FRIENDS OF THE EARTH

Tanzanians Killed at Barrick’s North Mara Mine Not Forgotten

70 gather at the Munk School of Global Affairs

Approximately 70 people gathered today at a commemoration held for the seven individuals killed in Tanzania at African Barrick Gold’s North Mara Mine. Public outcry over this violence has been amplified by recent reports that local security/police forces employed by the mine have attempted to ban a memorial ceremony for the deceased. To the horror of many local families, these security forces also stole 5 of the 7 peoples’ bodies from the mortuary.

The company has claimed that this violence was in response to an invasion of 1500 local people looting for gold ore. For others however, the real crime can be linked to the history of large-scale mining in the region. Editor of ProtestBarrick Sakura Saunders comments: “This mine was built on displacement and dispossession of the local people. These communities have a long history of small-scale mining for their livelihood that has been taken from them. Now, these same communities are being criminalized for using the survival-mechanisms that they know. They are being killed for ‘stealing’ the same gold-laced sand that used to be theirs.”

Unfortunately, this is not an isolated case. According to Carlos Jimenez a member of the Mining Injustice Solidarity Network, local mining communities often feel negative impacts and experience economic losses. He also expresses other concerns as a U of T student. He states, “It is disgusting that the University of Toronto chooses to accept donations from an industry which destroys communities and legitimizes it under the rhetoric of development. We must evaluate what kind of influence mining companies have in communities both at home and abroad.”

U of T alumni soon-to-to be graduate student Kwanza Msingwana agreed. “Barrick Gold should be held accountable . . . rather than just take the goods of Tanzania and leave the people impoverished leaving the environment in a bad state so that people cannot continue to benefit from the environment.”

President of Science for Peace, Judy Deutsch also expressed concern for human rights violations as well as the toll that mining has on the environment as a whole. She states, “The focus needs to be on preserving cultivable land and preserving water, not sacrificing young people to enrich entrepreneurs such as what just happened at the North Mara mine.”

The names of the individuals killed in North Mara mine were read out loud: Emanual Magige, 27; Chacha Mwasi, 25; Chacha Ngoka, 26; Chawali Bhoke, 26; Mwikwabe Marwa, 35. Statements were also read from Tarime residents and advocates who work in the region.

Despite receiving formal invitations, no administrators of the Munk School of Global Affairs were available for comment.

Barrick's Bodysnatchers

Wanton killings, criminalization, and degradation continue at the North Mara Mine in Tanzania

 by SAKURA SAUNDERS

 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, CANADA

A local man stands by a house in what used to be a rural area. It has almost since been overtaken by waste rock from Barrick's North Mara mine. PHOTO: NORWEGIAN CHURCH AID

NEW YORK, NY—On May 16, over a thousand people entered a mine in northern Tanzania, desperate to collect whatever gold they could from the modern industrial site that used to be their bread and butter. But instead of providing the displaced artisanal miners with a boost to their meager income, the day ended in horror. Seven men were killed, and at least a dozen wounded when police unleashed a hail of bullets.

The next day, African Barrick Gold, a subsidiary of Toronto-based Barrick Gold, released astatement admitting that seven people were killed and twelve injuried at their North Mara mine in Tanzania. The killings came at the hands of Tanzanian police, who Barrick originally claimed were under sustained attack by 800 "criminal intruders," later revised to 1,500, who illegally entered the North Mara mine to steal gold ore. Since this fatal confrontation, tensions have been high in the Tarime District, with an increase in the number of police, the deployment of water cannons, the arrest of journalists and two members of parliament for "instigating violence," and the theft of five of the seven bodies from the mortuary by police.

Confrontations between local people and the mine's security forces are not uncommon near Barrick's North Mara mine in Tanzania. As Bloomberg journalist Cam Simpson reported in a December 2010 feature story about the mine, before this latest massacre "at least seven people have been killed in clashes with security forces at the mine in the past two years." These security forces, according to company documents, include police who Barrick pays to guard its North Mara mine. 

