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At least 7 people were drowned, more than 20 still missing, and between 40 and 45 banana farms - out of the some 200 in Costa Rica - have suffered direct damage (totally destroyed) or have been semi-destroyed as the rivers burst their banks. Estimates published in the Costa Rican press value the damage at 5,000 million colones - US$ 25.2 million (although the decimal point has moved to $ 252 million in press articles!) - with 20,000 hectares out of the total 49,000 seriously affected.
95-100,000 people were left homeless and without drinking water. Production could fall between 12 and 20% lower that the 1995 total of 110 million boxes, almost certainly below the 100 million tonne mark. National targets for 1996 were a massive 150 million. 21 roads have been cut, and over US$ 5 million of the estimated damage is to people's homes.
The devaststing floods have plunged the area into a state of human emergency, as they came at a time of fast-deteriorating socio-economic and health conditions for people living in the banana zone. Those most directly affected are small campesinos or plantation workers (and ex-workers - some 80% are reported to be either black-listed by the companies or unemployed). Dengue, malaria and dissentery have become rife in recent months, and now threaten to reach epidemic proportions.
For over five years now, the independent trade union SITRAP has been denouncing the human and environmental impacts of what they refer to as 'the uncontrolled banana expansion' (of the late 80s/early 90s) and an 'ecological disaster waiting to happen'. The transnational fruit companieswih their successful, but aggressive campaign to acquire the best land for banana production (or contracts to buy the fruit produced on it), persuaded the government to change the laws governing land acquisition in such a way as to be very advantageous for the companies seeking to expand operations and make Costa Rica the world's number one exporter. The companies also carried out infrastructural works which did not meet the required standards, and abused the laws of Nature, especially in their efforts to divert major rivers and water-courses to meet the water needs of their bananas. This explains what the plantation worker unions, the Churches and environmentalists meant when predicting environmental and human damage that was just waiting to happen ("A Catastrophe Waiting in the Wings"):
"SITRAP believes that Nature sent us rain in quantities which we had not seen in the last 25 years, but it is impossible to ignore the predatory actions of the companies, with their uncontrolled banana expansion which we strongly denounced as a union: they have changed the course of rivers and built canals, banks and dykes which, in some instances, have technical faults. On this occasion, those rivers which no longer followed their natural course towards the coast and into the Caribbean Sea broke their banks and flooded whole communities, farmland, plantations and willages with regrettable - and envoidable - consequences."
1) In the immediate term, attention to the emergency. This will mean the acquisition and distribution of food, clothing and basic medicines. The resources which the organisation has for these are virtually exhausted.
2) Parallel to this we need to ensure that local and national authorities fulfil their obligation to deal affectively with those effected. This will require both a denunciation of certain irregularities but also an appeal for full coordination of official efforts. We consider that these who have suffered have the right to aid for reconstruction, since the State has the duty to pay the costs of what was far from being just a 'natural disaster'.
3) We requested international solidarity in the dhape of financial resources for tackle the emergency tasks. For these tasks we request funding of US$ 20,000 to used initially to purchase foord and clothing, and reestablish drinking water supplies.
4) In the medium term we are in the process of developing an emergency reconstruction programme for the 500 worker members of SITRAP and their families who have suffered damage in the floods.
5) We seek support in the form of faxes to the Costa Rican government and CORBANA appealing to them to prevent the banana companies from using the current crisis as an opportunity to persecute ans dismiss our members.
Signed by Secretary General, Gilberto Bermudez; Deputy Secretary General, Jorge Barboza; Women's Secretary, Doris Calvo Monge.
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