E-Waste: Out Of Sight Out Of Mind and Into China’s Environment

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Managing Editor, Impunity Watch

BEIJING, China – Every year the newest high-tech “must haves” hit the stores. From tablets to smartphones these devices are updated constantly. Manufacturers add new features, often barley changing the design or functions of the device itself, to make the new product more desirable and the model design somehow obsolete. Consumers come in droves to buy the newest smart-devices in developed countries often never seeing what will happen to their discarded devices when they trade in the old for the new. The undesired electronics are called E-waste. The process of recycling E-waste in developing countries like china is extremely hazardous, putting workers, local residents and the environment at risk in towns where E-waste recycling is being carried out.

Women work in a Guiyu warehouse stripping remote controls of their circuit boards. (Photo courtesy of The Khaleej times)

The town of Guiyu in China is perhaps the E-waste capital of the world. Mountains of discarded electronics, from remote controls and stereos to televisions sets and telephones, fill warehouses and spill out into alleyways. Workers strip the plastic devices of their circuitry to attempt to recycle the devices or retrieve the precious metals like gold and copper found within to resell. The industry comes at a high environmental cost for the community and the surrounding environment. Workers who burn circuit boards and plastic to attempt to retrieve precious metals suffer from a high degree of exposure to dangerous chemicals and heavy metals. Heavy metal contamination has turned the air and water toxic, and children have high lead levels in their blood, according to a study published in August by researchers at Shantou University Medical College. Plastic often ends up flooding the local watershed, polluting the water and destroying local ecosystems.

Over the past few decades, most of the e-waste entering Guiyu came from outside of china, often coming from developed countries in Europe and North America. However, in recent years western counties have been making a greater effort to recycle their own electronic waste. However, the Chinese domestic supply of e-waste is surging and much of it will continue to end up in Guiyu.

According to the United Nations University’s Solving the E-waste Problem (StEP) Initiative China currently generates 6.1 million metric tonnes of e-waste a year, compared with 7.2 million for the United States and 48.8 million worldwide. E-waste production in the United States has increased by 13% over the past five years while China’s has nearly doubled, at that rate China will surpass the Unlisted States as the biggest producer of e-waste as early as 2017.

“Before, the waste was shipped from other parts of the world coming into China — that used to be the biggest source and the biggest problem,” said Ma Jun, director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, one of China’s foremost environmental NGOs. “But now, China has become a consuming power of its own,” Ma said. “We have I think 1.1 billion cell phones used, and the life of our gadgets has become shorter and shorter.” “I think the wave is coming,” he continued. “It’s going to be a bigger problem.”

The environmental and health concerns of e-waste processing largely go ignored by the Chinese government and the industry remains poorly regulated. “From the government’s perspective, e-waste gathering and processing is important for the local economy,” said Lai Yun, a Greenpeace researcher. “Research has shown that 80 percent of households are involved in this work. So, if they don’t expand this industry, these residents will need some other kind of employment.” An estimated 80,000 of 130,000 residents Guiyu work in the poorly regulated industry.

“People think this cannot be allowed to go on,” said Leo Chen, 28, a financial worker who grew up in the town of Guiyu. While he said the situation is better today than a decade ago, the long-lasting impacts of environmental degradation remain. “In my memory, in front of my house, there was a river. It was green, and the water was very nice and clear,” he said. “Now, it’s black.”

For more information please see:

Salon – Fast, Cheap And Out Of Control: How Hyper-Consumerism Drivezs Us Mad – 2 November 2014
Business Insider – E-Waste Inferno Burning Brighter In China’s Recycling Capital – 28 October 2014
The Japan Times – Chinese Capital Of Recycling Electronic Waste Is Booming, But At A Cost To The Environment And Locals’ Health – 28 October 2014
Khaleej Times – E-Waste Inferno Burning Brighter In China’s Recycling Capital – 28 October 2014

WAR CRIMES PROSECUTION WATCH Volume 9 – Issue 16 November 03, 2014

Continued Russian Air Incursions are Becoming Increasingly Threatening

By Kyle Herda

Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

LISBON, Portugal – Russian jets, bombers, and fueling planes continue to violate the airspaces of many NATO countries, and the severity of the violations is increasing in number and intensity.

