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Government on giving away rainforest for sugar cane growing
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E-mailMade Popular Jun 28 2008
Uganda :
Last year a peaceful demonstration stop the government from giving away part of Mabira rainforest to the the Mehta group for sugarcane growing turned violent leaving five people dead and property in millions destroyed. The Mehta group is owned by an asian-Ugandan, a reason why asian-ugandans were heavily attacked after the violent clashes broke out.
The 30,000 hectare forest is home to both rare bird species and hardwood trees. It is also the closest environmentally intact forest to Kampala city thus a great asset with the beautiful weather.
During the recent state of the nation address, the president mentioned that the partial giveaway of the forest was still a matter to be handled by his cabinet.
Activists on the save Mabira campaign are now gearing up to stage another demonstration, code named Save Mabira phase 2. This time though, they promise to make the fight international, with hope that the government will finally drop the idea to sell off the rainforest.
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Hope the movement succeeds and Rainforests are saved...Governments should be compelled by people to abandon such moves...
(Global Perspectives)
Uganda is setting an extremely dangerous precedent. This is no less than the Shell pipelines that caused so much bloodshed in Nigeria. The sugarcane plantation may be just for the production of ethanol. Giving away rainforests for sugarcane plantation is unbelievable.
(Global Perspectives)
Museveni is behaving just like Idi Amin, the guy Museveni helped to topple. He is now trying his best to hold on to power. Not only this, he has given away vast swaths of land to fleeing Zimbabwean farmers to till. But giving away rainforests for sugarcane plantation is taking the economic development too far.
(Global Perspectives)
Thirty thousand hectares of rainforest might not be a very large area if you compared the size of Uganda itself and the rainforests it has and also if you compare the size of rainforest depletion in other parts of the world such as the Amazon rainforest or the Indonesian rainforest. Still a significant patch that simply cannot be wasted away on a commercial project esp when rare flora and fauna is at stake.
(Global Perspectives)
Southern African nations are indeed facing a grim situation owing to their mindless and selfish leaders - Mugabe, Museveni and even South Africa's Thabo Mbeki. These greedy selfish leaders are putting their own people in harm's way be it in the form of brutal oppression, indifference towards people's wishes and environment or be it HIV alleviation.
(Global Perspectives)
This must immediately stop. Playing with environment is no longer an option for any country. This is an international issue now and any company or country that encourages such a project like planting sugarcane clearing rainforest must be boycotted. Sanctions must be imposed on the Mehta group.
(Global Perspectives)
Simply unbelievable. But then anything is possible in Africa with leaders like Mugabe, Musevini around. Giving away part of Mabira rainforest to the the Mehta group for sugarcane plantation is obviously not without bribery and other benefits. I hope that the protests grow louder and doesn't end up in too much bloodshed but in an amicable solution between the public and the government.
(Global Perspectives)
Sugarcane plantations are a great way to earn foreign currency. It involves a lot of far labourers and brings in relative prosperity. I don't think cleaning a patch of 30,000 hectares would be so bad compared to the employment it will provide to the poor farmers there. We must also not forget that it is a cash crop and there is a huge demand of sugar and ethanol in the world.
(Global Perspectives)
Why all governments are foresightless?
Why can’t they think beyong a couple of years of their tenure? Why should all governments be corrupt!
Hope the movement succeeds and these fools get their due.
Why can’t they think beyong a couple of years of their tenure? Why should all governments be corrupt!
Hope the movement succeeds and these fools get their due.
(Global Perspectives)
I firmly believe that right now, we all need to take care of the environment in which we live. We have done enough harm already, we ought to protect whatever is left.
The gospel in the developing countries is ”industrialize”, if all developing countries become industrialized, then the whole world over we would have rampant smog, acid rain, very high temperatures, unpredictable seasons (already causing global hunger).
Clearing 30 hectares, a habitat of rare species of hardwood and birds would be a great lose to our tourism industry.
Clearing this huge area without a re-planting policy would be a waste and should be resisted at all costs.
The gospel in the developing countries is ”industrialize”, if all developing countries become industrialized, then the whole world over we would have rampant smog, acid rain, very high temperatures, unpredictable seasons (already causing global hunger).
Clearing 30 hectares, a habitat of rare species of hardwood and birds would be a great lose to our tourism industry.
Clearing this huge area without a re-planting policy would be a waste and should be resisted at all costs.
(Local Perspectives)
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That will be the single most destructive move, over the long haul.