“They are not arresting them or taking them to court,” said Machage Bartholomew Machage, a member of the Tarime District Council, the highest local government body, in an interview with Simpson. “They are just shooting them.”

One week after the most recent spate of killings, the police stormed a local mortuary and stole the bodies of four of the dead. This move, according to locals, was to prevent the villagers from holding a planned memorial service at the mine on Tuesday.

Police also arrested and charged two members of Parliament, a legal advisor, and journalists for "instigating people to cause violence." MP Tundu Lissu, who was among those arrested, was in Tarime to assist with post-mortem medical examinations of bodies to identify exactly which parts of the bodies of the deceased were shot by the police. 

“Normally if you shoot a person on the head it means you intended to kill them. However, if you shoot them on the leg it means you tried to stop them from doing something… this exercise will help us to know the police’s intention,” he explained to local journalists. Tundu was arrested two days later at the funeral of the local villagers killed by Barrick security. 

At this time, Lissu and six others remain in police custody and their bail has been denied. Meanwhile, the four journalists, MP Esther Matiko, and opposition cadre John Heche posted bail and were released after 6 hours in custody.

According to George Marato of Tazania's Guardian newspaper, these violent confrontations can be blamed in part on corruption amongst the security forces at Barrick's mine. According to his interviews with locals following the latest killings, police and company staff conspire to facilitate illegal entry into the premises to scoop sand with gold concentrates. For example, one group would pay one million shillings (around $650) in exchange for a half-hour of scooping sand from the ground.

The violent confrontations occur, according to Marato, when disagreements arise over the amount of compensation for company insiders, often due to hikes in "gold theft fees." He writes, "ensuing war of words turn into confrontations that provoke policemen to fire at the very people who had been co-conspirators not long previously."

This situation, according to Marato, is then compounded by local youngsters who attempt to force their way to the compound to scoop the sand free of charge.

Tensions with the locals can be traced back to the mine's early history of displacement and dispossession. Before the mine opened, an estimated 40,000 people living in the area, a large majority of the population, depended on small-scale mining for their livelihoods, according to a history compiled by the mine’s first proponent, Afrika Mashariki Gold Mines Ltd.

Small scale miners, represented by five villages, had mineral rights to the lands that they mined, but were forced to sell these claims to Afrika Mashariki under illegal and irregular circumstances, according to a legal complaint launched in July 2003 by the Lawyers Environmental Action Team (LEAT) on behalf of 1,273 former small-scale miners. In another lawsuit, 43 landowners alleged to have been paid no compensation, while being forcefully evicted from their lands.

Since then, there have been multiple fatal confrontations at the mine site. In December 2008, one such incident resulted in a civilian uprising where locals set fire to $7 million worth in mine equipment. This number, which was originally estimated at upwards of $15 million, is disputed by locals. As now, Barrick blamed the damage to equipment on "well-organized groups" that raided the mine site. However, signed affidavits [1, 2] from witnesses to the event claim that angry villagers had only set one Caterpillar loader on fire on a road outside the mine, after they had heard of the killing of their compatriot. These affidavits and others [3, 4] describe this incident in detail, as well as documenting the history of violence and impunity at the mine site, and the criminalization of community advocates following the murders.

* Barrick has since revised their estimate to closer to 1,500.

** This number, which was originally estimated at upwards of $15 million, is disputed by locals.

Sakura Saunders is the co-editor of protestbarrick.net, all-volunteer network of groups researching and organizing around mining issues, particularly involving Barrick Gold.

