Amazwe Ampofu Aba Izindawo Zokulahla Imfucumfucu Yamazwe Acebile

NJENGENTANDANE engenanina, impahla enoshevu yayithuthwe imikhumbi eminingi iyiswa emathekwini ahlukahlukene kufunwa indawo yokuyibeka. Imigqomo engu-11 000 igcwele pháma uketshezi olunoshevu, izibulala-zinambuzane, namanye amakhemikhali ayingozi yayithuthwe isuka eDjibouti, e-Afrika, iyiswa eVenezuela yase iyiswa eSyria yadluliselwa eGreece. Ekugcineni lemigqomo evuzayo yaqala ukulimaza izisebenzi zomunye walemikhumbi ethutha impahla. Kwafa indoda eyodwa, futhi amanye amaningi aba nezifo zesikhumba, izinso, nemigudu yokuphefumula ngenxa yamakhemikhali anoshevu ayesemkhunjini.

Imikhumbi, amaloli, nezitimela ezithwele imfucumfucu efanayo ebulalayo zinqamula iplanethi zifuna indawo ezingayilahla kuyo. Ngokuvamile amazwe kakade akhungethwe ubumpofu, indlala, nezifo aba izindawo zokulahla amathani amaningi kashevu nemfucumfucu engcolisayo. Izazi zendawo ezungezile zinovalo lokuthi kuzogadla inhlekelele yendawo ezungezile ngokuhamba kwesikhathi.

Upende omdala, izinto ezincibilikisayo, amathayi, amabhethri, imfucumfucu ekhipha imisebe, amanyela agcwele umthofu ne-PCB, kungase kungakuhlabi umxhwele, kodwa kuyakhanga ebhizinisini elichumayo lemfucumfucu yezimboni. Ngokuyindida, lapho uhulumeni eba nemithetho eqinile yendawo ezungezile, kulapho izimboni zakhe ziyolahla imfucumfucu eningi enoshevu kwamanye amazwe. ‘Cishe amathani ayizigidi ezingu-20 amakhemikhali anoshevu alahlwa minyaka yonke emaZweni Asathuthuka izinkampani ezingathembekile’ zamazwe ezezimboni, kusho i-Observer yaseLondon yamasonto onke. Ukuyekelela komthetho nemithetho engaqinile kusho ukuthi izinkulungwane zamathani emfucumfucu enoshevu zilahlwa emazweni ase-Afrika, e-Asia, naseLatin America.

Yingakho lezi zinkampani zikuthola kuyenga ukulahla lemfucumfucu! Izindleko zingancishiswa ngokuphawulekayo uma kusetshenziswa indawo efanele. Isibonelo salokhu umkhumbi i-United States, owake waba umkhumbi ophambili othwala ifulegi emikhunjini yaseMelika ethwala abagibeli. Wathengwa ngo-1992 ukuze uvuselelwe ngenjongo yokuthutha abantu ngokunethezeka. Cishe wawunetshe-boya eliningi kunanoma imuphi umkhumbi owawuhamba emanzini. Ukukhipha itshe-boya kwakungadla ama-dollar ayizigidi eziyikhulu (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-360) e-United States. Lomkhumbi wadonswa wayiswa eTurkey, lapho wawungalungiswa khona ngama-dollar ayizigidi ezimbili (amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-7). Kodwa uhulumeni waseTurkey wenqaba—kwakuyingozi kakhulu ukuvumela amamitha-skwele angaphezu kuka-46 000 emicu yetshe-boya ebangela umdlavuza ukuba alahlwe ezweni lakhe. Ekugcineni lomkhumbi wadonswa wayiswa ethekwini lakwelinye izwe, lapho imithetho yendawo ezungezile ingaqinile khona.

Inqubo Yokuphinde Kusetshenziswe Izinto Ebulalayo

Amabhizinisi aseNtshonalanga asemazweni asathuthuka angase athambekele ekuzibhekeni njengabazuzisi babantu abampofu. UHarvey Alter we-U.S. Chamber of Commerce uveza ukuthi “imboni yokuthutha imfucumfucu nenqubo yokuphinde kusetshenziswe izinto ithuthukisa amazinga okuphila kulamazwe.” Kodwa ukuhlaziya ezinye izenzo ezihambisana nalokhu ezenziwa kwamanye amazwe kwathola ukuthi ezimweni eziningi, kunokuba zithuthukise amazinga okuphila, lezi zinkampani “cishe azikhokheli iholo elingaphezu kweholo elivamile lendawo, zingcolisa indawo ezungezile futhi zithengisa imikhiqizo eyingozi futhi ethengiswa ngomgunyathi ngaphansi kwezinye izimo.”

