Page 12 - aruba-today-20180721

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 21 July 2018

Human Rights Watch urges Brazil to regulate pesticides more

By SARAH DiLORENZO sprayed right up to (schools
SAO PAULO (AP) — Hu- and communities) and
man Rights Watch urged sometimes on top of them.
the Brazilian government If you live there, you can
Friday to establish buffer get sick," said Richard Pear-
zones nationwide when shouse, associate director
pesticides are sprayed and of the Human Rights Watch
reduce the use of highly environmental division and
toxic products. one of the report's authors.
The group said in a report The report documented
that Brazil is one of the larg- dozens of cases in which
est consumers of pesticides people became sick af-
in the world and it often ter accidentally being
uses products that are not sprayed by crop-dusters or
authorized elsewhere. Of coming into contact with
the 10 most common pes- pesticides that drifted out
ticides in Brazil, four cannot of fields and into their vil-
be used in the European lages. The report said their
Union. symptoms were consistent
The poorly regulated use with "acute pesticide poi-
of pesticides puts people's soning," including vomit-
health at risk, the report ing, elevated heart rates,
said. Health Ministry data headaches and dizziness.
show that around 4,000 In this March 5, 2009 file photo, workers on tractors harvest soybeans in Campo Novo do Parecis, The authors added that
pesticide poisoning cases in Mato Grosso state, Brazil. some people refused or
were reported last year. Associated Press were reluctant to speak
The ministry said in a re- with them because there
port this year that there has wants to increase the role coffee and soybeans in the the harmful effects they have been cases of vio-
been progress on reporting of agronomists in regulat- world. The "rural caucus" can have. lence against activists who
the number of cases, but ing and monitoring how of lawmakers in Congress, Specifically, the report calls call for reducing the use of
that the figures continue to pesticides can be safely who defend the interests of on the country to enact pesticides.
greatly underrepresent the used. He did not elaborate. large landowners, are allies and enforce national rules Human Rights Watch said a
reality. The Health Ministry did not of President Michel Temer that keep ground-spraying bill making its way through
The Agriculture Ministry said immediately respond to a and wield significant politi- of pesticides away from ar- Brazil's Congress would
state governments handle request for comment. cal power. eas like homes and schools. make it easier for pesticides
the regulation of pesti- Agriculture is a major en- Human Rights Watch urged A rule already exists for aer- to be approved, including
cides. But Luis Rangel, a gine of the economy in Brazil to reduce the use of ial-spraying, but the group by limiting the role of health
senior official with the minis- Brazil, which is among the highly hazardous pesticides said it was not consistently and environment agen-
try, added that the ministry largest producers of sugar, and to learn more about followed. "Pesticides are cies. q

Ecuador's ex-president seeks protection from arrest order

QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — Ex- the former leader is living in criminal prosecution. While failed to appear for legal in Ecuador's capital as they
President Rafael Correa Europe. in power, he denounced proceedings in connection investigate the botched
asked for international pro- Correa appealed to the the commission as being il- with a kidnapping case. 2012 kidnapping of his for-
tection Friday after an Ec- Inter-American Commis- legitimate. Correa has not been mer political rival Fernando
uadorean judge ordered sion on Human Rights for A judge in Ecuador ordered charged with a crime, but Balda. The 55-year-old Cor-
that he be jailed for missing protection, saying he is Correa's arrest and extradi- officials requested he ap- rea lives in his wife's native
a court date, even though in grave danger from the tion from Belgium after he pear periodically in court Belgium.q

Doctors Without Borders closing 2 hospitals in Haiti capital

Associated Press the Tabarre area will close very hard decision," Choui-
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) next year, said Michelle nard said.
— Doctors Without Borders Chouinard, who heads the Many poor people in the
is closing two hospitals in group's mission in Haiti. capital depend on the ob-
Haiti's capital opened by Both facilities opened in the stetrics hospital, which has
the aid group in the after- wake of the earthquake treated about 500 patients
math of the January 2010 that killed tens of thou- a month.
earthquake that devastat- sands of people and left About 40,000 babies have
ed much of the city, an of- the capital and much of been born there.
ficial with the organization southern Haiti in ruins. Both Doctors Without Borders will
said Friday. were intended to be tem- continue to operate four
A 176-bed obstetrics hos- porary but were extended clinics in Haiti, including
pital in the Delmas area because of the medical one in Delmas that provides
Inocia Meroliste stands with labor pains outside the closed gate of Port-au-Prince will close needs in the impoverished emergency medical care
of Sans Frontieres hospital in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Thursday, July
19, 2018. in the coming days after country. to victims of sexual and
Associated Press some final patients are dis- "Given that the situation in gender-based violence.q
charged and a hospital in Haiti is still difficult it was a