Patriotism starts with environment conservation
Apr 07, 2009
Mary Karooro Okurut in her coloumn of March 31, said: “One of the most significant developments in Uganda recently is no doubt the call by President Yoweri Museveni for Ugandans to cultivate and embrace patriotism.â€
By Ebenezer Bifubyeka
Mary Karooro Okurut in her coloumn of March 31, said: “One of the most significant developments in Uganda recently is no doubt the call by President Yoweri Museveni for Ugandans to cultivate and embrace patriotism.â€
I too, applaud the President for embarking on teaching patriotism. But for patriotism to be fruitful, its agitators need to first be patriotic themselves.
It is obvious that President Museveni successfully demonstrated his patriotism during the 1981 to 1985 guerilla war. He needs to exhibit the same in environmental conservation. One cannot be patriotic to one’s country without being patriotic to one’s environment.
It is risky to promote investment at the expense of biodiversity, which is the source of life for the citizens. Depleting forests is depriving Lake Victoria and River Nile of water.
When rainforests absorb large amounts of heat from the sun, moisture evaporates from them, forming clouds that create rainfall. However, giving away forest land for investment is not right.
For example Bidco Uganda, a company involved in palm oil production, has reclaimed over 100 hectares of Gala forest reserve, Bugala in Kalangala district in addition to 10,000 hectares of land on Bugala Island that government allocated to it for palm-tree planting in 1998. Part of that land extends to the 825-hectare-Gala forest, where Bidco has put roads and felled trees to grow more palms before the National Forestry Authority stopped it.
The entire Gala forest and others are at the verge of destruction, for the lease certificate issued by the Uganda Land Commission on July 13, 2004 indicates that Oil Palm Uganda Limited was offered the land for 99 years! They will do more investments and preferably in forests! Their lease hold title covers 3,439 hectares.
Had it not been the protests by civil society organisations and other conservationists in the 1990s, Bidco Uganda Limited would have encroached on five forests: Gala, Banga, Namatembe, Towa and Kubanda. Are they safe yet? Both citizens and investors cannot exist without water, food, air to inhale, fertile land, wildlife and minerals, which are all controlled and embedded in the environment.
Why is it that Uganda is copiously endowed — but has many poor citizens? The answer is lack of patriotism towards the environment. We need to appreciate the environment because it cleans the air, regulates climate, controls floods and filtrates water. Who is responsible for the dirty water in River Kagera?
We need investors to develop. But can’t they invest outside forests? Are forests wastelands? Who is more significant — forests or investors? Will depletion of forests eradicate poverty or escalate it?
Developing countries like Uganda should jealously protect their forests, for they are the most affected by the effects of climate change. Forests absorb gas emissions from the increasing factories.
This is the time when the US and China, — that emit over 40% of the total emissions in the world — are reluctant to stop or even reduce on their emissions. How is Uganda preparing herself for the worst consequences of climate change; by cutting trees without planting others? Does that reflect patriotism?
As President Museveni preaches patriotism in schools, churches and everywhere, let his lesson plan involve the component of forest conservation, for that is what holds the keys of life and ‘prosperity for all.’ Environment conservation is the greatest example of patriotism.
The writer is as freelance journalist
Mary Karooro Okurut in her coloumn of March 31, said: “One of the most significant developments in Uganda recently is no doubt the call by President Yoweri Museveni for Ugandans to cultivate and embrace patriotism.â€
I too, applaud the President for embarking on teaching patriotism. But for patriotism to be fruitful, its agitators need to first be patriotic themselves.
It is obvious that President Museveni successfully demonstrated his patriotism during the 1981 to 1985 guerilla war. He needs to exhibit the same in environmental conservation. One cannot be patriotic to one’s country without being patriotic to one’s environment.
It is risky to promote investment at the expense of biodiversity, which is the source of life for the citizens. Depleting forests is depriving Lake Victoria and River Nile of water.
When rainforests absorb large amounts of heat from the sun, moisture evaporates from them, forming clouds that create rainfall. However, giving away forest land for investment is not right.
For example Bidco Uganda, a company involved in palm oil production, has reclaimed over 100 hectares of Gala forest reserve, Bugala in Kalangala district in addition to 10,000 hectares of land on Bugala Island that government allocated to it for palm-tree planting in 1998. Part of that land extends to the 825-hectare-Gala forest, where Bidco has put roads and felled trees to grow more palms before the National Forestry Authority stopped it.
The entire Gala forest and others are at the verge of destruction, for the lease certificate issued by the Uganda Land Commission on July 13, 2004 indicates that Oil Palm Uganda Limited was offered the land for 99 years! They will do more investments and preferably in forests! Their lease hold title covers 3,439 hectares.
Had it not been the protests by civil society organisations and other conservationists in the 1990s, Bidco Uganda Limited would have encroached on five forests: Gala, Banga, Namatembe, Towa and Kubanda. Are they safe yet? Both citizens and investors cannot exist without water, food, air to inhale, fertile land, wildlife and minerals, which are all controlled and embedded in the environment.
Why is it that Uganda is copiously endowed — but has many poor citizens? The answer is lack of patriotism towards the environment. We need to appreciate the environment because it cleans the air, regulates climate, controls floods and filtrates water. Who is responsible for the dirty water in River Kagera?
We need investors to develop. But can’t they invest outside forests? Are forests wastelands? Who is more significant — forests or investors? Will depletion of forests eradicate poverty or escalate it?
Developing countries like Uganda should jealously protect their forests, for they are the most affected by the effects of climate change. Forests absorb gas emissions from the increasing factories.
This is the time when the US and China, — that emit over 40% of the total emissions in the world — are reluctant to stop or even reduce on their emissions. How is Uganda preparing herself for the worst consequences of climate change; by cutting trees without planting others? Does that reflect patriotism?
As President Museveni preaches patriotism in schools, churches and everywhere, let his lesson plan involve the component of forest conservation, for that is what holds the keys of life and ‘prosperity for all.’ Environment conservation is the greatest example of patriotism.
The writer is as freelance journalist