DHAHABU YA NORTH MARA: RASILIMALI ILIYOGEUKA LAANA KWA WATANZANIA

Na, Heri Ayubu



Mhe. Tundu Lissu (Mbunge)

 FRIENDS OF THE EARTH, TANZANIA.
Mnamo May 17, Kampuni ya BARRICK GOLD ilitoa tamko rasmi la kukubali mauaji ya watu 5 na wengine zaidi ya 20 kujeruhiwa katika eneo la mgodi. Mauaji yametokea chini ya mikono ya polisi, ambao kwa mujibu wa Barrick walikuja kuwasaidia kutokana na waliowaita ‘wavamizi zaidi ya 800’ ambao walitaka kuingia eneo mgodi kwa nguvu kwa lengo la kuiba mchanga wa dhahabu. Tangu tikio hili itokee kumekuwa na migogoro mikubwa katika eneo hilo, na kushuhudiwa kuongezeka kwa idadi ya polisi, machafuko na zaidi kutiwa nguvuni kwa Wabunge wawili, akiwemo Mhe. Tundu Lissu; waandishi wa habari wane; mwanasheria wa CHAMA CHA WANASHERIA WATETEZI WA MAZINGIRA- LEAT, Bwana Stanslaus Nyembea, pamoja na mwananchi mmoja.

Mgogoro na mauaji ya aina hii sio kitu kigeni, kwani mnamo mwaka 2010, mwandishi wa Habari wa shirika la Bloomberg, Cam Simpson alilipoti kuwa watu saba (7) waliuawa katika mgogoro huo na askali wa ulinzi wa BARRICK wakishirikiana na askali polisi (wanaolipwa na Barrick) katika mgogoro kama huu. Hivyo unapozungumzia ulinzi wa mgodi wa Barrick unajumuisha Jeshi la polisi pamoja na walinzi binafsi wa mgodi.

Mfumo wa utawala wa Sheria wa Tanzania unafahamika, ya kwamba ni MAHAKAMA pekee ndicho chombo chenye Mamlaka kisheria ya kumhukumu mtu kama Mkosaji na kumpa adhabu stahili. Kabla ya hapo mtu anayedhaniwa ni mharifu ni mtuhumiwa tu anayetakiwa kufikishwa kwenye mamlaka husika. Hili linamshangaza Mhe. Machage Bartholomew ambaye ni mjumbe wa Baraza la Wilaya alipohojiwa na mwandishi Simpson. “wanawapiga tu risasi, hawatii nguvuni na kuwafikisha mahakamani” alisema Mhe. Machage.

Historia ya mvutano huu inaweza kutazamwa kutoka kwenye matatizo ya uhamishwaji wa wakazi wa eneo la mgodi kupisha uwekezaji, pamoja na kunyang’anywa maeneo yao waliyokuwa wakifanya shughuli za uchimbaji mdogo (SMALL SCALE MINING). Kabla ya ‘uwekezaji’ wa wageni, eneo hilo lilikuwa na wachimbaji wadogo wasiopungua 40,000 (elfu arobaini) waliokuwa wakiendesha maisha yao kwa shughuli za uchimbaji wa madini. Wachimbaji hawa wadogo wanafanya jumla ya vijiji vitano (5) vilivyokuwa na HAKI ya kumiliki ardhi ya eneo la mgodi, LAKINI waliondolewa katika eneo lao kwa NGUVU na kinyume na taratibu na eneo kupewa iliyokuwa ikijulikana kama AFRIKA MASHARIKI GOLD MINES LTD, hii ni kwa mujibu wa kesi ililowasilishwa Julai 2003 na CHAMA CHA WANASHERIA WATETEZI WA MAZINGIRA (LEAT) ikiwawakilisha waliokuwa wachimbaji wadogo wapatao 1273. Katika kesi nyingine wamiliki wa ardhi zaidi ya 43 walidai kutolipwa fidia yoyote baada ya kuondolewa kwa nguvu kwenye maeneo yao.

