NguPat Elder, World BEYOND War, UDisemba 18, 2019
Kwiveki ephelileyo ndiye ndaphazamisa intlanganiso yokuqala yeBhodi yeeNgcebiso zokuBuyiselwa kwabemi baseChesapeake Beach abahlala kufutshane ne-US Naval Research Laboratory – Chesapeake Bay Detachment, okanye I-NRL-CBD njengoko uMkhosi waseLwandle ukhetha ukuyibiza. I-Chesapeake Beach yidolophu yaseNavy engcoliseke kakhulu kwiikhilomitha nje ezingama-35 kumzantsi-mpuma weWashington.
Iibhodi zeeNgcebiso ngoBuyiselo, yasekwa okokuqala ngo-1994, zizinja kunye neeponi zomkhosi we-psy-ops iinkqubo eziququzelelwe ngamasebe omkhosi ukuthulisa ngokufanelekileyo ukuchasana kwendawo ekutshatyalalisweni komkhosi kokusingqongileyo. Abadlali kwesi sikimu sibekekileyo-umyalelo weNaval, abo bacofa iPowerPoint kunye nabo benza amagqabantshintshi ahlukeneyo okanye babonelele ngesnack kunye ne-handouts kubantu basekhaya ngabantu abalungileyo abakhonza uMkhosi waManzi njengamalungu asebenzayo okanye abemi. Uninzi aluboni ulwaphulo-mthetho oloyikekayo olwenziwa ngabaqeshi babo, njengokudityaniswa kwe-uranium epheleyo phezu kweehektare zomhlaba, ukubeka izixa ezibulalayo ze-trichlorethylene emhlabeni, okanye ngokunzulu nangokungapheliyo kutyhefeka amanzi aphantsi komhlaba ngezingcolisi zePFAS.
Umkhosi wamanzi uthi iintlanganiso zivuleleke kuwonke wonke yaye ziqhutywa ngamaxesha afanelekileyo nakwiindawo ukuze kukhuthazwe ukuba nenxaxheba. Enyanisweni, nangona kunjalo, iiRAB's ubukhulu becala ziyimicimbi yabucala. EChesapeake Beach kwakungekho saziso esidlangalaleni ngentlanganiso. Abane kwabo babekho bandixelela ukuba babenexhala yindlela uMkhosi waManzi osiphatha ngayo ungcoliseko kwaye baye banxibelelana nomyalelo womkhosi waselwandle, ngokuthe ngqo okanye ngamajelo ezopolitiko asekuhlaleni. Bamenyiwe ukuba bazimase umsitho wokumiselwa kwe-RAB. Yiloo ndlela iNavy rolls. Yiloo ndlela onke amasebe aqengqeleka ngayo.
Umkhosi uchaza iRAB ngale ndlela: “Ii-RABs zinceda ekuboneleleni ngolwazi olupheleleyo ngendlela yegalelo likawonke-wonke elinika abenzi bezigqibo iinyani ezongezelelweyo, iinqobo ezisemgangathweni, kunye neembono. Oku kubavumela ukuba baqwalasele kwaye babandakanye ulwazi olungcono kunye nobuchule obuvela kubo bonke abachaphazelekayo. Inkqubo yokubandakanyeka koluntu eqhubela phambili nenempumelelo efana ne-RAB kufuneka ithintele ulibaziseko kwaye incede, kunokuba ithintele, iprojekthi. I-RAB enikezela ukumelwa okulinganayo kulo lonke uluntu oluchaphazelekayo inokuseka isiseko sokwakha ubudlelwane kunye nokuthembana. "
Ehlabathini lokwenyani-ihlabathi elingaphandle kokusebenza kwengqondo kucekisekayo kurhulumente wase-US ngokuchasene nabemi bayo-uMkhosi, uMkhosi wasemanzini, uMkhosi woMoya, kunye neeMarines ziye zatyhefa uluntu kwilizwe liphela kwizizukulwana ezininzi. Abantu abasesichengeni baye bathwaxwa ngumthwalo onzima wecarcinogens emanzini, emhlabeni nasemoyeni. IPentagon kunye nolawulo lukaTrump bazimisele ukuqhubeka nokuziphatha kwabo, ke basebenza ngeeRAB's ukunciphisa uxanduva olunokwenzeka kunye nokuthomalalisa iinkxalabo zabemi.
Le yindlela yabo yokuthomalalisa uluntu kwaye bathintele ukuxhathisa kwaye benza umsebenzi onzima.
Ndifumene intlanganiso yokuqala yeBhodi yeeNgcebiso ngoBuyiselo eChesapeake Beach kumfazi endimaziyo ohlala kufutshane nesiseko ebenobunkunkqele obunzulu malunga nerekhodi yosulelo loMkhosi waManzi. Omnye wandixelela ngaphambi kwentlanganiso ukuba uye wafunda esinye seziqendwana zam ezingosulelo kwaye wayeyixhalabele ngokunzulu intsapho yakhe.
