Asbestos in East Timor
East Timor’s history with asbestos
is not as much an example of how exposure to the fibers can come
through long-term exposure caused by living near asbestos mines or
working with products containing the fiber. Instead, East Timor is an
example of the disastrous consequences that can come when countries
don’t make concerted efforts to remove asbestos from buildings that used
the fibers in their insulation and linings.
Following a vote in 1999 in which residents of East Timor
overwhelmingly voted in support of independence from Indonesia,
anti-independence militias led violent attacks throughout the country
that left a path of destruction across the Republic until it was
quelled.
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Along with the 1,000 people who were killed in the attacks was a
significant amount of buildings that were destroyed and left as rubble.
Unfortunately, many of those buildings had been built in the 1960s or
1970s and contained asbestos that was released into the air.
The problem only worsened when workers paid minimal wages sent in by
The World Bank to help clean up the destruction and remove the asbestos
particles were not properly warned of the dangers of inhaling the
fibers, or given the proper protective materials and clothing to keep
them from inhaling particles in the air. These workers and thousands of
others, had an increased risk of developing an asbestos-related disease,
including mesothelioma, a rare and deadly form of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.
Similarly, the United Nations Transitional Administration in East
Timor has also been accused of knowing the extent of the danger
associated with asbestos in the air, but not taking proper actions to
keep workers and residents from being exposed to it. Both organizations
have been criticized in the years since the cleanup in the region got
underway for mishandling the situation and putting their monetary gain
ahead of utilizing safe practices.