Tangu wakati huo kumekuwa na migogoro isiyokwisha katika eneo hilo. Mnamo mwaka 2008 tukio moja la wananchi kudai haki zao lilipelekea kuchomwa moto kwa mali za kampuni zenye thamani ya Dola za kimarekani Million Saba ($ 7,000,000/-). Kwa mara nyingine BARRICK walitupa lawama kwa walivyoviita ‘vikundi vilivyojipanga’ kuvamia eneo lao. Mwezi mmoja baadae mwanakijiji mwingine alikufa mikononi mwa walinzi wa BARRICK. Hivyo migogoro na mauaji haya kwa makazi wa Tarime sio kitu kigeni kabisa, kwa mujibu wao imekuwa iktokea mara kwa mara na kumekuwa na tabia ya kuwaua kwa kuwaita wezi.

Pia jamii isisahau hata kidogo kile kilichotokea mwaka 2009, ambapo kemicali-sumu aina ya CYANIDE ilivuja na kuchanganyikana na maji yam to THIGITE, mto unaotumiwa na wanakijiji wa Nyamongo kama chanzo kikuu cha maji ya matumizi ya kila siku. Kutokana na tukio hilo, inakadiriwa watu wapatao Arobaini (40) walipoteza maisha, mamia wakiachwa na ulemavu wa kudumu na mifugo zaidi ya Mia Tano (500) ilikufa kutokana na kutumia maji yaliyochanganyikana na kemikali hiyo yenye sumu. Huzuni na Majonzi makubwa vimmeendelea kuwa mioyoni mwa Wakazi hawa na kuzaa Chuki na Hasira kubwa juu ya kampuni hii ya kigeni. Pia kuna kundi kubwa limeachwa halijiwezi baada ya kuathiriwa vibaya na maji hayo.

Kufuatia tukio hilo, Kitu cha kusikitisha ni wananchi walioathirika ndio waliotuhumiwa kuiba kapeti iliyokuwa chini ya ardhi (underground protective carpet) na kusababisha kuvuja kwa kemikali-sumu. Tuhuma hiyo, pamoja na kutaka kuwaweka hatiani wanakijiji wa kile kilichowaathiri wao wenyewe na kutaka kuisafisha kampuni ya AFRICAN BARRICK, imewanyima WAATHIRIKA HAWA hata haki yao ya kupata fidia kutokana na madhara waliyopata. Zaidi ya kuathirika kwa binadamu na mifugo mazingira kwa ujumla yaliathirika kwa kiasi kikubwa, na kuathiri rutuba na uwezo wa uzalishaji wa ardhi ambayo wanakijiji huitegemea kwa uhai wao.

“Unaweza ukapata picha ni hali gani waliyonayo wanakijiji hawa kwa maisha yao, baada ya yote hayo, wamekata tamaa na maisha……. Madini kuwa katika eneo lao imekuwa ni kama laana kwao…… selikali haipo upande wao tena bal indo hivi polisi na walinzi wanashirikiana kuwaua watoto wao na wanakijiji wenzao…… inasikitisha sana” Alisema mmoja wa waliohojiwa kwa masharti ya kutokaririwa.

Tukirudi kwenye mauaji ya hivi majuzi, kilichowashangaza wengi ni kitendo cha polisi ‘kuvamia’ chumba cha kuhifadhia miili wa marehemu (mortuary) na kuiba miili mine, kwa lengo la kuzuia wanakijiji kufanya maziko ya kumbukumbu ya pamoja yaliyopangwa kufanyika Jumanne ya tarehe 17^th May 2011. Hii ni kwa mujibu wa wanakijiji wa Nyamongo huko Tarime.

ATHARI ZA UCHIMBAJI WA MADINI KWA AFYA/MAISHA YA WATANZANIA

Mawasilisho katika Picha kama ilivyotokea huko North Mara - Tarime.
Lawyers' Environmental Action Team (LEAT)


 

UTEKELEZAJI WA SHUGHULI MBALIMBALI KATIKA PICHA

WASHIRIKI WA MAFUNZO YA MKUHUMI (REDD) - MOROGORO, WAKIFANYA MAZOEZI KATIKA VIKUNDI

WASHIRIKI NA WAKUFUNZI WA MAFUNZO YA MKUHUMI (REDD) MVOMERO - MOROGORO  KATIKA PICHA YA PAMOJA

MAFUNZO YA HAKI ZA KIKATIBA NA KIMAZINGIRA WILAYANI KARATU - ARUSHA KATIKA PICHA.

