Evictions from forest area justified

A couple of months ago, group of residents in Ruhango Sector, Rutsiro District, opposed to their looming eviction from the fertile Gishwati Forest, uprooted about 70,000 trees that had been planted by the Forestry Management Support Project (PAFOR) at a cost of an estimated Rwf210 million. While listening to the Presidential press conference yesterday, I heard one journalist bringing this up, complaining of the eviction on behalf of citizens; this prompted me to write this piece. First, although uprooting the nursery trees sad news, it was amusing in a way. It broke the misconception that Rwandans cannot have the freedom to challenge the government’s dictates without the fear that they will be victimised. Rwandans have tested the freedom and they are allowed to live with that freedom. I just hope that the citizens are able to challenge any policy against the widely held belief that there is no freedom in Rwanda to do that. The government is fair and just, and I don’t think will it restrain citizens from expressing their grievances as long as it’s through peaceful means. Well, objecting to eviction may be understandable but destroying trees is the last thing a sane man should do to vent his anger. A good environment is in the interest of all Rwandans, as the President stressed at the press conference, other than individual self interests being harboured by scores of affected residents. Globally, climatic change is now a big challenge; the indiscriminate depletion of forests for firewood, charcoal and timber requires governments to make more commitments if they are to make the world a safe place to live. Until recently, the concern in the country was that Bugesera District experienced severe drought and received unreliable rainfall, which led to food shortage, due to deforestation. When you look closely you will observe how the district grappled with the effects of years of environmental degradation. This should be an instructive example from which Rwandans should learn that there is great need to plant more trees other than destroying the existing ones. Last year’s floods in Nyabihu District which left hundreds homeless were attributed to destruction of the Gishwati forest. But people insist that they still need to till that area. Can’t that be interpreted as singing from the old hymn book? Those trees which were uprooted in Rutsiro form part of the whole environment necessary for all Rwandans. The issues of evacuation may be unpopular but it’s not unique to people of Rutsiro. It is a nation-wide phenomenon. People have been evicted in Ngoma, Nyagatare, Kigali City and other places for positive development pass. What should be the point here is whether the eviction is done lawfully and the affected residents ask for timely compensation without resorting to destruction. There is no victimisation in this eviction policy. Its simple, all what residents should have insisted on is assurace that they can get other equally productive cultivatable land. I don’t know how to express my utter contempt for these protesters. What a shame for people not to realise the importance of environmental conservation in this era. The actions of Rutsiro residents are a sign that it takes a long time to change people’s mindset. This calls for wide awareness campaigns before injecting millions of francs into different development programmes. It also confirms how people, regardless of social class, are resistant to change. Otherwise scores of residents still grappling with the effects of last year’s floods in Gishwati, would not be the same people to complain of relocation, and chase away people planting trees. jtasamba@gmail.com