After the documentary Arica revealed the effects of toxic waste on the people of Arica (Chile) after Swedish toxic waste was dumped there over 30 years ago, the United Nations Human Rights Council has advised the Swedish Government that “urgent measures should be taken to repatriate the hazardous wastes…and/or ensure the disposal of the hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner.”
Lars Edman and William Johansson’s film, selected for IDFA 2020, told how, over 30 years ago, the Swedish mining company Boliden shipped almost 20,000 tons of toxic mining waste to the Chilean city of Arica. Subsequent exposure to the waste led to numerous cases of cancer, birth defects and serious diseases, with the Chilean government estimating that around 12,000 people were affected.
The acclaimed documentary has come to the attention of Marcos Orellana, the UN Special Rapporteur on Toxic Waste and Human Rights. “With the screenings of the Swedish documentary Arica, the voices of the victims who demand environmental justice are acquiring greater and greater strength.”
Now the United Nations Human Rights Council has thrown its weight behind the Chilean townsfolk and campaigners, advising the Swedish Government that “urgent measures should be taken to repatriate the hazardous wastes to Sweden and/or ensure the disposal of the hazardous wastes in an environmentally sound manner.”
UN criticism is also reserved for Boliden Mining, accused of “intimidating and threatening behaviour” towards human rights defenders – namely the legal team representing the victims in Arica. Following the dismissal of the legal action brought by the people of Arica, as detailed in the film, Boliden attempted to make the Arica lawyers personally liable for legal costs exceeding US $3 million. UN Special Rapporteurs viewed this incident as “a deliberate attempt to produce a wider chilling effect of silencing and intimidating other lawyers and human rights defenders.”
The UN intervention has been welcomed by victims and campaigners in Arica, Sweden and beyond.
Rodrigo Pino Vargas, a community campaigner who appears in the film, comments: “For over thirty years we have seen our families and our neighbours suffer the consequences of this Swedish waste. We have buried our children and been forced from our homes. We will not stop until our voices are heard and the damage is repaired…The people of Arica demand that immediate action is taken to meet our health needs and that the toxic waste is returned to where it belongs, in Sweden.”
Arica producer Andreas Rocksén (Laika Film) adds: “When we were invited to screen Toxic Playground at the UN in Geneva three years ago, we had no idea where it would lead to. As the people in Arica continue to fight for justice, we will continue to amplify their voices as we share their story worldwide and applaud all initiatives to uphold and protect their human rights.”
Arica continues its festival run with screenings in Spain, Czech Republic, Italy, Belgium and France in the coming weeks.
UNHRC Letter to Swedish Government.
UNHRC Letter to Managing Director of Boliden.
