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EOHR issues a report on Al-Salam Steamer sinking
Black Corruption and Red Contaminative with Victims Blood
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18/2/2006
Saturday the 18th of February 2006, the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) issues its qualitative report on the disaster of Al-Salam Pikasho Steamer 98 sinking entitled 'Black Corruption and Red Contaminative with Victims Blood', scheduled in sixty pages, it determines fact-finding mission's monitoring results in the two cities Hurgada and Safaga, testimonials of the saved and the kindred assembling before Ports; Hurgada, Safaga and Military Hurgada , and the official testimonials of authorities in general both in hospitals and the Governorate.
The report sheds light on violations done against the innocent citizens; victims of corruption and negligence, and state apparatus' lack of organization in disasters, in which the crisis results were more critical due to security apparatus' bureaucracy, the state's negligence towards defendants' investigation, the steamer deteriorated status and putting Saudi-Egypt Marine lines under monopoly of Al-Salam Corporation for Marine Transport, in addition to running up Panama flag on the steamer.
Moreover, it conveys also the state's non compliance with Law 232 of [1989] of steamer's security status, issued in (28 December 1989).
Finally the report stated again that the disaster was due to lots of elements caused more critical results, either from authorities or the public in which state apparatus lack of organization and obvious planning in dealing with crucial disasters led to more aggravation for the crisis. Though in order to prevent future disasters and negligence in dealing with a great crisis such as Al-Salam Steamer sinking,
EOHR Demands the Following:
1) Egyptian Government
a) Paying 700000 Francs or 4480000 (four millions four hundred thousand Egyptian Pounds) for victims' kindred according to covenants of 1974 Athens Convention in which Al-Salam 98 Steamer runs up Panama Flag.
b) Forming high commission to investigate in the crisis (reasons, aggravations and solutions), and calls upon all ministries to start planning a specific unit for all sorts of disasters, takes security precautions.
c) Constituting a group of experts to check out all steamers working in Egypt Marine and updating concrete instruments including engine status, alarm systems, salvation instruments .... etc, in order to guarantee citizens' safety.
d) Improving and updating tools and specifics of Egyptian Ports and Marine Transport Institutions, creating rapid experienced alarm and salvation systems to solve the crisis immediately and updating the ports with brand concrete instruments to avoid repeating these disasters lately in the future.
2) Prosecutor General and Ministry of Interior
a) Hold investigation on causes and results of Al-Salam 98 Steamer disaster;
b) Hold investigation on lifting three extra floors up the steamer and checking out its inconformity with architectural basics and extra extensions.
c) Issuing a decree of discretion to all files of Al-Salam Corporation for Marine Transport, and declare investigation results to the public and prosecute defendants.
d) Open old investigation in previous disasters started with Salem Express Steamer to Upper Egypt Train disaster, capsized tourism buses in the Hajj and minor Hajj seasons and ended with buildings destruction over inhabitants and the access to eradicative carcinogen acids.
3) People's Assembly
a) Issue a decree to amend Steamer Integrity Law 232 [1989], specifically Articles (20 -25) Penal in order to put harsh decrees on defendants.
b) Issue a decree to amend Marine Trade Law 80 [1990] of the authorities' responsibility on accidents and its compensations, according to Athens Convention [1974] of Public Transportation.
c) Issue a decree to establish an independent council for crisis management with specific budget, holds specialists in the fields related to geographical disasters and away from any state observation, while the state ministries had to form their own council.
d) The council should declare investigation results of its mission, related to Al-Salam disaster to the public, civil society organizations and the National Council for Human Rights.
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