A Russian TU-95 bomber after being intercepted by the RAF. (Photo courtesy of Business Insider)

On October 21, 2014, a Russian Ilyushin-20, a spy plane, flew for about a minute in Estonian airspace before fighters from Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden intercepted. On October 28, 2014, seven Russian combat aircraft flew over the Baltic Sea and were initially intercepted by German fighters near Finland. Instead of turning back, the Russian aircraft pushed further, and were additionally intercepted by Danish, Swedish, and Finnish aircraft.

On October 29, 19 Russian aircraft in 3 separate formations were intercepted over the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and North Sea leading a chase into the Atlantic Ocean. Portuguese fighter jets intercepted seven Russian jets over the Baltic Sea, and at the same time Turkish fighters intercepted two Russian bombers and two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea. Later that day, eight Russian aircraft were initially intercepted by English RAF over the North Sea, at which point some of the Russian aircraft returned to Russia but two bombers pushed towards the Atlantic. The final two bombers were once again intercepted over the Atlantic by Portuguese aircraft.

Reports also came out recently about a simulated Russian attack in June 2014 of the Danish island Bornholm. This simulated attack occurred while 90,000 people were attending a political festival, and the Russian aircraft were equipped with live missiles. On March 29, 2013, a similar run was performed with two Tu-22M3 Backfire Russian heavy bombers and four SU-27 Flanker fighter jets around Sweden.

U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, the supreme allied commander in Europe, has called the more recent Russian incursions “a larger, more complex formation of aircraft carrying out a little deeper, … more provocative flight path.” Breedlove believes that these incursions have been a message from Russia to NATO that Russia is “a great power”.

As long as these incursions continue, and especially the more intense flight patterns and flight paths, relations with NATO and countries around the world will remain low with Russia and becoming increasingly pressed.

For more information, please see:

Business Insider – Here Are The ‘Complex’ Russian Air Incursions That NATO Is So Concerned About – 3 November 2014

Reuters – NATO commander: Russia’s incursions in European airspace ‘more provocative’ – 3 November 2014

The Examiner – World War 3 trial run: Russia simulates attack on Denmark, stimulates war fears – 2 November 2014

The Inquisitr – World War 3: Russia Simulated Attack On Denmark, Could Be Preparing European Invasion – 31 October 2014

 

Australia Deports Refugees Back to Afghanistan and Taliban Persecution

By Max Bartels 

Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania 

 

Canberra, Australia

Australian immigration policy has again, come under scrutiny as they prepare to deport a young Afghan man from Australia back to Afghanistan. The news is concerning to many, in light of the results of past deportations of Afghani refugees back to Afghanistan. In September of 2011 Zainullah Naseri was deported from Australia back to Afghanistan when his refugee application was rejected by Immigration Department. Upon returning to Afghanistan Naseri was reportedly abducted and tortured by the Taliban for two days. He somehow escaped from the Taliban using a rock to break his chains, upon his escape he was picked up by Afghan police, who interrogated him and threatened him by firing shots at his feet. Naseri claims that he was targeted because of his connection to Australia,  he now lives in hiding, in fear of contact with both the Taliban and Afghan Police.

IW #23 Afghan Refugees
Naseri photographed while in Taliban Custody (Photo Curtesy of The Guardian)

Scott Morrison, the Australian Immigration Minister, has ordered an investigation into the kidnapping of Naseri and a broader inquiry into the safety of Afghani- Australian Refugees returning to Afghanistan. Morrison has stated that he has been advised that there are reports suggesting that the kidnapping of Naseri was purely opportunistic and therefore, not related to a a fear of prosecution, which would trigger Australia’s protection obligation. In light of these findings Australia will continue the deportations until the protection obligation is triggered. There is growing concern in Australia of the consequences of deporting these refugees back to Afghanistan and the safety concerns that go along with it. A motion in the Senate proposes calling an immediate moratorium on the deportations.