UPapa John Paul II wanezela ukukhathazeka kwakhe emkhandlwini wamuva nje ophathelene nokungcola emazweni asathuthuka. Lopapa wathi: “Kuwukuxhaphaza okukhulu lapho amazwe acebile ezuza ngomnotho ontengayo nesishaya-mthetho samazwe ampofu ngokuthumela ubuchwepheshe obungcolisayo nemfucumfucu eyonakalisa indawo ezungezile nempilo yomphakathi.”

Isibonelo esivelele sitholakala e-Afrika eseningizimu, ikhaya lemboni enkulu kunazo zonke emhlabeni enenqubo ephinde isebenzise imfucumfucu ye-mercury. Kulokho okwabizwa ngokuthi “elinye lamahlazo okungcola okukhulu kulelizwekazi,” lemfucumfucu enoshevu yabulala isisebenzi esisodwa, esinye saquleka, futhi kubikwa ukuthi ingxenye eyodwa kwezintathu yezisebenzi ihlushwa ukungenwa ushevu we-mercury ngandlela-thile. Ohulumeni bakwamanye amazwe ezezimboni bayakuvimbela noma bakwenqabele ngokuqinile ukulahlwa kwemfucumfucu ethile ye-mercury. Imikhumbi yezimboni okungenani kwelinye lalamazwe ithuthela lempahla eyingozi ezingwini zase-Afrika. Iqembu lezinhloli lathola imigqomo engu-10 000 yemfucumfucu ye-mercury evela ezinkampanini ezintathu zangaphandle igcinwe kulesi sikhungo.

Ukuthumela izinto emazweni asathuthuka ukuba ziyophinde zisetshenziswe kuzwakala kangcono kunokulahla imfucumfucu kuwo. Kungaveza imikhiqizo eyigugu, kuvule imisebenzi, futhi kusimamise umnotho. Kodwa njengoba kubonisa umbiko ongenhla ovela e-Afrika eseningizimu, kungavela nemiphumela eyinhlekelele. Ukukhishwa kwemikhiqizo eyigugu kulezi zinto kungakhipha amakhemikhali abulalayo abangela ukungcola nokugula futhi abulala izisebenzi ngezinye izikhathi. Umagazini i-New Scientist uyaphawula: “Akukho kungabaza ngokuthi ngezinye izikhathi inqubo yokuphinde kusetshenziswe izinto isetshenziswa njengebhaxa lokulahla imfucumfucu.”

Leli cebo lichazwa yi-U.S.News & World Report: “Ukusebenzisa amagama okungewona, ukuyekelela komthetho nokuntuleka kobuchwepheshe kwenza amazwe asathuthuka abe izisulu eziyinhloko zabahwebi bemfucumfucu abanonya abathengisa amanyela anoshevu bethi ‘umanyolo’ noma izibulala-zinambuzane eziphelelwe isikhathi bethi ‘usizo lwasemapulazini.’”

Ama-maquiladora, noma amafektri angaphandle, aye achuma eMexico. Inhloso eyinhloko yalezi zinkampani zangaphandle iwukubalekela imithetho eqinile yokungcola futhi zizuze ngenani elikhulu lezisebenzi ezikhokhelwa kancane. Amashumi ezinkulungwane zabantu baseMexico ahlala emafukwini aseduze kwemisele yamanzi angcolile. “Ngisho nezimbuzi ngeke ziwaphuze,” kusho owesifazane othile. Umbiko othile we-American Medical Association wabiza umngcele walendawo ngokuthi “umgodi wendle ongaphansi nesizinda sezifo ezithelelwanayo.”

Akufi Izinambuzane Kuphela

“Izwe lingawenqabela kanjani ushevu ekhaya kodwa liwenze bese liwuthengisela amanye amazwe? Kunabuphi ubulungisa lokhu?” kubuza u-Arif Jamal, isazi sezolimo nochwepheshe wezibulala-zinambuzane waseKhartoum. Wabonisa izithombe zemigqomo ebhalwe ukuthi: “Akufanele kusetshenziswe”—ezweni lezezimboni evela kulo. Yatholakala esiqiwini saseSudan. Eduze kwakunenqwaba yezilwane ezifile.

