Speaking during the launch of the 2010 State of Human Rights report in Zambia dubbed ‘Human Rights and the Environment’ in Lusaka yesterday, Prof Luo said she was frightened with what was happening to the people of Kankoyo.

“There is need for the ZEMA Zambia Environment Management Agency to look at many activities to do with the environment with a bright eye. In the past, where we were not strict, today those communities are facing serious environmental problems. Emissions from Mopani are causing a lot problems to the community in Kankoyo,” she said.

“I am frightened with what is happening to the people of Kankoyo. We need to protect these people and Mopani should compensate these families because of the sufferings they are going through.”

MCM has acknowledged the historical pollution problems it inherited after privatisation and is keen to solve them through investment in gas capturing equipment. . Before privatisation, sulphur dioxide had been released into the atmosphere unchecked since the 1930s when the Mufulira mine was first constructed.
At present, over half of all sulphur dioxide emissions are captured and turned into sulphuric acid at the first acid plant, which was opened in 2006.
It is anticipated that on completion of the final phase of the project, around 97 percent of all sulphur dioxide emissions at Mufulira mine will be captured, a development the mine management describes as a world-class environmental performance.
MCM Chief Executive Officer Danny Callow is proud of the development: “We look forward to the day soon when sulphur dioxide emissions will be a thing of the past at Mufulira. I am pleased that we are now able to tell our neighbours that this day will be sooner than they expected.”
Mr Callow added; “We inherited the decades-old problem of sulphur dioxide emissions and have invested heavily to tackle it. Mufulira is one of only few smelters in the whole country, and as well as our own ore, it processes ore from other mines on a tolling basis.
We see our investment to clean up Mufulira as making much of Zambia’s copper industry more environmentally sustainable.”
MCM expects to complete its work to capture sulphur dioxide emissions at its Mufulira smelter by the end of next year, 18 months ahead of the Zambian government’s target of 2015 and the target in the environmental management planthe company established shortly after privatisation.
But until this feat is achieved, life will remain miserable for the 20,000 residents of this environmentally degraded and impoverished township whose history is tied to the building of the mine in 1932.

The country suffered a serious drop in crop production in 2011 blamed on late and erratic rains. As a result, local citizens are already running out of food supply.

United Nations and international aid agencies warn in February 2012 that drought and food shortage in the Sahel is threatening lives, with an estimated over 20 million people to go hungry.

They warn of a humanitarian catastrophe at a time when “international donors are starving Africa’s Sahel region of money” needed to avert a disaster.

Four months after farmers in rural districts experienced poor harvest, the Gambia Government was compelled to declare a state of emergency in early March and resort to seeking external help from friends and development partners.

The poor harvests of rice, groundnuts, millets, maize and sorghum had left villages in rural-Gambia with just two months of food supplies, contrary to the “usual” 4-6 months.

Close to one million Gambians are in dire need of food aid as they are already running out of stock. Gambia’s Agriculture Ministry has since put the percentage of crop failure during last year’s farming season at 70.

One meal a day

Last week, the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) in Gambia announced it will provide immediate food assistance to 62,500 people in the areas most affected by the recent drought.

The response will last for two months, from April 1, and will cover five rural districts.

“We need to intervene immediately to avoid a further deterioration in the nutrition status of the most vulnerable, especially women and children. We will provide rice and peas as well as fortified foods that contain important nutrients, such as oil with vitamins A & D, fortified cereal and iodized salt,” WFP Gambia Country Director Vitoria Ginja said.

The situation has already forced rural farmers to resort to just one meal a day, selling off their livestock and eating seeds and grain originally set aside for planting, according to reports.

WFP is set to work in coordination with the Government, partners and local committees, with an immediate relief operations pegged at US$1.3 million. But warn that food aid is needed urgently to provide follow-up support, focusing on livelihoods recovery and the prevention and treatment of malnutrition.

Get worse

Earlier, Action Aid International-The Gambia, AATG, announced it will provide 50,000 people with urgently needed food aid and drinking water.

The international anti-poverty organization said it observed that with extensive crop failure and seriously inflated food prices, Gambia’s situation will become “extremely serious” unless emergency measures were put in place immediately.

