Today is the first International Serengeti Day. Since my January 6th post, The Road to Ruin, there has been a lot of activity, but very little gained in the campaign to stop the proposed Serengeti Highway. Speeches, petitions, newscasts, fund-raising, donations, organized protests and global pleading have not swayed President Kikwete's stance to move forward with construction of the highway. He refuses to call it a highway because "it will not be a tarmac road." Of course, the devastation to the Serengeti remains the same regardless of the road's surface. Not even a valid offer by the World Bank to fund an alternative southern route has changed Kikwete's mind.
In 1961, Tanzania's first president, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere issued a statement, the now famous "Arusha Manifesto", regarding Tanzania's commitment to wildlife conservation. His statement became an unofficial guideline for the United Republic of Tanzania and is included in "The Wildlife Policy of Tanzania", drawn up by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism.
"The survival of our wildlife is a matter of grave concern to all of us in Africa. These wild creatures amid the wild places they inhabit are not only important as a source of wonder and inspiration but are an integral part of our natural resources and of our future livelihood and well being.
In accepting the trusteeship of our wildlife we solemnly declare that we will do everything in our power to make sure that our children's grand-children will be able to enjoy this rich and precious inheritance.
The conservation of wildlife and wild places calls for specialist knowledge, trained manpower, and money, and we look to other nations to co-operate with us in this important task the success or failure of which not only affects the continent of Africa but the rest of the world as well."
- Mwalimu J.K. Nyerere 1961, The Wildlife Policy of Tanzania, March 1998
The fight to save the Serengeti continues and its proponents are dedicated and passionate about the cause. The link below will take you directly to the cafepress website where you can order t-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers and totes at very reasonable prices; a small donation to help fight the road to ruin and celebrate the launch of International Serengeti Day.
Serengeti Watch - Save the Serengeti
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