WASHIRIKI WA MAFUNZO YA KARATU- ARUSHA KATIKA PICHA YA PAMOJA

Mwanasheria wa LEAT, EVELYNE H. SANGA AKITOA SOMO JUU YA SHERIA YA MAZINGIRA YA MWAKA 2004

  

MWANASHERIA WA LEAT, HERI AYUBU AKIFUNDISHA JUU YA KATIBA YA JAMHURI YA MUUNGANO WA TANZANIA, 1977 NA MAZINGIRA. KARATU - ARUSHA.

UVAMIZI WA FUKWE NCHINI TANZANIA.

NA George Ngolo
LEAT

Tanzania ni nchi iliyobarikiwa maliasili nyingi sana ukilinganisha na nchi nyingine. Tumebarikiwa madini aina mbalimbali  kama vile dhahabu(Geita), almasi(Mwadui-Shinyanga), makaa ya  mawe(Kiwira), na madini yasiyopatikana sehemu yoyote ile duniani, Tanzanite.Ukiachana na madini, pia Tanzania ina  wanyama wengi wa kuvutia kama vile; simba wanaopanda miti,vyura wanaozaa(Kihansi) nk.

Tofauti na nchi nyingine ambazo suala la upatikanaji wa vyanzo vya maji ni tatizo hasa kwa ajili ya shughuli za kiuchumi kama Zambia(land locked country), Tanzania imejaaliwa mito, maziwa na bahari. Kando kando mwa maziwa na bahari kuna fukwe ambazo ni hazina kubwa ya maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya nchi yetu. Baadhi ya fukwe maarufu nchini Tanzania ni pamoja na Kunduchi, Mbezi na Bahari  Beach ambazo zinapatikana ukingoni mwa bahari ya Hindi.Lakini pia tuna fukwe zinazopatikana  katika maziwa Victoria, Rukwa na Tanganyika.

FUKWE YA BWEJUU TANZANIA

Vivutio vingi vya fukwe za nchini Tanzania vimekuwa vikitoweka siku hadi siku kutokana na uvamizi wa  wageni lakini hasa unaochagizwa na ongezeko la ujenzi wa hoteli ya kifahari  pembezoni mwa bahari na maziwa.Wamiliki wengi wa hoteli hizi wamekuwa wakijenga kuta kuzunguka hoteli ili kuwazuia wananchi kufika katika fukwe hizi  ambazo ni mali yao ya asili.Kibaya zaidi hoteli nyingi zimekuwa zikitililisha maji taka na kuyaelekezea baharini na ziwani kama njia rahisi ya kumwaga taka. Kitendo hiki ni hatari kwa afya za wananchi pamoja na mazingira. Nia ya makala hii ni kuelezea faida za fukwe, kwa nini fukwe zinavamiwa , madhara ya uvamizi na nini kifanyike ili kuondokana na tatizo hili.