Ngaphambi kokuba iqalise intlanganiso, ndabeka iikopi zeli nqaku Ndipapashe eChesapeake Beach malunga nokungcoliseka kwePFAS, kunye nale nto Iphepha leenyani elinamaphepha ama-4, kuzo zonke izihlalo.
Intlanganiso yaqalisa ngentsimbi yesi-5:00 emva kwemini, malunga neyure ngaphambi kokuba abantu abaninzi bagoduke bevela emsebenzini eWashington. Iintshayelelo zokuqala zaloo ntlanganiso zazityhila. Kwabangama-28 nangaphezulu ababekho, abali-12 babenetheko elisemthethweni yaye uninzi lwabo lwalukuMkhosi waseLwandle. Abantu basekuhlaleni bacelwa ukuba bazichaze baze batsho kancinane ngesizathu sokuba babelapho. Uninzi lwathi luhlala kufutshane kwaye lunomdla wokufunda ngalo mbandela. Omnye uthe weza kuba exhalabele amanqanaba ongcoliseko kumanzi aphantsi komhlaba kwaye ufuna ukufunda ngakumbi.
Ndithe ndingumbhali we-Civil Exposure kwaye bendixhalabele ngokuphambili kukungcoliseka koMkhosi woMkhosi wamanzi aphantsi komhlaba aneenxalenye ezingama-241,000 ngetriliyoni nganye kwezona ntlobo zibulalayo zePFAS, kwaye loo mibhobho inokuba isasazeke iimayile ukusukela ngo-1968 xa kwaqala ukukhutshwa. Ndithe ndixhalabile ngempilo yabasetyhini abakhulelweyo eCalvert County abangazi ngcono kwaye banokusela amanzi acocekileyo anePFAS.
Ndagqiba ngokuthi uMkhosi waManzi ubange kwingxelo yenjineli yokuba ukungcoliseka kwawo i-akhwifa engaphezulu akunakufikelela kwi-aquifer enzulu apho amaqula asekuhlaleni atsala amanzi awo. Ndachaza ukuba banqatshelwe ngenxa yokuba i-3 yamaqula angama-42 awavavanyayo afunyenwe ukuba aqulethe i-carcinogens. Ndiye ndahlala phantsi.
Kwake kwathuleka apha egumbini imizuzwana. Amagosa omkhosi wasemanzini andithi krwaqu ngoxa abantu bedolophu babemangalisiwe. Iintshayelelo zikawonke-wonke ziqhubekile, zilandelwa yeyona ntetho ingakhuthaziyo ye-PowerPoint enezilayidi ezingama-37, ezaliswe ngamanani ancamathelayo anesihloko esithi, “Intlanganiso yeBhodi yeeNgcebiso ngokuBuyiselwa #1”.
Yayintsha yonke into kubemi basekhaya, nangona iyiboilerplate kuMkhosi waManzi.
"Yintoni iBhodi yeeNgcebiso ngoBuyiselo? Iqela labathathi-nxaxheba elidibana rhoqo ukuze lixoxe ngokubuyiselwa kwendalo kwindawo ethile ngoku eyeyeSebe lezoKhuselo (DoD) apho iDoD yongamela inkqubo yokubuyiselwa kwemo engqongileyo.” Kwaye nangokunjalo.
“Abachaphazelekayo” abanavoti. Ziyimveliso exhaswa ngurhulumente indoctrination kunye ne-pandering.
Emva kwemizuzu emalunga neshumi lo mfazi ebesenza intetho wabuza ukuba ngaba kukho nayiphi na imibuzo kwaye umfana owayekhe wabuza amanqanaba ongcoliseko ngaphambili, wabuza ukuba angayifumana na idatha ayicelileyo malunga nokungcoliseka kwePFAS ngesicelo soMthetho weNkululeko yoLwazi. Uthe ufumene ulwazi kuMkhosi waManzi kodwa wahlengahlengiswa kakhulu kwaye akaniki nto intsha. UCaptain Homer Denius, IGosa eliLawulayo, uMsebenzi weNkxaso yaseLwandle i-Annapolis, waphakama wathetha nalo mfana, esithi, eneneni, baya kujongana nezinto ezinjalo kamva kwinkqubo. Kwabonakala kungekho mntu uchasayo.
Ngelo xesha, ndema ngeenyawo ndaza ndajongana nomphathi, owayemi malunga neemitha ezili-12 ukusuka kum. Ndiye ndamkhomba ngomnwe wam ndakhwaza kakhulu. “Lo ngumboniso wenja kunye neeponi kwaye uyayazi. Umkhosi wamanzi utyhefa abantu kwilizwe liphela!” Kwethuke kwathi cwaka apha egumbini. Imihlathi iwile. Bamangala abantu bandijamela. Ndilinde imizuzwana embalwa kwaye ndaxelela abantu ababesegumbini ukuba bafunde iincwadana zam kwaye bafumane iinkcukacha zam zoqhagamshelwano. Ndahamba ndithe chuu.
