And now:Ish <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1998 04:24:46 -0500 >From: Marie Samuel <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Organization: Yachay Wasi, Inc. >X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.04 [en] (Win95; U) >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Water... >A few days ago, I sent a press release about a protest against the >Florida International Museum's current display of 8 Indigenous remains >from Peru. >This information was included in our Fall issue of our quarterly >newsletter. >The following is another article from Yachay Wasip 'Simin' (The Voice of >Yachay Wasi) Fall 98 issue. This quartely newsletter published by Yachay >Wasi, NGO associated with the UN Dept of Public Information, is mailed >internationally. >Please, give your postal address if you are interested in receiving a >couple of future issues. >Thank you for your attention. >Marie Samuel, VP >YACHAY WASI - NGO/DPI - NYC - Cuzco, Peru >708 West 192nd St. # 6B >New York, NY 10040-2450 >Tel: 212-567-6447 >e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > WATER!� WATER!� > >This is the distress call of the end of this century not only in regard >to the huge 1998 floods and hurricanes disasters, but paradoxically in >regard to the looming scarcity of freshwater which is already the main >concern for the 21st century, as life cannot be sustained on our blue >planet without this precious and vulnerable colorless treasure. >1998 has also been the UN International Year of the Ocean and the ocean >is the first factor of the water equation, the second being the >ingrained humankind�s modern problems- overpopulation, ignorance, greed >and politics. The hope for our planet lies in the work of the UN World >Org�s, Civil Society, growing enlightened institutions and education. >When we talk of the ocean�s resources and problems, we think of food and >overfishing; leisure and endangered islands populations, coastal >pollution, erosion, dying coral reefs, etc� Less understood is the ocean >vital influence on terra firma, far from the coast and particularly on >freshwater resources. >The ocean occupies 70.8% of the earth surface, which in regard to earth >water is 97.5% saltwater, leaving only 2.5% of freshwater. Nearly 70% of >this is frozen in the polar ice caps, other is in deep underground >aquifers and less than 1% is accessible for human use. This usable water >found in lakes, rivers, reservoirs, shallow underground sources depend >on the climates regulated by the ocean. One of the problems is >demonstrated by overpopulated Mexico City built on top of a large >aquifer which should not be used but is now so depleted that the entire >city is steadily sinking at an alarming rate. >Though oceans and seas are given different names, they are only one mass >wrapped around and moving around the planet like a huge snake. This >undulating mass is constantly, very slowly moving thru currents >influenced by the difference of temperatures between equator and poles >and the vertical differences of the atmosphere�s temperature and >magnetic currents as well as the thermic exchange between the depth and >the surface of the ocean, all to the extend that waters from various >parts of the world are detected in other parts taking 500 years to get >there. There are also exchanges between the ground surface and the ocean >temperatures and all these phenomena are creating rain. This global >living ocean travail has been building up for thousand years and was >already described in 15th century Moslem scientific literature. Native >Americans long been aware of the wonder of the rain venerated it as >Chaac, the Spirit depicted in many Mayan temples and as the Creator�s >Great Blessing to this day. >However, this maritime and meteorological process has been accelerating >during the 19th/20th centuries of human and industrial abuses as it is >the ocean which absorbs and recycles inland pollutants and nutrients as >well as industrial and greenhouse gases linked to global warming. >Scientists, professionals, informed civil society suspect that in spite >of the ocean�s gigantic creative action, the process may be finite and >now reacting spectacularly and destructively with increased El Ni�o >effect, numbers of hurricanes and other poisonous invasions of the seas. >We may think of these calamities as Chaac�s warning. >Though all these phenomena are still not fully understood, during the >past 40 years, better satellites and computers spurred the work of the >World Meteorological Org. (WMO), UNESCO Intergovernmental Ocean >Commission (IOC), other UN World Org�s. and scientists alerting >governments and civil society since 1972 UN Stockholm Environment Conf. >followed by 1992 Rio UN Earth Summit and "shrinking ozone layer and >global warming" are now part of everyday vocabulary. The UN Commission >on Sustainable Development (CSD), which was created to implement the >Earth Summit Agenda 21, consulted on "water" extensively during its 1998 >session at UN Hqrs in NYC. >While some political and industrial interests are still in screaming >denial, European "Green" parties, environmental NGOs and representatives >of over 150 governments met in Tokyo, Japan, in December 97 to work a >far reaching agreement signed as a Protocol toward regulating the causes >of global warming. Though not much has been done since, 157 countries >met again in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in November 2-14, with more >precise goals. This time, a greater number of industries, including car >manufacturers are prepared