Skin infections blamed on Omai spill
SCORES of Essequibians picketed outside the High Court in Georgetown yesterday criticising the Omai gold mining company for the cyanide waste spill four years ago and the after-effects residents suffer. "A threat to justice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are asking for support from all individuals and groups that support human rights whether or not you live in Essequibo", read a pamphlet handed out to passersby. Children and adults with blotches and discoloured skin blamed their infections on the chemicals dumped into the Essequibo River from the Omai mine since the August 1999 waste spillage. The cyanide waste spilled into the river through a broken dam for several days from August 19, 1995, triggering widespread fear among residents living along the Essequibo. The Government declared a state of national emergency and updated environmental laws. The mine was allowed to reopen after six months under tighter environmental controls. Essequibians outside the court yesterday said they came out after a group of "environmental people" visited the area Sunday and advised villagers to bring their grouses to the fore. The picketers included residents from Bonasika Main and Bonasika Creek; areas between Monkey Jump and Bartica; Lanaballi, Aliki; Beribissiballi; Baboon Hole; Morasi and Fort Island, all in the Essequibo. Placards read `Down with Omai', `Demand Remediation and clean-up of our once pristine environment' and `Four years is enough, we want justice now'. Harilall Bacchan, 42, of Bonasika Main, showed his sore-infested body and said he has been living with this rare "skin disease" since the cyanide spill in 1995. The farmer and father of three blamed contaminated river water, which he still uses to bathe and for domestic purposes, for his condition. Bacchan said that six months after the Omai spillage he started getting itchy boils on his skin. These would, eventually, turn into whitish sore-like, scaly blotches and spread all over his body. He said he also suffers from belly aches. Bacchan said he has been unable to do much work on his farm since and received some medication and injections but nothing is able to remedy his condition. According to him, none of the five doctors he visited were able to give him a proper diagnosis of the infection. Like many others on the picket, Bacchan said he never sought any legal advice or met officials from Omai because he is poor. He wants to be compensated by the mining company and feels there might be a resurgence of some amount of cyanide in the Essequibo, resulting in residents being affected by a rare skin disease. Subrina Torres, 12, from St. Mary's Village, Upper Essequibo, also has a skin infection. Her father, Claude Torres, told the Chronicle his daughter has been suffering with an unsightly skin disorder for the last three-and-a-half years. Her arms, shoulders, legs, back and other parts of her body are covered with a dark, wrinkled rash with tiny boils that itch most of the time. Torres said he took Subrina to Bartica for medical attention and was urged to take her to Georgetown for a skin specialist to deal with the case. "My income is very small", he said, adding that Subrina is forced to remain at home from school because of the rash that spreads. According to Torres, his other children have suffered bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting after drinking water from the Essequibo River. "...I feel things (are) still (being) thrown in the water, because the water only looking brown. Years back (the) river water was very clear and you don't get any skin problem", Torres, a worker at Toolsie Persaud Limited, said. Others said the cyanide spill is still affecting their crops. Some fear that livestock will be affected since they, too, must use water from the river. (SHARON LALL)
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