“The effects of the drought have been made even worse by rapidly rising food prices, which are 25% higher than last year’s,” said Action Aid’s country director for The Gambia, Dr Kujejatou Manneh, who warn the situation can get worse, as water for both people and animals becomes insufficient as the dry season progresses.

Nonetheless, Action Aid cautioned Gambia-Government to focus in the long-term on better irrigation schemes and livelihoods diversification to help people become more resilient to weather related crises like droughts.

Yahya Jammeh’s government says the country urgently needs US$23m, a sum apparently enough to provide food relief, seeds, and fertilizer to victims of the developing food crisis for a short term. National seeds requirement is put at 25, 000 MT valued at US$10 Million, fertilizer requirement is estimated at 37, 500 MT valued at US$8 Million and food relief is estimated at 40, 000 MT valued at US$5 Million, budgets the agriculture ministry.

“When you are hard pressed by circumstances like that, it is better to beg than to see your people dying,” President Jammeh told State-TV on March 8 after returning from his first aid-seeking-trip of Doha, Qatar.

Given the prevailing circumstances, Gambia’s former president, the first to respond to the government’s call, give up his month’s salary of D50, 000, more than $1724 to support relief efforts.

Largest coverage
The largest intended coverage so far comes from the UN System in The Gambia, which said it is providing immediate humanitarian support and recovery assistance to over 300,000 people.

The support is expected to cover 19 of 25 affected districts in the country and will end in September 2012. The relief will cover partly over half a million people, among them, more than 67,000 children under five and over 26,000 pregnant and lactating women.

“We should be ready at all times to manage both present and future climate-related risks to ensure that the vulnerable are protected from hunger and disease,” stressed resident coordinator for the UN System, Chinwe Diké, whose institutions has mobilised US$ 4.8 million through the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and contributions from other UN Agencies.

For the first time in history one of the famous slum area in Freetown Susan’s Bay has got a modern health centre. This was a gift from save the Children International.

Susan’s Bay was ranked as the home for typhoid, cholera and other diseases. The Susan’s bay community health center was constructed by Save the Children with funding from Michael Edward in the United Kingdom.

Councillor Masud Sesay said there are times when people in that community are rushed to the central government hospital with little hope of being alive.

He pointed out that the community has suffered a lot more especially in the area of health.

“Today we thank God we now have a standard health center which can serve the entire community,”

He extended his appreciation to Michael Edward who visited Sierra Leone last year and promised to help that community.

Save the Children Country Director Victor Moses said, “Michael Edward have a dream about Susan’s bay and the people of Sierra Leone and that dream is to live in good health,”

He urged the community people to take a concrete step as the responsibility of the community to keep the dream lies with them.

Ms. Amie of Save the Children highlighted  the activities undertaken by their organisation since 1999.

She said health, education and child protection are their key focus.

Susan’s Bay is 20feet down below ground level. The people suffer from high Maternal and infant motility rate. She said due to the lack of standard health centre they decided to source fund for health centre.

“Before now the nurses were jam packed in a single room as clinic. We are proud to be the first organisation to provide such a facility in this community,”

The health centre is equipped with furniture and medical apparatus “It is now time for you to encourage your people to come for better treatment with such clinic,”

District Medical Officer Dr. Joseph Kandeh said since independence in 1961, health has never been a priority in all the agenda of the previous governments but the current government has taken it as its priority. He called on the community to also pave the way for entrance to the health centre for emergency cases. Acting Mayor of Freetown Alhaji Gibril Kanu disclosed that Freetown has 49 wards and that all those wards are yearning for development in their areas of responsibility. He said it will be of good use for people to maintain the standards set in that structure by providing security to it.

“let the money which they are using to repair the structure be used for provision of medicine. The population is large. I am appealing to you to handle the hospital with care,”

The community were in a joyful mood as they came out with cultural performances as a sign of gratitude to the donor and Save the Children.

