Save Mabira crusaders renew debate
Aug 27, 2007
THE Save Mabira crusade has given the Government two weeks to declare its position on the proposed give-away of Mabira Forest Reserve.
By Apollo Mubiru
THE Save Mabira crusade has given the Government two weeks to declare its position on the proposed give-away of Mabira Forest Reserve.
“The Government should tell the world that no part of Mabira forest will be destroyed. Short of that, we shall mobilise East Africans to defend Mabira,†the vice-chairperson of the group, Beatrice Anywar, said yesterday.
Anywar, the Kitgum Woman MP, told journalists at Parliament that the demonstrations would be peaceful.
“We have petitioned the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting secretariat to intervene and save Mabira,†Anywar, who is also the opposition shadow minister for water and environment, added.
Anywar said she had asked the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, on the Cabinet’s stand on the matter in vain.
“If the Cabinet abandoned the idea of the Mabira give-way, they should inform the public instead of keeping quiet.â€
In April, the group led a demonstration in which lives and property were lost.
“Our demonstration was not in vain. It exposed the Executive’s being insensitive and greedy over Mabira,†Anywar said.
The group claimed that the Executive had reiterated its proposal to give-away 7100ha of Mabira to Mehta for sugarcane growing.
Frank Muramuzi, the crusade chairman, said they had asked the three East African parliaments and the East African Legislative Assembly to intervene in the matter.
He added that the World Bank, the African Development and the European Union had been also asked to intervene.
Muramuzi insisted that they would demonstrate even when the Police stop them.
THE Save Mabira crusade has given the Government two weeks to declare its position on the proposed give-away of Mabira Forest Reserve.
“The Government should tell the world that no part of Mabira forest will be destroyed. Short of that, we shall mobilise East Africans to defend Mabira,†the vice-chairperson of the group, Beatrice Anywar, said yesterday.
Anywar, the Kitgum Woman MP, told journalists at Parliament that the demonstrations would be peaceful.
“We have petitioned the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting secretariat to intervene and save Mabira,†Anywar, who is also the opposition shadow minister for water and environment, added.
Anywar said she had asked the environment minister, Maria Mutagamba, on the Cabinet’s stand on the matter in vain.
“If the Cabinet abandoned the idea of the Mabira give-way, they should inform the public instead of keeping quiet.â€
In April, the group led a demonstration in which lives and property were lost.
“Our demonstration was not in vain. It exposed the Executive’s being insensitive and greedy over Mabira,†Anywar said.
The group claimed that the Executive had reiterated its proposal to give-away 7100ha of Mabira to Mehta for sugarcane growing.
Frank Muramuzi, the crusade chairman, said they had asked the three East African parliaments and the East African Legislative Assembly to intervene in the matter.
He added that the World Bank, the African Development and the European Union had been also asked to intervene.
Muramuzi insisted that they would demonstrate even when the Police stop them.