Ever since I arrived in Kampala, I never really came across a detailed conversation or discussion about the environmental issues and the mainstreamed notion of Global Warming. The only time that I can remember talking about Global Warming was that one time when I asked when the raining season ends in Uganda, other than that I cannot think of any other conversations about the environment. To me it seems like the people of Uganda are consumed with other issues in their lives (different diseases, increase in food prices and etc) that they fail to encounter the importance of environmental issues that people out West are constantly distressing about.
Although people do not pay enough attention to environmental issues here in Kampala, every day that I finish a bottle of mineral water, I am reminded of the lack of attention to such issues. For the purpose of this assignment, I asked my land lady about recycling in Uganda. She said that in Kampala, there are no separate bins for recycling; in fact there are “private” companies that suppose to go through the garbage to avoid the burning of the plastic bottles. She was as skeptical as you probably are right now but she didn’t seem to be really disturbed by it.
Uganda was identified as the “Pearl of Africa” by Churchill…I am pretty sure he was not referring to today’s downtown Kampala. The city is polluted by car and noise pollution. Almost all taxis send out enough CO2s that can increase your chances of getting lung cancer by more than 50%. The most I have seen people do is to pull their windows up so they won’t DIRECTLY inhale the pollution. Quite a few times I have been laughed at by people for complaining about the amount of CO2s that I inhale on regular basis. But can you really blame them for making fun of me?
At situations like this, I keep forgetting that most of the residences of Kampala are so consumed and troubled by their day to day lives that they fail to encounter greater issues that is affecting people on a larger scale, i.e. the environmental issues. Aside from people’s enthusiasm for Obama, I haven’t seen people being too consumed about world news. Even though they read news papers almost religiously, they fail to pay too much attention to what is happening outside of their continent. Some may call it ignorance, but to me, I think that it is due to their troubled lives. When a family is worried about finding food for themselves or the threat of HIV, I am pretty sure they couldn’t care any less about issues that might affect them on a larger scale.
Going back to environmental issues, I think that the struggle that people face on a day to day basis, fails them to pay any attention to the environment. However, since consumption is quite limited due to people’s lack of capital and access, the exploitation of the environment is happening in a more sustainable pace than any where in the Western world.
Showing posts with label Kampala. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kampala. Show all posts
Monday, June 16, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Hope
I can hardly believe that today is officially the second week that I am in Kampala. Compare to what I had expected, things seem to be a lot smoother than what I had expected. Since I am interning in a Human rights organization, I come across many interesting/inspiring/depressing issues through out the day. I have had a chance to meet amazing activists from in and out of Uganda and I have had a chance to hear from them what it is like to be human rights activist in certain regions.
About a week ago with the help of Amnesty, one of the Human Rights Defenders who the organization that I work for protects organized a semi demonstration against the government of Ethiopia. For me it was interesting to attend this demonstration since I was now able to place people behind all the paper work that I had been doing. The demonstration was taking place in front of an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala. When I asked the people why we don’t approach the embassy they said that the government of Uganda has banned demonstration in “sensitive” parts of the city to avoid violent riots. There we were in front of a restaurant, underneath of the Ethiopian flag, holding a candle and shouting the slogans that were read by the activists. It was interesting to see people’s reaction and how many people who were around the area immediately left since they feared tear gases and violent police attacks. Even though, as the demonstration continued, the number of police officers who were observing our demonstration increased, there was no violence. At one point, however, a few people from the Ethiopian embassy approached us and were shouting that our slogans were lies and such. But than again, there was no violence.
After the demonstration, where about 50 people had showed up, we decided to go to the restaurant that we were demonstrating in front of , for supper. The lady who led the demonstration, Sebleh, was a 26 year old woman from Ethiopia who was the member of the opposition party during the presidential election in 2005 and was arrested and sent to jail for 2 years. Last year, when she left the prison on bail, she escaped to Kampala. My boss, who was one of the first people that she contacted to report her status, admitted that Sebleh immediately used the money that was provided for her to fulfill her basic to create a website for the fellow opposition member who were spending time in prison or were not able to escape Adis Abbaba.
When I met her and asked her a few questions, I could not believe how brave a 26 year old woman could be. Throughout our discussion she constantly emphasized on reconciliation and how regardless of how much the government of Ethiopia was pushing her to create rage against them, she was all for peaceful negotiation and not violence. She was telling me that she had to let go of her anger in order to beat them, and to me that was a powerful statement, especially considering all the things that they had done to her. I haven’t had the guts to ask her what really happened to her in prison, but I can only imagine what could a ruthless government do to a passionate, innocent 26 year old woman.