Ports Authority In A Relegation Battle   With Gem Stars Today

The defending Premier League champions Ports Authority will go for an all out victory today  against Gem Stars at the national stadium to move out of relegation zone . The defending champions has played 9 matches with only 7 points lying second from last position in the premier league table . A Victory for Ports today will take them 3 points above relegation zone . A draw will also take them 1 point above relegation sinking Blackpool to the relegation zone who also  have 7 points but with a better goals difference above Ports. Meanwhile information from the Gem Stars camp states that they are coming to grab the 3 points though a draw will be comfortable for them but will not afford to lose the match.

The Gem Boys have played eleven matches with 11 points lying in the 10^th position of the premier league table. An official of Gem Stars told this page that a handsome reward is awaiting  the Gem Boys should they win   todays match. But he went on that their aim this year is not to win the league at all cost but to maintain their stay in the premier league. Gem Stars joined the premier league this season when they  came second in the national division one playoff in Makeni. They lost to Bo Rangers 0-1 at home in Tongo and may not afford to lose today’s match the official said. Blackpool will engage Old Edwardians in a western derby on Wednesday at the national stadium.

float parade of the Sierra Leone Red Cross and Staff of africell

These remarks came as a result of the work undertaken by africell in the country, which has made them the number one network in Sierra Leone.

children celebrating with Red Cross

Red Cross 50^th anniversary was fully supported by africell from the onset.

Africell Head of Section Communication Ishmail Bull congratulated the Red Cross on their 50^th anniversary. He pointed out that africell is only 6 years old in the country but their work is as if they have been 10 to 20 years old. He went on to say that africell believes in Red Cross and what they are doing in the country. That is why, he said they partner with them because they are serving humanity just like africell is doing.

National President    of the Sierra Leone Red Cross Edward Tamba Ngandi disclosed that Red Cross was recognized by the government of Sierra Leone 50 years ago. He spoke about the float parade which began from Up Gun to the National Stadium car park. He went on to say that they did the float parade to get membership in the organization. Africell he said is the leading GSM operator in the country and what they are doing is in the best interest of the people. He urged all staff and volunteer of Red Cross to get africell SIM if they do not have one.

“Africell is our partner in development. We need to hold them with both hands and always encourage our children to be part of the Red Cross as full members,” he said.

Most of the volunteers expressed appreciation of the work of Red Cross and africell. Waafa A. Antar said she felt proud to be part of the celebration more especially when red Cross is 50 years old in Sierra Leone.

She called on all and sundry to be part of the Red Cross family as they are the only family that is ready to serve humanity just like africell does.

The vision for the Sierra Leone Red Cross is ‘a strong Red Cross for better Sierra Leone’.

Sierra Leone has a population of six million people and just 102 medics but in every village there are churches and mosques. The Tony Blair Faith Foundation is working to utilise these existing faith networks and infrastructure to turn bed net ownership into bed net usage.  The Foundation trains faith communities to visit households and show them how to use bed nets, and help reduce deaths from malaria. Despite being entirely preventable the disease still claims the lives of 750, 000 people each year and in Sierra Leone, is responsible for 1 in 3 of the deaths of children under 5.

Tony Blair, Founder and Patron of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation said:

“The people who can make this happen are those whom have authority in their local communities: Imams, Priests and Pastors, women and faith elders. What they say and recommend carries weight, especially here in Sierra Leone where most of the population go to the Church or Mosque on a regular basis. The message of both Islam and the Gospel contain the calling to ensure good health.  Faith Leaders are able to pass on simple but vital health messages to their communities, plan educational training sessions, and engage schools and faith groups.

“The hundreds and thousands of homes reached by faith leaders and their congregations tells its own story.  The great strength of churches and mosques are not so much their bricks and mortar – though their hospitals and dispensaries play a vital role in many areas – but their communities, networks and leaders. Faith leaders work through compassion and a responsibility to do good.  They are not paid for this work but motivated by theological teachings.  I am deeply impressed by the work that is being done here in Freetown.”

Faiths Act in Sierra Leone is creating a pyramid training structure – a small number of faith leaders are trained in malaria prevention, these vital health messages are then passed onto congregants who carry out household to household visits delivering simple, practical advice throughout the country.

So far, over 63,000 households have been visited, reaching over 315, 000, demonstrating the reach that faith communities have in spreading important and life-saving messages in areas of the country  where bed nets are not used correctly.

