And hot on the heels of the shared information from Stop The Serengeti Highway / Save the Serengeti comes this piece of information which was just recently circulated to the tourism fraternity in Tanzania.
Too few visitors to the Serengeti ? That sure is a novel way to justify the highway, Yes ???
For your info
Subject: Tanzanian Attorney General Justifies Plan to Build Highway
through Serengeti Park | East Africa News
To: Tourism Associations
Under the Tanzania National Business Council (TNBC), Tourism Sector
has been charged with the task of proposing to the next TNBC Meeting
in March, among other issues, specific measures that will promote
sustainability of Tanzania’s Bio-diversity for the benefit of the
current and future generations
I did not know that the Serengeti through road is meant and will
increase tourism visitors into Serengeti, since the Park has been
suffering from low patronage.
Colleagues, I thought I should share this with you all.
http://www.zegabi.com/articles/?p=7527
Tanzanian Attorney General Justifies Plan to Build Highway through
Serengeti Park
Mr. Gabriel Malata, the principal state attorney and representative of
the government of Tanzania in the ongoing trial over the construction
of a super highway through the Serengeti park has vindicated the much
criticized decision of the government.
According to Mr. Malata’s argument at the East African Court of
Justice, the super highway will bring no harm to the park’s ecosystem,
rather he contended that it will increase traffic to the park – which
has suffered from low patronage.
He also noted that, contrary to the claims of the complainant, the
highway does not violate any of the East African Community’s founding
treaty.
According to him, Kenyan-based Africa Network for Animal Welfare
(ANAW) had speculated on the type of road being built, and lodged
their case with the East African court.
However, he noted that the authorities have decided to construct the
part of the 5-kilometer road that will cut through the park in gravel
– nullifying the complainant’s concerns about the effect of a tarmac
road on the park’s ecosystem.
Mr. Malata also argued that since the East African Community is yet to
ratify its protocol on Environmental and Natural Resources, the
actions of the Tanzanian authorities were not a violation of this
protocol.
In 2010, Africa Network for Animal Welfare sought a "permanent
injunction" against Tanzanian authorities after it was revealed that
plans were being drawn up to carve a road out of one of the region’s
most impressive natural reserves.
The complainant has argued that the road will bring drastic changes to
the ecosystem, which may negatively affect the animals.
Besides the harmful fumes and noise cars will emit and the possibility
of animals being run over, the organization says the highway may
disrupt the famous wildebeest migration.
While many ecological experts have asserted the issues raised by the
complainant, many tourism experts have also given credence to the
arguments of the Tanzanian government.
Some environmentalists have suggested that the government builds the
section of the highway which will pass through the forest above ground
level. Others have suggested that authorities identify another route
to construct the highway such that it does not intersect into the
reserve.
The contentious highway is expected to significantly reduce the time
it takes for people to move from Arusha to the coast.
Currently, people moving Arusha to Musoma have to go on a long,
time-consuming journey around the large reserve.
The Arusha-based East African Court of Justice is yet to reveal what
date it will make its ruling on this case which balances ecological
preservation and economic interest against one another.
While many environmental protection groups highlight the dangers of
the highway in hopes of gathering public support for the campaign to
stop the project Tanzanian authorities say the long awaited highway will support the
growth of tourism as one of the most important sources of national
income.