Hakuna asiyejua manufaa ya fukwe hasa kwa nchi inayoendelea kama Tanzania.Sekta ya utalii nchini Tanzania imekuwa ikiongeza pato la Taifa(GDP) kwa kiwango kikubwa. Mojawapo ya vivutio vya utalii nchini Tanzania ni fukwe kama ilivyoainishwa hapo juu. Watu wengi wanapendelea  kwenda ufukweni kwa madhumuni tofauti; wapo wanokwenda kubarizi, kucheza michezo mbalimbali, kufanya tafiti na shughuli nyingine za kitamaduni na burudani(recreational activities).Ujenzi hasa wa maeneo ya pwani hutegemea mchanga kutoka ufukweni. Mfano 90%  ya ujenzi Dar es Salaam hutegemea mchanga kutoka eneo la KUNDUCHI. Eneo hili hivi sasa limegubikwa na mashimo makubwa(gallies)  yaliyopelekea uharibifu mkubwa wa mazingira kutokana na kuchochea mmomonyoko wa udongo. Fukwe ni chanzo cha ajira miongoni mwa wananchi ambao kazi yao kubwa ni kukusanya viumbe wa baharini kama; chasa, magamba ya kasa,  nge, konokono   ambao hunakshiwa na kutumika kama mapambo.

Wengi watajiuliza nini kinasababisha ongezeko la uvamizi wa fukwe?. Suala la uvamizi wa fukwe nchini Tanzania haliwezi kutenganishwa na ongezeko la rushwa na ufisadi nchini.Maeneo mengi ya wazi na fukwe nchini Tanzania  yamevamiwa hasa maeneo ya wilaya ya Kinondoni Dar es Salaam. Kitendo hiki kinachochewa na vitendo vya rushwa miongoni mwa maofisa wa ardhi, viongozi wa serikali kuu na serikali za mitaa. Ushahidi unaonyesha kuwa watendaji hawa wamekuwa wakipokea rushwa kutoka kwa wafanyabiashara wakubwa ambao wanayatumia maeneo haya kwa ajili ya ujenzi wa mahoteli ya kitalii(rejea taarifa ya habari iliyorusha siku ya tarehe 19/07/2010 na kituo cha televisheni cha TBC1).Hata hivyo, hili linaweza kuthibitishwa na kitendo cha kupelekwa mahakamani  kwa baadhi ya maofisa ardhi wa wilaya ya Kinondoni kwa tuhuma za uuzaji holela wa maeneo ya wazi na fukwe.

Ongezeko la watu linasemekana pia kuwa chanzo cha uvamizi wa fukwe. Hili linadhibitishwa na taarifa ya UMOJA WA MATAIFA KUHUSU MAENDELEO ENDELEVU (United Nations Sustainable Development [Agenda no.21]).Taarifa  ina sema kuwa zaidi ya nusu ya wakazi duni duniani wanaishi katika maeneo ya pwani. Hivyo kufikia mwaka 2020 hali ya ukanda wa pwani itakuwa mbaya mara tatu ya hali ilivyo sasa.Kauli hii inaweza kudhibitishwa na hali ilivyo katika nchi za Indonesea, Bangladesh na Nepal.Watu wanapoongezeka  kunakuwa na ushindani mkubwa wa mahitaji muhimu hasa makazi hivyo kupelekea uvamizi wa maeneo ya wazi  pamoja na ukataji wa miti hasa miti adimu ya  mikoko inayopatikana kwa wingi maeneo ya pwani.Sheria za mazingira hazizingatiwi nchini Tanzania. Mfano sheria inamtaka mjenzi  kuanzisha mradi wake umbali wa mita 60 kutoka baharini au ziwani. Kipengele hiki hakizingatiwi na wajenzi walio wengi kutokana na ufuatiliji mdogo .Mfano wa wazi wa ukiukwaji wa sharti hili ni ujenzi maeneo ya MSASANI, MASAKI, na KUNDUCHI(Dar es Salaam). Lakini mfano ulio hai zaidi ni ujenzi wa KUNDUCHI beach ambayo ilijengwa umbali wa mita 2 kutoka baharini kabla ya kufanyiwa land recramation mwaka 1998 (Dubi na Nyandwi-1999).