Reverend  Christiana Sutton-Koroma, a leading contributor to the Faiths Act in Sierra Leone initiative said:

“Faiths Act in Sierra Leone is raising awareness and bringing about change in the communities behaviour. For me, it is an eye opener creating more opportunities to educate the community on the importance of using a bed net.

“I can attest that using a net has helped me and family. Before we were not using the net properly and now, it has been a long time since my children, husband and I have been ill.

“Religious bodies are really supporting this and people can relate their lives to scriptures which tell us we need to act more to keep ourselves healthy.”Tony Blair also paid tribute to the organisations and faith leaders who have helped put the initiative together, including Sheikh Abu Bakar Conteh, Rev Usman Fornah, Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles, Dr Walter Carew and Betty Sam.

Dr. Isatou Touray: “Effective national legislation is a vital component of efforts to accelerate the elimination of FGM”.

The call came on Tuesday February 6, 2012 during celebrations marking International Zero Tolerance to FGM, a day adopted in August 2003 by governments, and organisations, including the United Nations sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection Human Rights.

On Monday, GAMCOTRAP said it wants a legislation banning FGM across the Gambia, a country notorious for its deep-rooted culture and harmful traditional practices. Hence the lack of it will apparently contribute to the perception of FGM as “acceptable” and it weakens the legitimacy and impact of advocacy against harmful tradition practices.

Human rights violation

FGM is a violation of the human rights principles of International Law including the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, and the African Union Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality in Africa.

Speaking at the celebrations organised by GAMCOTRAP with funding from the European Union under the Non-State Actors Strengthening Programme (NSASP), Dr. Isatou Touray, the Executive Director of GAMCOTRAP said “Effective national legislation is a vital component of efforts to accelerate the elimination of FGM”.

“The enactment and implementation of legislation against FGM demonstrates a formal, explicit and lasting commitment by public authorities to turning the tide of social norms that perpetuate the practice and are detrimental to the physical, psychological and rights to integrity of women and girls,” she said.

The Government of The Gambia (GoTG) has ratified almost all international and regional instruments regarding women and children’s rights. This, Dr. Touray said is a sign of “political will and interest to advance the strategic interest and human rights of women and girls”.

However, there remains a daunting task to clean the country of FGM as latest statistics shows 78 per cent of the female population still practices it, showing just a marginal improvement of 80 per cent in 1999.

Religious misconceptions

FGM has survived for long due to religious misconceptions, and that the patriarchal system has succeeded in attributing a negative image of the female body to such a “degree that women themselves have internalized the value of self-devalorisation”.

Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Family Planning Agency (UNFPA), Mrs. Fatou Kinteh noted that the most common form of FGM practice in the Gambia is known as clitoridectomy or excision (the total removal of the clitoris, with or without partial or total removal of the labia minora).

“Some ethic groups in The Gambia practice FGM for religious reason and some Islamic religious leaders and scholars also promote it for religious reason,” she argues. “What is clear is that some Muslims do not perform it, and then it can be concluded it is not religious obligation but a deep-rooted traditional belief and practice.”

The practice has serious immediate and long term health effects and is a violation of fundamental human rights, Mrs. Kinteh reiterated, saying “the health challenges are enormous as 1000 women die daily on a global level, from complications (including circumcision) associated with pregnancy and childbirth”.

Jammeh must speak

Until men become aware of the mental and psychological health effects of FGM, then they will fully participate or stand against it, the United States Ambassador to Banjul, Pamela Ann White said in her keynote address.

“My message to President Jammeh is that we need your voice against FGM,” she said to the Gambian leader, who in 2009 openly stated that “I do not support FGM”.

Procession against Female Genital Mutilation, Pix - The Daily News

The theme of this year’s celebrations is “From Malabo to New York, support the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly banning FGM worldwide”. GAMCOTRAP localized the theme to “From Koina to Kartong: Calling for a law against FGM”, justifying the need for a countrywide ban on the practice.

Marked by a two-kilometer procession, the event was graced by more than 70 participants, mainly women and from across the Gambia, with cultural interludes on the harmful traditional practice of Female Genital Mutilation.

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