|
Still adamant as
D-Day draws near for Kenyan forests
by John Kamau, Rights Features Service
(March 13,
2001) Kenyan Environment Minister Francis Nyenze says that the
organizations involved in the campaign to save the country's forests
are "playing with the psychology of Kenyans."
In an interview
published today in a Kenyan daily, Nyenze blamed the Greenbelt
Movement in particular, led by leading African environmental activist
Prof. Wangari Maathai, of "seeking cheap publicity" by going around
collecting signatures and petitions to oppose the intended excision
of 167,000 acres of forestland.
"These lobby
groups making noise are playing with the psychology of Kenyans,"
said the minister without elaborating.
The minister's
views comes in the wake of increased lobbying and intense pressure
to thwart a government bid to whack 10 percent of Kenya's forests
and as the March 15 date when the degazetted forests will cease
to be under government protection as per the Forest Act. The minister
has promised to hold a press conference before that.
And as the
day draws near, a group of Kenyan Muslims today declared they
will oppose the intended excision of forests. In a statement released
by the National Council of Imams, the Muslim community called
on their followers "to join hands with other Kenyans to oppose
the destruction."
They asked
all Muslims "in every village and mosque" to sign up the petitions
solicited by Prof. Maathai.
"The government
has a duty to heed to constructive criticism," the Muslims said.
"The forest allocations is a misguided move only meant to benefit
a small clique while the interests of Kenyans are neglected."
The Muslims
further accused the government of "capitalizing on the squatter
problem" to destroy the Kenya forests.
A large part
of the intended excision targets Mau Forest, which is the home
of the Ogiek indigenous community. The Ogiek leaders insist that
the excision will lead to loss of their homeland and the end of
their cultural heritage as they know it.
|