Uchimbaji holela wa mchanga,mawe na kokoto kwa ajili ya ujenzi nao ni kichocheo tosha katika  ongezeko la uvamizi wa fukwe. Serikali za mitaa zimeruhusu uchimbaji wa mchanga katika baadhi ya maeneo ya fukwe. Mchanga huu hutumika kwa ajili ya kujengea majumba mengi ya kifahari Dar es Salaam hasa mahoteli ya kitalii. Uchimbaji wa mchanga husababisha mmomonyoko mkubwa wa udongo kutokana na  kutengeneza mahandaki na  pia ukataji wa miti aina ya mikoko.Miti hii hutumika kama vikinga upepo wakati wa upepo na mawimbi makali.

Ongezeko la ukuaji wa sekta ya utalii nchini Tanzania umechangia sana uvamizi wa maeneo ya fukwe. Wafanyabiashara wengi wamejikita katika ujenzi wa hoteli za kitalii kutokana na faida wanayoipata kuwa ni kubwa. Kutokana na mahitaji kuwa  makubwa ukilinganisha na maeneo kumesababisha baadhi ya wafanyabiashara kuwashawishi viongozi wa serikali kuuza maeneo ambayo hayaruhusiwi mathalani fukwe na maeneo ya wazi.

Uvamizi wa fukwe una athari nyingi kwa binadamu na mazingira.Uchafuzi wa vyanzo vya maji  hasa ya bahari na mito unachangiwa na utililishaji wa maji  taka kutoka mahotelini. Mathara ya kutumia maji haya ni pamoja na mtumiaji kuugua magonjwa ya ngozi (scabies) pamoja na allergy(mzio).Wale wanaotumia maji ya ziwa kama Victoria kwa ajili ya matimizi ya nyumbani kama  kunywa  wanahatari ya kupata magonjwa ya kuhara na kuhara damu.Ikumbukwe kuwa ujenzi wa mahoteli huambatana na ukataji wa miti mfano mikoko ambayo ni adimu(endangered species). Kitendo hiki huchochea mmomonyoko wa udongo kwani kama ilivyoelezwa hapo juu mikoko hutumika kama kikinga upepo.Zaidi ya athari kwa binadamu na mimea, pia maji yanayomwagwa na  mahoteli baadhi huwa naviwatilifu( kemikali) vya sumu ambazo  huwauwa samaki  na viumbe wengine na hivyo wavuvi wanaotegemea kazi hii kukosa kipato. Athari ya wazi inayosababishwa na ujenzi holela wa mahoteli maeneo ya fukwe ni kitendo cha wamiliki wa mahoteli kujenga kuta nene zinazozunguka hoteli na kuwalipisha watu wanaotaka kuingia ufukweni. Kitendo hiki ni kinyume na sheria inayowataka wakazi kufurahia mali asili ya nchi, kuta hizi pia huwazuia watu wanaotegemea kazi ya uokotaji wa viumbe kama kasa, konokono na magamba  ya kobe kwa ajili ya biashara ya mapambo.

Tatizo kubwa  linalolikabili taifa hili ni ukosefu wa sheria makini kwa ajili ya ulinzi wa fukwe zetu. Tunazo sheria anuai zinazogusia kuhusu fukwe kama Sheria ya Usimamizi wa Mazingira ya mwaka 2004(Environmental Management Act), Sheria ya Ardhi na Sheria ya ardhi ya Kijiji ya Mwaka 1999 na Sheria ya Mipango miji ya mwaka 1962.SHeria hizi na nyingine zimejaribu kuzungumzia kuhusu fukwe, haki ya  jamii kupita eneo Fulani n.k.

