractive industries such as mining. The reason is that women and children often lack the necessary knowledge and resources to protect themselves, and suffer cultural restrictions.
We are particularly worried about uranium mining. It contaminates groundwater and radioactivity remains in the heaps, tailings and evaporation ponds. Uranium and its radioactive decay elements are highly toxic. They attack inner organs and the respiratory system. Scientific studies have shown that the following diseases are caused by exposition to radon gas, uranium and uranium’s decay elements: Bronchial and lung cancer; cancer of the bone marrow, stomach, liver, intestine, gall bladder, kidneys and skin, leukemia, other blood diseases, psychological disorders and birth defects.
Through pollution in the womb, the developing child is extremely vulnerable to radiation, also low-level radiation.
We know from the uranium mine Wismut in Germany which was closed 2 decades ago, - and which is a relative small mine - that even though no longer active, radioactive pollution was continuing to spread in the environment, a risk for the drinking water safety of the entire region. The state estimated the cost of cleaning up the mine at several hundred million Euros, but the estimates needed to be adjusted and it might cost several billions and take decades longer to achieve. We also know from estimates by UN agencies that the rehabilitation of the uranium mines in Kyrgyzstan is estimated to close to 50 billion euros. If it is not cleaned up, the entire ground water aquifiers of the 5 central asian countries might be forever polluted. Which country, in particular developing countries, can bring up that amount of money?
We need to apply the polluter pays principle, and install a global financial mechanism which obliges the mining companies to pay into a reserve for clean up of the mining sites during and after closure.
We therefore call to bring back the notion of polluter pays, as included in the sentence in the Chair’s summary of the CSD18, which said:
303. (…). The United Nations could develop a global instrument for the cleanup of closed and abandoned mines and uranium waste.
We think that uranium mining needs specific attention because of the hundreds of years of damage to drinking water, the environment and human health.
Sascha Gabizon - Executive DirectorWECF -Women in Europe for a Common FutureWICF -Women International for a Common FutureEmail: sascha....@wecf.euTel NL: +31 (30) 23 10 300Tel DE: +49 (89) 23 23 93 80Tel Mobile: +49-172-8637586WECF/WICF is a unique network of over 100 grassroots women and environment organisations worldwide, working in multi-sector partnerships demonstrating sustainable development alternatives at the local level, and sharing lessons learned and promoting sustainable policies at the global level.Friends of WECF/WICFSupport our work, become a Friend of WECF! Friends join our campaigns, Friends follow us on Facebook, and when they can, Friends support us with at least 1 Euro per month. Join us as a friend of WECF at fri...@wecf.eu