to work on their side of the problems. In the >conflict between developed and developing nations, some, such as >Argentina and China are more positive toward understanding their >responsibility. Perhaps the 1998 events brought home some reality. > >This year is ending with concerned countries and relief org�s trying to >cope with the catastrophic devastation and tragedies left by >October/November hurricanes in the Caribbean and almost obliterating >Meso-American poor countries particularly vulnerable due to drought, >deforestation and volcano activities while the populations were already >abused by years of foreign corporate greed, political corruption and >wars. >In June, huge forest fires have scarred the globe due to deforestation, >a combination of loggers greed, people poverty and ignorance, govt. >corruption and increasing drought. South Asia, Africa, Siberia, South >America up to Houston USA breathed smoke for months. >Bangladesh is subjected to yearly monsoon rains and floods partly >beneficial that this poor and overpopulated country is unable to >properly manage. Starting in September, it has been wrecked by two >months floods instead of the usual 3 weeks. 2/3 of the country under >water brought heart rending damages and sufferings: death, destruction >of homes, livelihood, crops, infrastructure. >In August, China suffered the worse floods in 40 years in various parts >of a country which is epic in human and physical dimensions, history and >politics and now in this disaster with a rescue effort to size. The >Govt. first blamed El Ni�o for the heaviest rain, but by the end of the >month it was admitted that the size of the disaster was due to >ecological sins, deforestation and years of govt. neglect of rivers >dikes and dams. >The cruelest irony is that floods waters are always polluted bringing >diseases and diarrhea, when consumed, compounding the victims� hardship. >The United States, as another very large country, has its own historical >part in the global water saga. Besides pollution and ecological problems >subject of energetic environment org�s� action, flood management and >irrigation strategies in force since the beginning of this century are >reexamined and after the 1993 Mississippi large floods, dikes are >reduced and dams are demolished all over the country, including in >spectacular canyons and lakes landscapes while wetlands are restored >such as the Everglades. >The other side of the water drama - drought and desertification, is too >real for many people and of major concern in the 21st century projected >population increase. >Since 1978, UN World Org�s, scientists and farmers have been >experimenting and growing special crops irrigated with seawater in >various parts of the world prone to drought and desertification. >Some dream of towing icebergs from the Artics to dry countries� >Wealthy Arabian Gulf countries survive so far on costly desalination >plants along the coast. >Libya is involved in a $25 billion "Great Manmade River Project" already >delivering fresh water to the parched coastal area by pipelines from 600 >miles south pumping from 1,500 feet deep aquifers under the desert sand. >A costly controversial project, but its bold concept underlines the >drought reality. >The political aspect of freshwater is created by rivers crossing several >countries where people are ready to fight for or protect unpolluted >supply, such as between hostile or uneasy tribes; countries of different >politics such as in Central Europe, Turkey/Iraq or the River Jordan >which supplies water to Syria, Jordan and Israel. >This Biblical river may become a factor in the peace process in the area >and it already helped to fulfill a Bah�� prophecy. When Bah�u�ll�h, >the Prophet Founder of the Bah�� Faith was sent to prison in Acco >(Acre), Palestine, in 1868, He declared that His World Center will stand >on Mount Carmel in Haifa which He could see across the Bay from His >prison window. Bah��s from Persia (Iran) progressively moved to >Palestine buying large farm properties around the Sea of Galilee and the >River Jordan. They also bought houses in Haifa and a foot hold on Mount >Carmel. >When Israel was created by the UN in 1948, the Government wisely thought >of securing the River Jordan and offered to swap the Bah�� properties >in the area for lands on Mount Carmel. Now the beautiful Bah�� World >Center is Haifa�s crown open to the citizens and visited by the millions >of tourists attracted to the Holy Land. >Copyright 1976-1998 E. Lacroix-Hopson >Forwarded with permission > > March 14, 1999 > "INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION Against Dams > and For Rivers, Water and Life" >In 1998, 10,000 people participated in various projects. In 1999, >100,000 are expected to join in demonstrations, river clean-ups, canoe >trips, etc�This annual Day of Action was inspired by the First >International Meeting of People affected by Dams in Curitiba, >Brazil. Water for Life, not for Death! >Contact: Aleta Brown, International Rivers Network >1847 Berkeley Way Berkeley, CA 94703 e-mail:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >Tel: 510-848-1155 fax: 510-848-1008 www.irn.org > <<<<=-=-=FREE LEONARD PELTIER=-=-=>>>> If you think you are too small to make a difference; try sleeping in a closed room with a mosquito.... African Proverb <<<<=-=http://www.tdi.net/ishgooda/ =-=>>>> IF it says: "PASS THIS TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW...." Please Check it before you send it at: http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/library/blhoax.htm