Khange ndiyicwangcise ngolo hlobo. Umkhosi wamanzi wawuneekopi zePowerPoint eprintiweyo kwaye ndandiqhelene ngokupheleleyo nemixholo yayo elahlekisayo kunye nepropaganda, ngoko ke ndandingenamdla wokuhlala. Ndicinge ukuba ndingafumana ithuba lokwenza impembelelo. Ngelishwa, akukho mntu ufikelele kum, nangona bendinethemba lokuva kumfana ofumene ulwazi oluhlaziyiweyo kwisicelo sakhe seFOIA. Zange ndithathe ifani yakhe ngexesha lentshayelelo. Sidenge sam.
Ndibhadlile. Umkhosi wamanzi unokwenza nantoni na ofuna ukuyenza ngesijikelezi-langa sethu. Umkhosi ophantsi kolawulo lukaTrump uthi uyenzile "ukukhuseleka okuzimeleyo" kubutyala obuvela kwityhefu yabantu kunye nokusingqongileyo. Emva kwayo yonke loo nto, iikhemikhali ze-PFAS azibonakali kuluhlu lwezinto ezinobungozi phantsi komthetho we-Superfund yomanyano, ngenxa ye-EPA kunye nokungasebenzi kwe-congressional. Ndibasizela abantu baseChesapeake Beach, ngakumbi abasetyhini abakhulelweyo abanokuthi basele amanzi angacocwanga.
Eyona nto iphambili, evumayo i-paradigm yaseMelika kukuhamba nokuqukuqela kwaye ungayihoyi ipariah. Indikhumbuza ngento endiyixelelwe ngumsebenzi weDemokhrasi eCapitol Hill kwangoko ekwindla, "Ukumela ngokuqinileyo indawo esingqongileyo kuthetha ukuba uchasene nomkhosi."
IiRAB's zinokuthelekiswa neziqhushumbisi zamagumbi ongcoliseko, athi ngamanye amaxesha asetyenziswe nguMkhosi waseLwandle ukulahla izinto ezingaqhushumbayo kwiziza kwihlabathi jikelele. IiRABs zithomalalisa abemi.
Abaviwa be-RAB baseChesapeake Beach bayacelwa ukuba bagqibezele Ifomu yesicelo sobulungu be-RAB.
Abemi bayacelwa ukuba "Baphonononge kwaye bahlomle (ngendlela eyakhayo) kwizicwangciso zokucoca, uhlahlo lwabiwo-mali, izinto eziphambili kwiinkqubo, kunye namanye amaxwebhu obugcisa kunye neengxelo ezinxulumene ne-NRL-CBD yoBuyiselo lweNdalo."
Kuthetha ukuthini kanye kanye ukugqabaza “ngendlela eyakhayo?” Iminyaka engamashumi amahlanu yovavanyo lwaseLwandle itshabalalise umhlaba kule dolophu. Umhlaba wayo namanzi aphantsi komhlaba azele yimichiza eyingozi kunye nomhlaza. Umkhosi wamanzi uthi amalungu e-RAB ayifuni imvelaphi yobugcisa. Umkhosi wamanzi uthi uya kubonelela ngeengcali zobugcisa.
Abaviwa beRAB kwiSikhululo soMoya waseNaval esikufuphi sasePatuxent River bayacelwa ukuba bagcwalise a Survey Monkey Form efuna ukuqokelela ulwazi malunga nokubanakho koluntu ukuchasana okucwangcisiweyo kokungahoywa kokusingqongileyo koMkhosi waManzi. Imibuzo yenzelwe ukuqinisekisa umgangatho wokuthembela koluntu kuMkhosi waManzi. Qwalasela le mibuzo:
Ingaba Uyazi naziphi na iindawo ezisingqongileyo okanye abemi/amaqela entshukumo asebenza ngokukodwa ekuhlaleni? (Ukuba ewe) Ngawaphi amaqela? Ingaba uyazi ukuba i-NAS Patuxent iqhuba uphando lokusingqongileyo kunye neentshukumo zokuphendula kwiimbumbulu? (Ukuba ewe) Zeziphi? Njani Ucinga ukuba abanye abantu basekuhlaleni bazi kangakanani ngolu phando? Intoni Iindidi zemiba malunga nokubuyiselwa kokusingqongileyo e-NAS Patuxent zitsale umdla kuluntu? Intoni Ngaba iinkxalabo zakho eziphambili malunga nokusingqongileyo kunye neziza zezixhobo zokudubula e-NAS Patuxent? Ngaba uziva ukuba uchatshazelwa ngokuthe ngqo okanye ngokungathanga ngqo yi-NAS Patuxent yokusingqongileyo kunye neziza zezixhobo zokudubula? Ukuba kunjalo, ukholelwa ukuba uchaphazeleka njani? Ukhe wa wakhe wasebenzisa uvimba wolwazi?
IiBhodi zeeNgcebiso zokuBuyiselwa zigcina isiciko kwizinto. Cinga ngokuya kwintlanganiso yeRAB kwindawo yakho ekufutshane. Bonke bangcoliseke kakhulu. Qinisekisa ukuba ufunda ngeengxelo zobunjineli ngokosulelo ukuze ube neengongoma zokuthetha:
