- Mabira Forest
The Mabira Forest is a
rainforest area covering about 300 km² inUganda , located in theMukono District betweenKampala andJinja . It has been protected as "Mabira Forest Reserve" since 1932. It is home for many endangered species like the primate "Lophocebus ugandae ".Deforestation plans
The "Sugar Corporation of Uganda Limited" (Scoul), owned by the "Mehta Group", planned to clear one-third of the Mabira Forest (around 70 km²) for sugarcane plantations, and had proposed to the government to de-notify and transfer this land. President
Yoweri Museveni and his cabinet supported this plan.The deforestation plans were disputed within Uganda. While environmentalists feared the loss of hundreds of endangered species, increased erosion, the damage of livelihoods of local people and negative impacts on water balance and regional climate, supporters hoped for the creation of jobs. A cabinet paper said the plan would generate 3,500 jobs and contribute 11.5 billion
Ugandan shilling s to the treasury.The
kabaka (king) ofBuganda opposed the deforestation plan and has offered alternative land for sugarcane production. The Anglican church of Mukono has also offered land. [ [http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/12/558361 New Vision: Kabaka Blocks Mabira Plans] ]At least three people were killed during a demonstration of about 1,000 for the protection of the Mabira Forest. There were also riots against Asians, since the "Mehta Group" is Indian-owned. Scoul plantations were set on fire, and e-mails and SMS calling for the boycott of Scoul's "Lugazi" sugar circulated.
President Museveni defended the deforestation plans, saying that he shall ”not be deterred by people who don't see where the future of Africa lies”. According to him, the Save Mabira activists ”don't understand that the future of all countries lies in processing”. In May 2007, the Ugandan environmental minister announced that the deforestation plans were suspended and that the government is trying to find alternative land for the "Mehta Group".
Sources
* [http://www.ecoearth.info/alerts/send.asp?id=uganda Protest against deforestation plans on EcoEarth.info]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6548107.stm BBC News: Deaths in Uganda forest protest]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6551905.stm BBC News: Uganda leader defends forest plan]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6680637.stm BBC News: Ugandan plan for forest suspended]
* [http://www.petitiontime.com/ViewPetition.aspx?key=savemabira Save Mabira Petition]External links
* [http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/Environment.asp?id=589 Mabira Forest: Ugandans Wake Up to the Cost Of Disappearing Forests in Uganda]
* [http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/Government.asp?id=602 Racial Violence, Deaths Rock Kampala As Rioter Protest Mabira Forest Giveaway]
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