Violating Rights of Local
Civilian
Submitted to: Mechanism of
Universal Periodical Review
By: Maat for Peace,
Development, and Human Rights.
August 2009
Report Methodology
This report will discuss four
components which are drinking water, draining services,
environment services, and health services. The report will focus
on those four components because there is a connection between
them and because they are the more urgent and spread needs
watched by Maat Institution. This report depended on three
information sources:
1- Results of discussion
meetings with citizens: there are 33 discussion meetings were
held in some Egyptian governorates, in order to define problems
and violations related to public utilities and essential
services.
2- Citizens complaints: big
number of citizens and their representatives in local public
councils delivered written complaints to Maat Institution about
specific violations they suffer regarding public utilities and
essential services.
3- Journalism subjects published
in Egyptian journals regarding violations of economical and
social rights and depriving from essential services.
First violation regarding the
right to have safe drinking water:
Egypt witnessed in the last
three years increasing public anger because of shortage in
drinking water available in many places of the republic. Thus,
protest forms rose like demonstrations and stays-in strike to
force executive managers to solve this problem. This period also
witnessed many cases of water pollutions or mixing drinking
water with draining water this is the problem which makes many
people infected with hepatitis and renal failure.
The most important
characteristics of violating the right to have safe drinking
water in Egypt are:
1- Shortage in drinking
water
Shortage of water spreads in
Egypt and become present in many governorates as people are
obliged to purchase water form cars walk around in these cities
to sell water in packets named "Garaken", some times the price
of one "Gerken" reached fife pounds. Many people said that water
spent about 25% of their monthly wedges. Following this case
revealed that inattention to end water projects is the main
cause for this case. The most important examples and proves
about drinking water shortage is the following:
- People in villages of "Abd Al
Kader Nour" and "Koshk Almoror" in Alfayoom governorate suffer
form shortage in drinking water since 2004, they delivered about
36 complaints for mangers in vain, and they are obliged to
purchase drinking water in packets for fife pounds for the every
one.
- People of "Alharrania" village
in 6th October governorate suffer shortage in
drinking water almost always, and projects to deliver drinking
water to the village are always delayed. People told us that
they purchase drinking water daily.
- People of "Atfeeh" center in
Helwan governorate suffer the same problem and this center is
deprived form a station to purify drinking water, also they
purchase drinking water from near places.
- People of "Abo Alnomros" city,
in 6th October governorate suffer sever shortage in
drinking water, and the water station is being established many
years ago without any signs that it will be finished.
- Some places suffer water
cutout for more than two weeks, like water cutout in "Almaabda"
village, Asyoot governorate for about two weeks in August 2009,
also in the same period many places in Marsa Matrooh governorate
suffer the same problem thus people record a report in police
station against manager of Water Company in the governorate.
- Suffering of "Maazoor" village
in Sharm Alsheekh governorate from shortage in drinking water 8
years ago.
2- Pollution of drinking
water and diseases resulted:
In the last two years, many
accidents were revealed about polluting drinking water in many
governorates. Experts and specialists in water decided that
pollution rates in Egyptian drinking water in unusual this is
because of bad means of chemical treatment for water which still
depended on Chlorine in big amounts and did not use other
developed means like Ozone and ultraviolet radials. In addition,
water net is wear because of negligence in maintaining it so it
is become a good place for bacteria, also stations of water
purifying is of law quality and its machines are wearing. While
the most important source of polluting drinking water in Egypt
is its mixture to draining water.
The most important examples of
pollutions of drinking water and its mixture with draining water
is the following:
- Doctors said that every year
there are hundred thousands of infections of deceases of
hepatitis and renal failure as a result of using polluted
drinking water.
- There are more than "9300"
Nile units get rid of its waste in The River Nile.
- About 30 million cubic meter
of industrial waste are thrown in Nile water every year, while
industrial draining contains materials and substances of high
poisons. Also most draining projects in villages throw in The
River Nile or in agriculture drains which went to the river at
the end.
- Peoples of "Alghoraz" village
in Qena governorate suffer form pollution in the water of their
village, many people were infected and analyses reveal that the
cause is the kind of water.