Now Australia has deported its second Afghani refugee from Australia back to Afghanistan, Australia has not disclosed the name of the individual, he is simply referred to as R. R is from the same province of Afghanistan as Naseri and there is a concern that he will also be at risk of kidnap or even death from the Taliban. Adding to the concerns of R is the deportation charge given to him by the government of Australia. The government is charging him a $25,000 bill or his deportation, $1,000 for his flight and $24,000 for the estimated seven Australian officials who will accompany him on his flight. There are further reports that seven more Afghani-Australian refugees are in custody in Australia and set to be deported back to Afghanistan as well.

For more information, please see:

ABC News — Calls for Moratorium on Deportation on Asylum Seekers to Afghanistan after Abduction, Torture Claims — 27 October 2014

The Guardian — Afghan Hazara Asylum Seekers to be Forcibly Deported to Afghanistan — 7 October 2014

The Sydney Morning Herald — Government to Investigate Torture Claims of Deported Asylum Seeker Zainullah Naseri — 27 October 2014 

The Guardian — Australia Forcibly Returns Second Afghan Hazara, Despite Fears Over Safety — 28 October 2014

 

 

Burkina Faso Military Uses Gunfire to Clear Protesters from Streets after Takeover

By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, managing Editor

OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – The Burkina Faso army cleared thousands of protesters from the streets of Ouagadougou on Sunday and reportedly opened fire at the headquarters of State television, where protesters had overrun the television station, killing at least one person. The use of military force is reportedly an effort by the military to restore order after the resignation of President Blaise Compaoré two days ago in what some are calling a military coup d’état.

A soldier stands guard outside the national television headquarters in Ouagadougou. the station went off air for hours as protesters stormed the building.(photo courtesy of The Guardian)

President Blaise Compaoré came to power shortly after the murder of President Thomas Sankara, one of Africa’s youngest leaders, in October 1987. Thomas Sankara was sometimes called Africa’s Che Guevara, Sankara was killed along with 12 other officials my members of the armed forces during a coup led by his top associate, Blaise Compaoré. Blaise Compaoré has held fast to power in Burkina Faso for 27 years, a period many say has been marked by fear and reparation, until protests took to the streets to demand an end to his rule last week.

Compaoré’s long rule ended abruptly last Friday after two days of mass protests held in response to his reported bid to change the constitution to extend his rule. The army then selected Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as transitional leader, overriding an earlier claim by the army chief of staff. After seizing power on Saturday, Zida “I call on the international community, in particular countries that are friends and allies of Burkina Faso, notably in the African Union and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), to demonstrate their understanding and support our people in this difficult time.”

During an emergency meeting with diplomats in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou earlier on Monday Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida vowed that the military would yield power to a transition government. However, the interim leader failed to provide a timeframe for a handover of power.

The African Union has called on Burkina Faso’s military leadership to return power to civilians in the country. The African Union has issued an ultimatum, giving the military two weeks to return the state to civilian rule or face sanctions if they fail to comply.”We ask the armed forces to transfer power to the civil authorities, and the council has determined a period of two weeks for the transfer,” Simeon Oyono Esono, head of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, said on Monday following a meeting in Ethiopia.”The African Union is convinced that the change has been against democracy. However, we know that popular pressure led to the resignation of the president. Those circumstances were taken by the armed forces to get into power, but it originated from the people,” Esono said.

The United Nations has also expressed concern over the apparent military takeover in Burkina Faso. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the United Nations envoy for West Africa, issued a warning that if the military refuses to transfer power “the consequences are pretty clear.”

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – African Union issues Burkina Faso ultimatum – 3 November 2014
The Guardian – Burkina Faso army uses gunfire to clear thousands from streets of capital – 2 November 2014
Al Jazeera – Burkina Faso: Uprising or military coup? – 1 November 2014
Al Jazeera America – Spirit of ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’ found in Burkina Faso uprising – 31 October 2014