Mazrui Advises On Somalia Environmentt

By Harriette Onyalla

Kampala, 26 May 2007 - UGANDA should not have deployed in Somalia, renowned African scholar, Prof. Ali Mazrui, has said.

"Ethiopia made a mistake to interfere with the affairs in Somalia. It complicated the situation," Mazrui told over 1,000 Rotarians during a conference at Speke Resort Munyonyo, Kampala last week.

"It is important to understand that having been colonised on one part by Italy and the other by the British, Somalia's situation can only be resolved with the help of troops the locals can identify with."

He believed that Arab troops would have been more acceptable to the local population because of their culture.

He, however, said the UPDF and other foreign troops in Somalia should now focus on sensitising the masses on peace other than trying to bring peace forcefully.

The director of the Institute of Global Cultural Studies also advised Uganda and other African countries to strike a balance between economic development and environmental preservation.

He said investments should be put on land, which is not occupied either by people, swamps, water bodies or forests.

"Although we need development, we should not have it at the expense of our environment because that will in itself result in underdevelopment," he said.

He told the Rotarians that Africa should learn from its past.

"Japan economically modernised without culturally westernising. China is doing the same. But most of Africa is culturally westernising without economically modernising."

Mazrui advised the Ugandan government to promote local investors over foreign ones.

"Look for Ugandans living abroad and encourage them to come back and invest at home. That way you can be sure that their profits are being injected back into the country." Present were Andy Chande, the past district governor and Brain Stoyed.

Source: New Vision

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