- In July 2009 more than 300
citizens in "Albaradaa" village were infected with Typhoid
because of polluted drinking water.
- People of "AlZanneaa" village
in Quena governorate suffer form polluting drinking water and
high rate of salts in it to reach 65%.
- Peoples of "Masged Mousaa"
village in Helwan governorate suffer form mixing drinking water
with draining water, and high rate of salts as a result.
- People in some villages of "Basyoon"
center in Al Gharabia governorate suffer form high rate of
poisoning substances in water and this water is not
correspondent to chemical and bacteriology standers.
- In August 2009, a report of
health department in Asyoot governorate revealed that 43% of
drinking water sources are not correspondent to healthier
measures and standers.
- In August 2009, 20 citizens in
"Tahway "village in Al Mounofya governorate suffer from diarrhea
and vomit because of pollution in drinking water.
-In July 2009, samples' analyses
of drinking water in some centers in Dakahlia governorate proved
that it is not to be used.
- Villages affiliated to "Al
Giza" center in "6th October" governorate suffer form
pollution in water of wells they drink form, peoples said that
pollution rate increased every year so it is important to have
substantial sources for drinking water not to purify these
wells.
- Peoples of "Al Marashda" in
Quena governorate suffer form bad smell and black color in
drinking which reveal its pollution but managers refused to
analyze it.
Second: Violations
Regarding Services of Draining
Services of Draining do not
cover all places in Egypt; also villages suffer form depriving
and severe shortage in draining services as for cities.
Statistics mentioned that villages which have draining service
are not more than 9% (373 out of 4500 villages) of villages in
Egypt. The remaining villages depended on traditional methods
like" pull tanks" which cause many dangers on health and on
environment.
The most important examples of
violations regarding the right to have draining service in Egypt
are the following:
1- More than 7% of buildings in
do not offer any means of draining whatever public net or
healthier bathrooms.
2- There is a big gap between
governorates regarding the percentage of buildings which offer
draining system; for example this percentage in Giza reached
94%, while in Qena 5.4%, and in Asyoot 4.3, this indicate that
there is no fair in offering this service in the republic
regions.
3- In many accidents citizens
fall in draining cesspools which left uncovered so victims died;
for example the accident of July 2009 when three children fall
in a cesspool in "Alhasfaa" village in "Alread" center.
4- Many places in Egypt suffer
form inundation of draining water as a result of technical
failings in the net and because of neglecting its maintenance.
Thus residents of these places suffer environmental and
healthier problems; examples of that is "Alsanafen "village in
Shrkia governorate which suffer this problem many years ago so
big number of residents are infected with renal failure, and
gastritis. The same is in "Alharrania "village in 6th
October governorate, in "Alsharrabia" region in Cairo, and
region of "Alnaam" in Ain Shams which is affiliated to Cairo
governorate, also in Masaken Alrai in "Alwaledia" quarter in
Asyoot, and "Qoos" city in Qena governorate.
5- Residents in places of big
cesspools of draining net complain repeatedly about inundation
of these cesspools, so it flood on near places, farms and
houses; for example villages near to the station of treatment
draining water in Algabal Alasfar in Qalyoobia governorate.
6- In governorates of Upper
Egypt more than 20 projects of draining water which are delayed
and the government's excuse is shortage of financial support.
7- In many governorates wide
agriculture areas are watered by draining water which did not
have treatment and they are watched as following:-
- About 40 thousand acres are
watered by draining water in "Alsaf" center, "Giza" center in 6th
October governorate, and "Atfeeh" center in Helwan Governorate.
- About 10 thousand acres in
governorates of Monofia, Sharkia, and Gharbia are watered by
draining water and it vegetables products are sold in Cairo.
- The area known as the green
belt around 6th October governorate which
consists of 22 thousand acres is watered by draining water and
its products are vegetables sold in governorates of 6th
October, Giza, Cairo, and Helwan.
