Toxic waters threaten thousands of Tuaregs

An urgent clean up of pesticide contaminated wells in three villages in northern Mali is needed if thousands of Tuaregs are to be saved from ill-health or death, Refugees International, a US based NGO, said in its latest bulletin on 17 November. Villagers in Anefis, Tin-Essako and Aguelhoc have no choice other than to use wells tainted by pesticides. The chemicals were left behind after the end of an internationally financed locust control programme over 20 years ago, the NGO said. Some 160,000 litres of these chemicals stored in tanks and barrels, scattered over a wide area, are now leaking into local water sources through the soil. A Refugee International team visited Anefis, 250 km northeast of Gao, on 7 November. In this village of 8,000 it found a rusting and leaking 10,000 litre tank holding 400 litres of pesticide. “Traces of pesticide have been found in a nearby well which is the primary water source for the surrounding area,” the agency said. Worse still, it said, was the situation in Tin-Essako where a contaminated well was the only water source for miles. It cited a USAID study released in September that found high levels of toxic chemical, particularly Dieldrine, at all three sites. Goat milk was tested and found to contain the pesticide. Worsening the problem, it said, international aid agencies were reluctant to dig wells for fear they would be contaminated. Therefore, well digging has been suspended, Refugee International said, while a dozen additional sites in northern Mali and possibly in neighbouring countries also hold obsolete pesticides.