More than 140 environmentalists from 60 countries have showed accolades (hyldest) on Wangari Maathai, Kenyas assistant minister for environment, for scooping this years Nobel Peace Prize.
Maathai, who received a standing ovation from the women during the occasion in Kenyas capital Nairobi (i den forløbne uge, red.), won the prestigious award on Oct. 8.
– We, environmentalists, at this meeting are all overwhelmed. Maathai deserves the prize for her campaign to preserve the environment in Kenya. This, for sure, is an inspiration to all of us here, Lena Sommestad, Swedish environment minister, told the two-day conference which ended in Kenyas capital Nairobi Oct. 12.
The meeting, under the banner “Women as the Voice for the Environment”, hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), was seeking to chart out ways for womens recognition in environmental conservation and sustainable development.
Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the first Kenyan to become a Nobel Laureate, was awarded the prize by the Norwegian Nobel Committee, the organisers, for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
The 64-year-old environmentalist beat 194 other nominations including former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to win the prize, which includes 1,3 million dollars awarded in the Norwegian capital, Oslo every Dec. 10.
Up to now, the straight-talking Maathai is still overwhelmed with joy and shock. – This has been the biggest surprise in my life. I was not expecting this. I am humbled that the world has recognised the work I have been doing. It never occurred to me that I would get this far, she told the UNEP conference.
She becomes the seventh African to win the award after former South Africas president Nelson Mandela, his predecessor Fredrick de Klerk, South African clergyman Desmond Tutu, Albert Lutuli, also from South Africa, Ghanaian Kofi Annan, current secretary General of the United Nations and Egypts assassinated president Anwar Sadat.
Maathais contribution to the environment and her winning the award was highlighted at last weeks conference, where she was described as the ‘’iron lady’’ who was never afraid to confront authorities when it came to environmental issues.
Maathai, a 1997 presidential candidate in her homeland, Kenya, says the award has added impetus to her fight against social injustices including corruption.
She told a news conference in Nairobi at her Green Belt Movement offices Oct. 9 that she would continue to speak out against corruption. Green Belt Movement, of which she is the founder, is an environmental conservation organisation.
– It will take much effort to uproot corruption and replace it with a culture of transparency, accountability and integrity. The government is committed to eliminating corruption and it is trying as much to demonstrate by action that it is fighting corruption. We expect that the law will deal with every person adversely mentioned in corrupt practices. I want to give the Ringera commission a chance to work, if it fails, we will start raising alarm, she added.
The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, headed by Justice Aaron Ringera, was established last year to spearhead the war on graft.
Maathais remarks follow accusations by the British ambassador to Kenya, Edward Clay, two weeks ago of widespread corruption in government.
It is not the first time that Clay has spoken out about corruption in Kenya. In July 2004 he unleashed a fierce attack on President Mwai Kibakis government, to the fury of some of his ministers. U.S. ambassador William Bellamy followed suit, while the European Union (EU), Kenyas second largest donor, threatened to review its funding programme.
Maathai, honoured for adopting a comprehensive approach to sustainable development that combines democracy, human rights and womens rights, has been controversial in cases where the government has shown open corruption, especially, attempted to grab public property including forests
In particular, she was in bad books of the previous Kenya African National Union (KANU) regime (1963-2002) and often found herself behind bars or hospitalised from injuries sustained after being clobbered by police.
In 1999, Maathai, a mother of three, was attacked in Nairobis Karura forest by a gang that had been hired by a firm claiming ownership of part of the forest. She and her supporters had gone to the forest to protest over grabbing of the forest that had become a target of real estate developers.
In 1989, she defied former president Daniel arap Moi by opposing a 62-storey building supposed to be constructed at Freedom Corner at Nairobis Uhuru Park. Should it have been built, the complex, which was to accommodate among others KANUs headquarters, would have been the tallest in Africa.
Maathai mobilised support and stood her ground, insisting that construction of the building would suck all of the citys waters reducing it to a concrete jungle. Pressure against the project intensified, prompting Moi to abandon the plan. He was later to describe her as a ‘’mad woman, a threat to the order and security of the country’’.
Maathai has continued to be vocal on matters relating to forests, the latest one being a controversial debate sparked by some government ministers calling for re-introduction of a system of shamba, farm in Swahili, which involves communities being allowed to grow crops on forestland. The system, the officials argue, will ensure that communities take care of forests and benefit in return by gaining extra land to cultivate crops.
– Unfortunately in the last two decades, the system became corrupted and destructive, with poachers, illegal loggers, charcoal burners and even drug barons (growing cannabis sativa or marijuana) becoming common, she told journalists Oct. 9.
– Large tracts of forest lands were converted into farmlands, thereby destroying the local biodiversity and greatly reducing the capacity of these forests to be effective water towers. As a result, downstream farmers experience drying up of springs, streams and reduced water levels in rivers. Under such conditions, water projects fail, irrigation schemes fail, bore holes dry up and taps run dry, she said.
According to Maathai, the consequences are too gross for anyone to advocate turning the countrys 1,7 million hectares of indigenous forestland into farmlands and industrial plantations.
A recent UNEP publication ‘Women and the Environment’ also urged governments to regognise the role played by women in protecting the environment. The 166-page document was launched in May 2004 as part of the run-up to the Nairobi meeting.
– As the majority of the worlds poor, women play decisive roles in managing and preserving biodiversity, water, land and other natural resources, yet their centrality is often ignored or exploited, noted UNEP executive director Klaus Töpfer, in the publications foreword.
Kilde: The Push Journal og Inter Press Service