Third: Violations
Regarding Environmental Services:
Rubbish gathering is a main
source of diseases and epidemics in Egypt, and there is clear
stumble in managing services of collecting rubbish and
environment clearness. Also there is unfairness in distributing
services of rubbish collect in districts and governorates of
Egypt. We can mention the most important characteristics of
violations regarding this matter:
1- In some big cities like Cairo
and Giza there are many bodies to collect rubbish some of them
are affiliated to the government and others are private
companies, while in villages these bodies are absent and it is
the responsibility of local units with its law financial
sources.
2- There is a public complaint
against high cleaning fees added to electricity bill while the
service is not good.
3- According to official
estimates there is about 70 million tons of hard rubbish every
year in Egypt. In the same time there are no active plans and
programs to get benefit from it or to get rid of it and it is
left in streets and ways causing dangerous environmental
problems.
4- Most rubbish dumps are inside
residence blocs especially in governorates of Cairo, Giza, and
Kalyobia. In addition pigs are breed and eat this rubbish
without any healthy or medical care for pigs and those who breed
them, and without regarding environmental conditions.
5- three years ago the
parliament issued a recommend to remove pigs' barns out of
residence blocs, but it never executed until the disaster of
"Influenza H1N1" when the
government forced to slaughter all pigs without any previous
planning.
6-A big number of complaints and
violations regarding absence of rubbish collectors are watched
in Egyptian governorates; the most important examples are the
following:
- "Barak Al Khaiam" village, in
6th October governorate suffer form rubbish gathering
epidemically in village's streets even in forint of its main
marks. In addition a barns of cattle and livestock spread within
residence blocs, while breeders get rid of animals' waste in
streets. Citizens delivered many complaints to executive
officers but in vain.
- Rubbish gathering epidemically
is the main cause of many diseases spreading between residence
in "Alharrania" village, which cause spreading of mosquitoes and
other bugs to discomfort people and bring them many problems in
their daily life.
- In "Qamnoura "village in
Alsharkia governorate rubbish dumps spreads, and residences try
to remove it with their self efforts but it was beyond their
ability so they stop while executive body did not try to support
their initiative.
- Residents of "Sohag" city
complain that rubbish dumps are gathered nevertheless they pay
high fees for cleaning. The same is in some places of "Asyoot"
city especially "Alzahraa" area.
- in some districts rubbish are
gathered around schools which cause a doubled problem and expose
students to health problems; for example rubbish gathering
watched around some schools in Giza governorate.
Fourth: Violation of Good
Health Services
Many signs indicate bad
health-service in Egypt; we watch most important violations in
this concern in the following:
1- Until now there is no
comprehensive heath assurance in Egypt, the government issued a
draft about this concern but it was judged to be
unconstitutional because it dose not regard social classes.
2- Although the government is
ready to present new draft of heath assurance to parliament, but
it never make a questioner about it or introduce it for social
discussion.
3- According to official
estimates about 17% of Egyptian are infected with hepatitis of
B&C, while other medical estimates raise the rate to more than
30%, and there is about 100 thousand new infection of renal
failure, and about 35 thousand new infection of cancer every
year. Pollution of water and food is the main cause of this, but
the most disturbing thing is that government does not pay
attention to mention real numbers and statistics regarding this
concern.
4- Percentage of governmental
expenditure on health sector less than 4% of all governmental
expenditure.
5- Lately many accidents,
regarding law health service and negligence in some hospitals,
are discovered, thus some citizens died and others were infected
by other diseases inside hospitals.
Fifth: Recommends:
1- Government has to abide
by specific date to end delayed projects of drinking water and
draining, and to present enough financial sources for this.
2- Focusing on villages to offer
safe service of draining in the coming period.
3- Provide suitable legislative
frame to confront negligence in establishing draining net and in
maintaining it.
4- Issuing legislation concerned
about good drinking water, and good draining services, and
appointing social mechanism to watch executing quality standers
will stated in the law.
5- Present the health assurance
law which is about to be issued to social discussion.
6- To rise the governmental
paying for health sector to 10% of all its paying.
7- Give bodies of local
governing and civil organizations in governorates enough
authorities and offer suitable financial resources to them with
good technical support, to get rid of rubbish safely, and
support efforts of recycle.
8- Unit bodies which are
responsible for cleaning to be one united civil body responsible
for coordinating between governmental and civil sides in this
field and to watch application of environmental quality
standers.
