Inglés para Viajes: Seguridad en Vuelos y Noticias sobre la Minería en Sierra Leona

FOR SAFETY REASONS

Although the plane is considered to be the safest type of transport, Paco has always been afraid of flying. For example, the air hostess's words always make him a bit nervous: For safety reasons you must fasten your seat belts. You don't have to wear them when the light is not on, but it is recommended to do so in case of an unexpected turbulence; For safety reasons, you must switch off any electronic equipment; The emergency exits are on both sides of the plane, two at the front and two at the back; You must read the safety card in front of you; In case it is necessary, emergency masks will be given ... for safety reasons; in case of an accident, the plane will be evacuated. For safety reasons...

In the last two decades or so, the accident rate has not changed much but the number of flights has increased significantly, which means that the probability of an accident is smaller. However, there have been some fatal events such as the tragic accident with Spanair in Barajas airport. This plane crashed minutes after it took off in August 2008 and, unfortunately, many people died.

All these "little" things make Paco nervous, so he is determined to overcome his problem. He has been reading the book for the last few days and it seems to be helping, so Paco is over the moon.

2 LECTURA

Paco has just arrived at the hotel in Freetown. He has visited the diamond mines in Koidu, which, as you already know, is 250 km away from the capital city of Sierra Leone. He is tired because, although the town is not very far, the trip has been exhausting. Can you believe it? He has missed the plane! He has even missed the hostess' words, "For safety reasons", for a while. He has felt less safe in the coach from Freetown to Koidu. What is more, he has spent five hours on the coach, "never again", he thinks.

Despite being exhausted, he has not gone to bed yet. He keeps on thinking about the old piece of news stuck on a post on his way to the mine that he has read. Probably, he will never forget what the article said:

Sierra Leone police open fire on locals protesting mining practices, by Jade Heilmann*

Police in Eastern Sierra Leone have opened fire to disperse a group of demonstrators in the mining town of Koidu, where local residents say they have not been compensated for environmental damages from the mining. As Jade Heilmann reports, several people were injured in the incident.

Dozens of young residents of the eastern Sierra Leone town of Koidu went into the mine to protest against the mining company. Sierra Leone police had to intervene and opened fire on the protesters.

Valnora Edwin is the director of the Sierra Leone non-governmental organization Campaign for Good Governance. She says the residents of the town adjacent to the mine complain that the blasting has negatively impacted their daily lives.

"They are complaining that when they are doing the blasting it is affecting their school, it's affecting everyday activities because everyone has to go indoors, there are particles flying in the air, and that is also affecting their health," she said. The residents are also complaining that the mining, which started in 2003, damages their plantations, their water supplies, and more generally, the environment. They want the mining company to pay to relocate them.

Abu Brima, executive director of the Sierra Leone Network Movement for Justice and Development, has been an avid activist against the company's practices, which he says violate human rights. He explains the community has taken legal steps to try to change the mining company's practices.

"The community people have made a number of complaints, and have written a lot of letters of complaint to the authorities," he said. "Unfortunately, they have used their heavy hands to clamp down on local communities on behalf of the mining company. Now there is a lot of panic and chaos in the whole of Koidu town," he said. Koidu Holdings, a mining company, has changed ownership several times. The current majority stakeholder is Geneva-based mining group BSG.

They could not be reached for comment, but a March 2004 press release says the company is adhering to the standards and regulations of the Sierra Leone Government and international best practices. The press release also states they have adhered to compensatory and relocation plans, but that new houses are being illegally built on land close to the mine.