|
space Press Releases, News Stories |
|
Agence France Presse MANILA, Philippines, 31,July 2000 -- Nearly a decade after the last American troops abandoned two former bases in the Philippines, a toxic waste problem at the facilities is hounding relations between the long-time allies. President Joseph Estrada in a meeting with US leader Bill Clinton last week was forced to raise the issue of toxic contamination at the Subic and Clark bases, but stopped short of demanding compensation and clean-up at the facilities. Instead both leaders signed a bilateral agreement on environment and public health, which seeks to protect resources and increase information sharing. While it also provides for the armed forces of both countries to discuss ways to reduce "environment impact of peacetime military activities," the document did not specifically address the toxic wastes left by the Americans at Subic and Clark. Once the showcase of US military might in Southeast Asia, the former naval and air bases have been converted into a freeport and an investment zone after the Philippine Senate terminated a lease agreement in 1991. It ended nearly half a century of US military presence in the Philippines and frayed ties between both countries. Relations have since normalized, but widespread clamoring in the Philippines to make Washington accountable for the alleged hazardous wastes has been a persistent thorn in relations. Various independent and government studies have confirmed the presence of large quantities of industrial waste in at least 47 sites within the bases. Findings by the Senate and People's Task Force for Bases Cleanup, a non-governmental organization, said that at least 300 residents relocated inside the bases following the eruption of nearby Mount Pinatubo have either died or are suffering from illnesses due to contamination. Last year, dozens of residents, including eight children, died because of exposure to high levels of asbestos, lead, nitrate, dieldrin, mercury and benzene. Before Estrada embarked on his 10-day working visit to the US, the task force threatened to file a class action suit against Washington as well as Manila for allegedly ignoring the plight of toxic victims. The group sent a letter to the US embassy here demanding indemnification for the victims of about 102 billion dollars and for immediate clean up of the former bases. After meeting Clinton, Estrada told reporters the US leader had promised to look into the problem, but did not elaborate. Analysts however say the Philippines is not about to press the issue after securing a 100-million-dollar military aid package from Washington and several bilateral agreements. "Putting the issue at the backburner because of aid is a lousy excuse not to pursue compensation and clean up," task force head Myrna Baldonado told AFP. "Our experts have said that if this contamination happened on US soil, it would have been an immediate cause for investigation. This toxic legacy reflects the incompentence of both the US and Philippines government for failing to represent its people and the US for ignoring its obligations." Global environment watchdog Greenpeace International says its own studies showed the same results and that Washington has a clear duty to clean up its mess. "Its a shame that a rich country like the United States has chosen to ignore responsibilities in the Philippines despite the fact contamination at former US bases is already poisoning the environment and the people," said Greenpeace toxics campaigner Von Hernadez. "The United States has committed to cleaning up contamination caused by its bases in rich countries in Europe and Japan but has walked out on the Philippines. This is a clear double standard and a grave environmental injustice," he added. Last year, a young girl died after being afflicted with leukemia when she drank contaminated water inside Clark base. The story made headlines here and served as a wake-up call for Congress to look into the problem. "A just resolution of this issue besetting the Philippines and the US can only be reached in an international forum. The contamination exists, it must be cleaned up," Senate environment committee chairman Roberto Jaworski said. Washington has repeatedly denied it left contaminants at the bases, and stressed that the 1947 Philippine-US bases agreement did not require them to clean up the environment. FAIR USE NOTICE. This document contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Basel Action Network is making this article available in our efforts to advance understanding of ecological sustainability and environmental justice issues. We believe that this constitutes a `fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond `fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. More News |