The time that I spent with Sebleh and every time that I have met up with her after the day of the demonstration, was worth every single difficulty that I have faced or will face during my stay in Kampala. Not only she gave me insight about the inside politics of the West in Ethiopia and countries in this region, but she taught me lessons that I probably would not have learned sitting in classrooms anywhere else in the world. Her passion for her country and her history, her respect for all man kind, her curiosity in others and many more allowed me to realize that hope still exists in this world. Being a pessimistic person that I usually am, especially regarding world politics and such, I was ashamed of my self for loosing hope in creating change. Now, there was a lady in front of me who experienced everything that I had only read in books and still managed to live everyday with hope, even though every day is a reminder for her that her life is in danger.
Today I decided to share this inspiring story with those of you who live in the North and might come across days where you might think that it is all a waste. Even though it might be, lets not think about that and try to see the positive. If not for you, than for people like Sebleh who sacrifice their lives for change. I know to most of you Sebleh is only a name that you read and you might not be able to see the person that she is behind this name that I keep mentioning, but try to put your self in her shoe for 1 second and you will find the hope in you to continue.
Last time I spoke to Sebleh she told me that UNHCR has informed her that Kampala is no longer a safe place for her to stay due to Ethiopian government’s affiliation with Uganda, therefore they are relocating her. She wasn’t sure where she was relocated to, and if she finds out, she has to keep it a secret to everyone around her. However, since I am working on her file I am entitled to know the location which makes me feel specialJ.
Anyways, I hope I did not bore you by preaching so much. It is just that at times I find my self not having enough hope to do well, and I thought that those of you who might find your selves in similar situations might appreciate this story.
All the best.
About a week ago with the help of Amnesty, one of the Human Rights Defenders who the organization that I work for protects organized a semi demonstration against the government of Ethiopia. For me it was interesting to attend this demonstration since I was now able to place people behind all the paper work that I had been doing. The demonstration was taking place in front of an Ethiopian restaurant in Kampala. When I asked the people why we don’t approach the embassy they said that the government of Uganda has banned demonstration in “sensitive” parts of the city to avoid violent riots. There we were in front of a restaurant, underneath of the Ethiopian flag, holding a candle and shouting the slogans that were read by the activists. It was interesting to see people’s reaction and how many people who were around the area immediately left since they feared tear gases and violent police attacks. Even though, as the demonstration continued, the number of police officers who were observing our demonstration increased, there was no violence. At one point, however, a few people from the Ethiopian embassy approached us and were shouting that our slogans were lies and such. But than again, there was no violence.
After the demonstration, where about 50 people had showed up, we decided to go to the restaurant that we were demonstrating in front of , for supper. The lady who led the demonstration, Sebleh, was a 26 year old woman from Ethiopia who was the member of the opposition party during the presidential election in 2005 and was arrested and sent to jail for 2 years. Last year, when she left the prison on bail, she escaped to Kampala. My boss, who was one of the first people that she contacted to report her status, admitted that Sebleh immediately used the money that was provided for her to fulfill her basic to create a website for the fellow opposition member who were spending time in prison or were not able to escape Adis Abbaba.
When I met her and asked her a few questions, I could not believe how brave a 26 year old woman could be. Throughout our discussion she constantly emphasized on reconciliation and how regardless of how much the government of Ethiopia was pushing her to create rage against them, she was all for peaceful negotiation and not violence. She was telling me that she had to let go of her anger in order to beat them, and to me that was a powerful statement, especially considering all the things that they had done to her. I haven’t had the guts to ask her what really happened to her in prison, but I can only imagine what could a ruthless government do to a passionate, innocent 26 year old woman.
The time that I spent with Sebleh and every time that I have met up with her after the day of the demonstration, was worth every single difficulty that I have faced or will face during my stay in Kampala. Not only she gave me insight about the inside politics of the West in Ethiopia and countries in this region, but she taught me lessons that I probably would not have learned sitting in classrooms anywhere else in the world. Her passion for her country and her history, her respect for all man kind, her curiosity in others and many more allowed me to realize that hope still exists in this world. Being a pessimistic person that I usually am, especially regarding world politics and such, I was ashamed of my self for loosing hope in creating change. Now, there was a lady in front of me who experienced everything that I had only read in books and still managed to live everyday with hope, even though every day is a reminder for her that her life is in danger.
Today I decided to share this inspiring story with those of you who live in the North and might come across days where you might think that it is all a waste. Even though it might be, lets not think about that and try to see the positive. If not for you, than for people like Sebleh who sacrifice their lives for change. I know to most of you Sebleh is only a name that you read and you might not be able to see the person that she is behind this name that I keep mentioning, but try to put your self in her shoe for 1 second and you will find the hope in you to continue.
Last time I spoke to Sebleh she told me that UNHCR has informed her that Kampala is no longer a safe place for her to stay due to Ethiopian government’s affiliation with Uganda, therefore they are relocating her. She wasn’t sure where she was relocated to, and if she finds out, she has to keep it a secret to everyone around her. However, since I am working on her file I am entitled to know the location which makes me feel specialJ.
Anyways, I hope I did not bore you by preaching so much. It is just that at times I find my self not having enough hope to do well, and I thought that those of you who might find your selves in similar situations might appreciate this story.
All the best.
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