Tensions Rising In Nile Basin Over Water Treaties - Reuters

[hatrack]

EDIT

"The 4,189-mile-long Nile and its African origins are governed by a colonial-era pact that angers upstream nations by giving effective control to Egyptian users far downstream. In the lands where the Nile originates - home to some of the world's most arid corners - tempers are rising.

"Egypt can go to hell," said Julius Juma, a Kenyan father of two who runs eight fish ponds in the village of Chemelil near Lake Victoria, the source of the White Nile. "If Egyptians try to invade Kenya because of our waters, then we are ready to die for what is rightfully ours...Kenya should forget the Nile Treaty and revert to the commercial consumption of Lake Victoria waters."

Such views are spreading among Kenya's neighbors as black Africa pushes for a fairer share of the river among the 10 countries of the so-called Nile Basin, which include Ethiopia, origin of the river's other main source, the Blue Nile. Of the countries' 300 million population about 160 million live in riverine "basin" areas dependent on Nile waters. But under a 1929 pact between Egypt and Britain, acting on behalf of its then east African colonies, Egypt can veto any use of Lake Victoria water it feels threatens levels in the Nile.

Kenya, which like Tanzania suffers recurrent droughts caused by inadequate rainfall, deforestation and soil erosion, says it needs water for irrigation and developing hydroelectric plants."

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http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/23738/story.htm

[amazona]

1. well, i'm glad i saw lake victoria while it was still there

Since I just observed many inches (more like feet) of rain during Kenya's so-called "Dry" season, I probably don't have a proper appreciation for any supposed problem of inadequate rainfall. I will comment that the deforestation and soil erosion is self-caused, by allowing goats and cattle to eat everything in sight, even in national parks. Still, I ask myself what options they have. This is a country with almost nothing in the way of natural resources except its wildlife, and its tourist industry has been destroyed by Al Qaeda and the continuing drumbeat of "terra alerts" from our own State Department. People cannot be expected to live on the hand-outs from the various church groups which seem to be the main visitors there. They want to be self-supporting and to ranch, and unfortunately there is nothing more destructive to anyone's land than overgrazing by cattle, sheep, and goats. I am sorry that the hydro-electric and the geo-thermal industry they are developing is causing such devastation to the wildlife and the national parks; it is a great loss to the world. But since the world doesn't seem to care if the average Kenyan lives or dies, then I don't much blame the Kenyans for returning the favor. They need some source of energy, or there is just no hope for them. So I can't really blame them (or Tanzania) for getting more aggressive about using these lakes, even though it is a tragedy to lose them.

As a U.S. citizen, I am in no position to criticize -- we allow ranching and overgrazing of our own "public" lands, and most of our megafauna is ALREADY extinct, and desertification is well under way on our own territories. So it's hard to offer any advice when we've had decades to work on a problem and never found any solution except to kill all the big wildlife and allow the ranchers to run riot.