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OPT: Al Mezan calls for investigation into the causes of wastewater basin collapse near Bedouin Village and calls on international community to intervene to stop the Israeli siege on Gaza

At around 3.30am on 27 March 2009, rising wastewater levels led to the collapse of one of the newly constructed basins located north of the Bedouin Village. Wastewater burst through the southwestern bank of the basin creating a large wastewater pool in a sunken area near the homes of residents living in the northern part of the village. It was only the presence of this sunken area which prevented the repetition of the 'Bedouin Village disaster' which occurred exactly two years ago on 27 March 2007. This incident has caused a major threat to the health and safety of the residents of the village.

The bank collapsed despite the fact that wastewater from the basin has been pumped to a new treatment plant east of Jabalia since the end of November 2008. This is taking place on a trial basis. The trial is aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the new plant following the completion of phase one of the project. The second and third phases are due to take place over the coming three years. The pumping of the water has been taking place at a medium level for an average of three hours a day. The relevant Palestinian authorities started to relocate the basins near the Bedouin Village to an area in east Jabalia on 1 April 2007 after receiving coordination from the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). It was expected that the first phase would have been completed two months after that date. However, as a result of Israeli obstructions, and the scarcity of materials due to the Israeli siege on the Gaza Strip, the project was not completed on time and phase one took longer than expected. The trial period is therefore still continuing today.

The basin that burst on 27 March 2009 is located on a 5-donum piece of land. It is one of two basins established north of the Bedouin village after the Bedouin Village disaster that occurred on 27 March 2007. On this date, a basin flooded the village with catastrophic results. The immediate solution at that time was to pump the wastewater out of the village in a random manner into open land near the separation borders north of the Bedouin Village. The project to create the two new basins was aimed at reducing the risk of further flooding of the existing basins in the area. Work began to build the two new basins on 2 April 2007 after the relevant Palestinian authorities - the Costal Water Facility, the Joint Services Council and the Water Authority - were able to get coordination from the IOF through international humanitarian organizations.

The 'Bedouin Village disaster' of 2007 was caused by the combination of rising wastewater levels and rainwater. A basin established on 13 September 2006 burst at around 10.00am on 27 March 2007 after water levels rose to a dangerous level. The water swept away everything in its path flowing towards the homes in the village which is located on low ground. This caused a humanitarian crisis which killed two women and three children. Their names are: Nasira Naseer Salem Abu Me'teq 75; Fatima Saleem Abu Safra, 80; Mohammed Sale Abu Me'teq, 1; Jamal Barrak Abu Safra, 3; Suheir Salam Abu Gharara, 17. The disaster also injured 32 other people including 16 women and 3 children. Further, 129 houses were severely damaged and 241 houses were partially damaged. The water swept away everything in its way including vehicles, birds and animals. Agricultural lands also sustained major damage.

Al Mezan has undertaken extensive work on this issue, working with Palestinian authorities, local residents and donor agencies, and affirms that the IOF has played a major role in the creation and exacerbation of this issue.

Al Mezan calls on the relevant Palestinian authorities to uphold their duty to undertake an immediate and effective public inquiry into the causes of the collapse of the basin especially given that the relevant authorities should have prevented such an incident through taking effective and protective measures.

Al Mezan stresses it is crucial to end this ongoing crisis which has continued for over ten years and violates the rights of the approximate 5000 residents of the village which is located northeast of Beit Lahiya.

Al Mezan Center calls on the international community to take action to remove the IOF obstacles which prevent the resolution of this issue and the completion of the project, before a further catastrophe claims the lives of more of the village residents.