Elinye izwe elicebile “ngonyaka lithumela kwamanye amazwe amaphawundi ayizigidi ezingaba ngu-500 [amakhilogremu ayizigidi ezingaba ngu-227] ezibulala-zinambuzane ezenqatshelwe, ezivinjelwe noma ezingagunyaziwe ukuba zisetshenziswe ezweni,” kubika i-New York Times. I-heptachlor, enye ikhemikhali ehlobene ne-DDT ebangela umdlavuza, yenqatshelwa ukusetshenziswa ezilimweni ezidliwayo ngo-1978. Kodwa inkampani yamakhemikhali eyayenza isaqhubeka iyikhiqiza.

Ukuhlola okuthile kwe-UN kwathola inqwaba “yezibulala-zinambuzane ezinoshevu kakhulu” emazweni asathuthuka okungenani angu-85. Abantu abangaba isigidi bangenwa ushevu oyingozi unyaka ngamunye, futhi mhlawumbe abangu-20 000 babulawa yilamakhemikhali.

Imboni kagwayi ingase ibizwe ngokuthi umthombo wokuhaha okubulalayo. Isihloko se-Scientific American esithi “Umqedazwe Kagwayi Wembulunga Yonke” sithi: “Ukudlanga kwezifo ezibangelwa ugwayi nenani labantu abafayo emhlabeni wonke kuphakeme kakhulu.” Ubudala obusesilinganisweni babantu abaqalayo ukubhema buyaqhubeka behla, futhi inani labesifazane ababhemayo landa ngokuphawulekayo. Izinkampani ezinkulu zikagwayi ezibambisene nabakhangisi abanobuqili ziyaphumelela ekunqobeni imakethe enkulu yamazwe angakathuthuki. Ingcebo yazo izuzwe ngokubulala abantu nokubenza bakhungathwe izifo.a

Nokho, kumelwe kushiwo ukuthi akuzona zonke izinkampani ezingayikhathaleli inhlalakahle yamazwe asathuthuka. Kunezinkampani ezithile ezizama ukuqhuba ibhizinisi elifanele nelihle emazweni asathuthuka. Ngokwesibonelo, inkampani ethile ilungiselela izinzuzo zomhlalaphansi nempilo futhi ikhokhela izisebenzi zayo iholo eliphindwe kathathu kunelifunekayo. Enye inkampani iye yawamelela ngokunamandla amalungelo abantu futhi iye yachitha izivumelwano eziningi ngenxa yokuxhashazwa kwabantu.

Ukuhlehla Kobuzenzisi

Ngo-1989 kwasayinwa isivumelwano se-UN eBasel, eSwitzerland, ukuze kulawulwe ukuthuthelwa kwemfucumfucu eyingozi emazweni ahlukahlukene. Sehluleka ukuxazulula lenkinga, futhi i-New Scientist yabika ngomhlangano wakamuva walawo mazwe afanayo, owaqhutshwa ngo-March 1994:

“Esabela ngenxa yentukuthelo eqondakalayo yamazwe asathuthuka, amazwe angu-65 angamalungu e-Basel Convention athatha isinyathelo sentuthuko esibalulekile lapho enquma ukwandisa isivumelwano ngokuvimbela ukuthunyelwa kwemfucumfucu eyingozi kusuka emazweni e-OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development] kuya emazweni angewona awe-OECD.”

Kodwa amazwe asethuthukile awazange ajabule ngalesi sinqumo samuva. I-New Scientist yezwakalisa ukukhathazeka kwayo: “Ngakho izindaba zokuthi i-US, iBrithani, iJalimane ne-Australia sebezama ukululaza lesi sinqumo ziyaphazamisa. Izincwadi ezitholakale kuhulumeni wase-United States ziveza imizamo yakhe yokubonisana ‘yokuthula’ ukuze ‘ashintshe’ lokhu kuvinjelwa ngaphambi kokuba avume ukuqinisa isivumelwano.”

Usuku Lokwahlulelwa Kwabahahayo

“Manje, nina bantu abacebileyo, isikhathi sokuba nikhale futhi nilile ngenxa yosizi enilugcinelwe!” kuxwayisa iBhayibheli kuJakobe 5:1. (The New Testament in Modern English, kaJ. B. Phillips) Lokhu kwahlulela kuyolethwa yilowo ongalungisa izinto: “UJehova ubenzela bonke abacindezelwayo ukulunga nokwahlulela.”—IHubo 103:6.

Labo manje abaphila ngobumpofu obucindezelayo bangaduduzeka, bazi ukuthi ngokushesha amazwi eHubo 72:12, 13 azogcwaliseka: “Iyakukhulula ompofu ozikhalela kuyo, nohluphekayo ongenamsizi. Iyakuhawukela odangeleyo nompofu; iyakusindisa imiphefumulo yabampofu.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 6]

Imfucumfucu Ebulalayo Engapheli

“Imfucumfucu Yenuzi Ebulalayo Iyanqwabelana Nakuba Kungenakhambi Elisobala Elitholakalayo.” Sasifundeka kanjalo isihloko esikhulu engxenyeni yezesayensi ye-New York Times ngo-March nonyaka. Lesi sihloko sathi: “Isinqumo esilula kunazo zonke ukuyigqiba. Kodwa lokho kusagxekwa njengoba ososayensi bephikisana, futhi izinhlangano zikaHulumeni zihlola ukuthi indawo ehlongozwayo engaphansi komhlaba yokulahla imfucumfucu eNevada kungenzeka yini ekugcineni iqhume ngenxa yamandla enuzi abangelwa i-plutonium eyimfucumfucu.”

Ososayensi bahlongoze amacebo amaningi okuqeda i-plutonium eyinsalela emhlabeni, kodwa izindleko, izimpikiswano, nokwesaba kuye kwabambezela lamacebo. Omunye umbono ongathandeki kwabaningi owokuba igqitshwe olwandle. Ukusikisela okucatshangelwa kakhulu ukuyisakazela elangeni. Elinye ikhambi ukuba kusetshenziswe imishini yamaziko ukuze ishiswe. Kodwa lokhu kwachithwa, njengoba ‘kungathatha amakhulu noma izinkulungwane zeminyaka’ ukukufeza.

UDkt. Makhijani we-Institute for Energy and Environmental Research wathi: “Wonke amakhambi amahle ngokwezobuchwepheshe anezinhlangothi zezombangazwe ezisabekayo, futhi wonke amakhambi amahle ngokwezombangazwe avame ukuba mabi ngokwezobuchwepheshe. Akukho muntu onamakhambi amahle awo wonke lomonakalo, kuhlanganise nathi.”

Ukuze kuthunyelwe ugesi ezindlini eziyizigidi ezingu-60—amaphesenti angu-20 kagesi wezwe—imishini yamaziko engu-107 ezikhungweni zamandla enuzi e-United States ikhiqiza amathani angu-2 000 kawoyela osetshenzisiwe unyaka ngamunye, futhi kusukela ngo-1957 lowoyela osetshenzisiwe uye wagcinwa okwesikhashana kulezi zikhungo zamandla enuzi. Sekungamashumi eminyaka abantu belindele ngeze ukuba uhulumeni athole indlela yokuwulahla. Kuye kwaphatha omongameli abangu-9, futhi iziShaya-mthetho ezingu-18 ziye zaveza amacebo zanquma nesikhathi sokuthola izindawo zokugcina imfucumfucu ekhipha imisebe ezindaweni ezingaphansi komhlaba, kodwa ayikatholakali indlela yokugcina yokulawula lemfucumfucu ebulalayo okumelwe iqashelwe izinkulungwane zeminyaka.

Ngokuqhathaniswa, izigidi zezigidi zamaziko anamandla anakekelwa uJehova uNkulunkulu asezinkanyezini ezikude zendawo yonke azilona usongo, futhi iziko alinakekelayo eliselangeni lethu lenza ukuphila emhlabeni kube nokwenzeka.

[Umthombo]

UNITED NATIONS/IAEA

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Amakhemikhali anoshevu angcolisa amanzi aphuzwayo nawokuwasha

[Isithombe ekhasini 7]

Izingane zidlala emfucumfucwini eyingozi noma ebulalayo