A conference at Azad University in Ahwaz City heard that the Iranian regime's industrial policies are causing environmental chaos in Khuzestan, the Ahwazi Arab homeland, reports the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) (
click here for report
).
The conference was hosted by Azad University's Department of Science. At the conference, Dr Hormoz Mahmmodi Rad, the head of Khuzestan's environmental organisation, described situation affecting the province's natural environment as "worrying" and "chaotic" with serious consequences for human health. He emphasised the need for planned industrial development with action to stop the industrial pollutants from pouring into the Karoun River. The Karoun is an essential water source for agriculture as well as fishing, which together provide the largest source of income for indigenous Ahwazi Arabs.
Dr Mahmmodi Rad warned that the province's natural environment was in a perillous state, with biodiversity in the marshlands severely threatened and some animal species could face extinction as a result of industrial pollution.
Khuzestan represents 80-90 per cent of Iran's oil production and also hosts a growing petrochemical industry, with the Arvand Free Zone the focus of government efforts to increase sector output.
Two rare species of fish formerly abundant in Iran's Gamasyab River, flowing from the northern part of the Zagros Mountains, west of Iran, are on the verge of extinction, reports Iran Mania ( click here for report )
Rapid development and industrialization in particular, pollution, overfishing, dam building, aquaculture, breeding and introduction of non-indigenous species of fish has lead to disappearance of two major species of fish unique to Gamasyab River - the Shirbot and Soleymani. The Gamasyab River is the origin of the Karkeh river, which flows through Khuzestan.
Iran Mania states that the Gamasyab River "is the habitat of many endangered species of large tropical and semi-tropical region fresh water fishes. They include Barbus tetrazona and Barbus oligolepis which were formerly seen in abundance in the river."
Speaking to the British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS), Reza Vashahi, an Ahwazi environmental and human rights campaigner, said: "Khuzestan is a major source of pollution from its oil and related industries. Air pollution makes it hard to breathe in areas close to industrial plants.
"The province's water resources are heavily polluted, the ancient palm groves are dying and dead fish are being washed ashore on a daily basis along the coast.
"Environmentalists want the international community to put a pressure on Iran to stop destroying the natural environment, on which Arab Ahwazis depend for their livelihoods."
Labels: environment
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keywords: ahvaz ahwaz ahwazi arabistan khuzestan khuzistan khuzestani arab arabistan iran iranian human rights security oil news ahmadinejad ethnic cleansing
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