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(TIMES) Chiefs launch ‘Save Zambezi’ campaign

Chiefs launch ‘Save Zambezi’ campaign
By KELVIN KACHINGWE

CONCERNED that its people, wildlife and natural heritage are under unparalled and imminent threat from mining activities, 17 chiefdoms in the Zambezi basin from Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique have come together to call for urgent action, that of saving the Great Zambezi.

The 17 chiefdoms from the three countries have been calling for support from their respective presidents, ministers and local governments and the international community.

The chiefs from Zambia are Chieftainess Chiyaba of Kafue, Chief Chipepo of Siavonga, Chief Simaamba of Siavonga, Chief Sinambwe of Siavonga, Chief Mphukaof Luangwa, Chief Mburuma of Luangwa, Chief Sinazongwe of Sinazongwe and Chief Munyumbwe of Gwembe.

The chiefs contend that the proposed projects by Zambezi Resources, Albidon Mining, Glencore International, Rio Tinto, Omega, and Africa Resources, are threatening their existence and traditional way of life.

“They must not proceed in their efforts to develop uranium, copper and gold mines near the shores of our great water sources. Uranium mining could result in the displacement of thousands of our people…people who willingly moved in the 1940’s to create our precious national park, and were then required to move again for the building of the Kariba Dam.

“This is notice to these companies…we’ll not be moved from our traditional lands and we’ll protect them from unsustainable foreign development. Our beautiful Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia’s greatest natural heritage, and the neighboring Chiawa Partnership Park which is a model joint project between community and leaseholders, are under threat by possible open pit and underground copper mining,” the chiefs say in their letter of notice.

Further, they say the possible excavations also pose tremendous threat to the UNESCO world heritage site of Mana Pools in Zimbabwe and the health and livelihood of hundreds of thousands of their peoples downstream, who rely on the Zambezi’s water all the way to the Indian Ocean. Their immense population of animals, from elephants to the smallest fish, are also at risk.

They also argue that the fragile eco-system of their escarpment and proximity of their waters to the mining sites makes “responsible” mining impossible. Although their people are poor, they say they would rather choose to remain so if their only choice is unwanted.

“We’ll not accept development that puts our children at risk. Potential accidents threaten Southern Africa’s most important lifeline and the traditional domain of our people for thousands of years… Already the poaching of elephants in our parks has tripled since mining exploration roads came in and accidents have been reported even in the initial exploratory stages of development.

“Already the Chongwe River ran red like blood with the unexplained run off from exploration. Already our boys working in open uranium pits with no safeguards are developing illnesses we have not seen before,” they said.

The issue of the Zambezi basin has increasingly become of greater interest in recent times. In fact, this is what led to the study titled State of the Environment in the Zambezi Basin 2000, which marked the first time that an assessment of a single ecosystem has been undertaken and reported upon in Southern Africa.

Handsomely produced and illustrated, the study looked at the shared resources of the Zambezi basin, taking into account ecological, social, and economic issues. These three factors are critical to achieving a state of sustainability in the Zambezi Basin.

The basin has been described as the focal point in Southern Africa in terms of energy, wildlife, biodiversity, wetlands and water resources, conservation, pollution concerns and tourism. Many countries stand to lose a great deal if it is not managed. Sustainable management of the basin is therefore crucial not only to the basin states but to the rest of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) as well.

The study was a joint enterprise between SADC, the World Conservation Union, Zambezi River Authority, the Southern African Research and Documentation Centre, and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

On bio-diversity, the report observed the emergence of cash economies, the opening up of land for agriculture, mining and settlements not only contributed to the over-exploitation of land, animal and plant species but also increased biodiversity loss. The need to arrest the loss of biodiversity is especially important in the basin where people depend on biological resources to a greater extent than elsewhere.

“Biodiversity loss in Southern Africa has been a consequence of human development, as species-rich woodlands and forests have been converted to relatively species-poor farmlands and plantations.

“However, the number of threatened species could be higher as the full extent of the region’s species diversity is unknown.

“There is a serious lack of species inventories and other baseline data that are fundamental for monitoring biodiversity trends,” the report read in part.

Last year as well, participants in the third Zambezi Basin-wide Stakeholders Forum held in November in Falls town in Zimbabwe agreed that the loss of wetlands in the Zambezi River Basin has become an urgent problem.

“Wetlands are crucial to all forms of life in the Zambezi Basin, yet they are not appreciated the way they should be,” said Tabeth Chiuta, the water programme coordinator of the World Conservation Union.

“Today, only 7.6 per cent of the entire Zambezi Basin is covered with wetlands. This percentage is on the decrease because people are unaware of the importance of having and protecting wetlands,” she added.

Chiuta was speaking at the stakeholders forum, which was held between November 27 to 29 last year and organised by the Zambezi Action Plan.
This initiative was set up by SADC to push for sustainable use of the basin’s resources.

The hope is that better use of resources could lead to greater socio-economic development in the eight states that encompass the area: Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Zambezi Basin is the fourth largest river basin in Africa, measuring 1.3 million square kilometres and is home to some 40 million people from 30 ethnic groups.
Wetlands encompass a variety of landscapes, including reef and mud flats, mangroves, estuaries, fresh and saltwater marshes, and swamps.

Siavonga, which is one of the areas falling within the Zambezi Basin, has in recent times tried to put itself on the map with business and industry coming together to start a website intended to inform visitors and prospective investors about the town.

It provides information on tourist facilities and activities available, business opportunities, information on local authorities and procedures, the chiefdoms and the people of Siavonga and places of interest to visitors.

The web-site is primarily sponsored by the business community, third party advertising and donations. Situated on the north shore of Lake Kariba, Siavonga, the second largest tourist destination in Southern Province after Livingstone, it prides itself in the lake and the Kariba Dam Wall, towering 118 metres above the Zambezi River, as it main attraction.

At the time of construction in the 1950s, the Kariba Dam was known as one of the engineering wonders of the world and was once the largest man-made lake in the world.

“If indeed the dam wall was considered one of the ‘engineering wonders’ of the world, the lake itself can then be considered as one of the ‘engineered wonders’ of nature. Sadly much of the big game on the Zambian side of the lake has disappeared, although these can still be found west of the Kota Kota Peninsular,” reads one line on Siavonga-zambia.com.

The lake is host to a wide variety of fish species including the mighty Zambezi tiger, various species of tilapia and nembwe, and of course the colossal vundu and barbel. Birdlife is also prolific with Zambia’s national bird the fish eagle in abundance. Hippopotamus and the Nile crocodile are also frequently seen and occasionally small mammals are evident.

As the lake was flooded, the forest land in the valley was inundated with water. Much of the forest can still be seen rising above the vast waters of the lake and after being 50 years submerged, the trees still stand as monuments to the history of what once was the Zambezi valley.

At sunset, these monuments create some of the most breathtaking scenery on the African continent. The lake, coupled with some of Africa’s unrivalled landscapes make an incredible canvas for the artist and photographer alike.

What Lake Kariba lacks in wildlife, it certainly makes up in its scenic beauty, birdlife, lake activities, and affordable accommodation.
It is largely this, that the chiefs want preserved.

Labels: CHIEFS, MINING, NATURAL RESOURCES

posted by MrK @ 2:01 PM