Environment Issue Anybody...Nobody?.....Me?...Why Does It Have To Be Me?...OK!
While I'm not a Tree Hugger in anyways, I'm a firm believer that all kinds of problems are inter-related (economical, social, educational, cultural, sporting, you name it). So apparently the only way for us to win the upcoming African Cup is through stopping a certain French ship from passing through the Suez Canal (oh...what an irony, Ferdinand de Lesseps must be rolling in his grave now!)
But seriously.
The Green Peace is trying to stop the French ship Clemenceau from passing through the Suez Canal on its way to India where it will be scrapped, and then dismantled. The problem is that this ship (an aircraft-carrier to be more precise) contains large amounts of asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury and other pollutants. The workers in India do the scrapping manually, and as a result will be exposed to all kinds of hazards, not the least of them is cancer.
According to Green Peace, the Basel Convention (in which Egypt, France, and India are all members), prohibits the exporting of toxic materials from rich to poor countries. They're also claiming that Egypt has the right to send it back if it is found to be in breach of the convention. Egypt sent a letter requesting clarifications from the French.
Well, I wouldn't jump to any conclusions just yet. I certainly hope that Egypt do the right thing. If we do, then I'd really start feeling jealous towards Indians. But, every good deed counts.
Ah...Mr. Maged George, while we are at it, what's up with this "dark cloud"? That's the term you use, right? Yeah, yeah it happens in some place called Egypt. Ever been there sir? It is a lovely country! You should go sometime!
update: It was good while it lasted (the feeling that Egypt could use its control over the Suez canal for any good), but the expected happened. Egypt cleared the ship, after recieving confirmations from the French that this was indeed a warship on its way to India, where the authorities are welcoming it. The Greenpeace is furious was Egypt. Are we looking at some environmentalists protesting in El-Tahrir square? THAT would be interesting!
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posted by TB at
9:30 AM
4 Comments:
well...i'm now pretty sure u r male....except that i never got around this pms thing...so u know, it is anybody's guess at this point
By
TB, at
January 15, 2006 5:56 PM
ِAh, well. It lasted for two and a hlaf days. That is not too bad, isn't it? Let us follow the news in India.
By
AG, at
January 16, 2006 1:22 AM
what happened?
did they let it go?
By
TB, at
January 16, 2006 2:32 AM
They did. But do you know what's funny? When it had almost reached India, a supreme french administrative court declared the ship's status to be a pollutant (I dont remember the exact word used, but it meant something along the lines of the ship itself is a waste product) and not a warship.
Thus the French President had to recall it. This was at least a couple of weeks after it had passed through the Suez canal.
When I heard this, I laughed my ass off. Now, its probably gonna come back all the way THROUGH the Suez canal. Wouldn't that be amusing! Friggin funny.
By
Faisal, at
February 17, 2006 12:30 AM
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