Sheria ya Usimamizi wa Mazingira ya  mwaka 2004 inamtaka mjenzi kujenga mradi wowote umbali wa mita 60 kutoka ziwani au baharini. Kipengele hiki kimewekwa makusudi ili kuwalinda wananchi kuwa na uwezo wa kuzifikia fukwe.Lakini hali halisi ni kwamba majengo mengi hasa hoteli za kitalii zimekuwa zikijengwa umbali wa takribani mita 2 kutoka baharini mfano hoteli ya KUNDUCHI hapo juu. Hii ni kutokana  matumizi ya rushwa na ukosefu wa sheria yenye ‘meno’.Sheria hii inakwenda mbali zaidi kwa kusisitiza kuwa kila Mtazania ana haki ya kuishi katika mazingira safi na salama yaani pamoja na wananchi kuwa na uwezo wa kufikia maeneo mbalimbali kwa ajili ya burudani, dini, afya n.k. Tofauti na sheria inavyosema, watu wamekuwa wakizuiwa kuingia  katika fukwe mpaka watoe kiingilio. Ikumbukwe kuwa wananchi wengi wa Tanzania ni masikini hivyo hawawezi  kulipia gharama za kuingilia ufukweni ambazo ni kubwa.Sheria inamtaka mtu anayetaka kuanzisha mradi  furani (ikiwamo ya karibu na fukwe) kufanya tathmini ya athari za mazingira (Environmental Impact Assessment[EIA]). Ili kujiridhisha kama mradi tajwa una madhara ya kibinadamu, kimazingira, kiuchumi , kijamii na kiuchumi. Uzoefu unaonyesha kuwa tathmini nyingi huwa zinafanywa kuhusiana na athari za mazingira(kidogo), za kiuchumi lakini sio za kiutamaduni na kijamii.

Serikali za mitaa nazo zimepewa nguvu ya kisheria chini ya  Sheria hii na Sheri ya Serikali za mitaa ya mwaka 1982.Mojawapo ya kazi za serikali za mitaa ni pamoja na kusimamia mazingira na uendelezaji na upangaji wa mji. Uzoefu unaonyesha serikali nyingi  za mitaa(mfano Manispaa ya Kinondoni) zimekuwa zikishiriki katika uporaji na uvamizi wa fukwe na maeneo ya wazi.

Sheria ya ardhi  na ile ya Kijiji ya mwaka 1999 inatoa haki kwa mwananchi ya kupita kitika eneo fulani. Wananchi wana haki ya msingi ya kisheria  kupeleka lalamiko lao mahali popote ambapo wanafikiri haki yao ya njia ya kupita imekiukwa. Lakini pia waziri aliyepewa mamlaka ya kusimamia masuala ya ardhi ana uwezo wa  kushughulikia suala la haki ya msingi ya wananchi kufurahia maliasili ya nchi ikiwa ni pamoja na njia ya kwenda fukweni.Serikali za mitaa, jumuia ya watu au kikundi fulani cha watu wamepewa mamlaka katika kulinda ardhi na mazingira. Watu hawa wamepewa haki ya kupeleka laamiko lao kwa kamishna wa ardhi, au kupeleka lalamiko mahakamani kama lalamiko ni la jumla (public interest case). Ushahidi unaonyesha mara nyingi malalamiko ya wananchi  hutupiliwa mbali na mahakama, waziri au kamishna wa ardhi kutokana na kukosa  ushahidi au kutokujua sheria au kutokuwa na maslahi na kesi( locus stand).

Rushwa ni chanzo cha matatizo mengi hapa nchini. Tatizo la kutoa na kupokea rushwa  likidhibitiwa suala la uvamizi wa fukwe litapungua kama si kuisha kabisa. Rushwa inaweza kutokomezwa kwa kuhakikisha watu wote wanaotoa na kupokea rushwa wanaadhibiwa kwa kutumikia vifungo gerezani  wakipatikana na hatia  pamoja na kulipa faini. Sheria za Usimamizi wa Mazingira zisimamiwe ipasavyo kwa kuwatoza faini wavunjaji pamoja na vifungo kwa wale wanopatikana na hatia. Pia tatizo sugu la uvamizi wa viwanja linaweza kudhibitiwa kwa kutunga sheria kali ya usimamizi wa fukwe na mwisho uchimbaji wa mchanga katika maeneo ya fukwe  upigwe marufuku kisheria na wavunjaji wa sheria wapewe adhabu kali.



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