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Mengi takes swipe at rich countries on climate change
IPP Limited Executive Chairman Reginald Mengi has said poor countries are economic victims of climate change, and are made to benefit rich countries.

He made the remarks on Sunday in Dar es Salaam when closing the International Students` Week in Tanzania (ISWiT).

Mengi, who was addressing an audience of students from different countries, said rich countries have been urging African countries to plant trees to curb climate change although they continued running their industries that emit poisonous gases.

"Those who tell us to plant trees have industries which make them a lot of money while they pay Africa very little. It is not fair," he said.

Mengi, who was named ISWiT patron, said: "We can not afford to see them expanding their factories while they tell us to plant trees. It is not fair."

He said climate change required the participation and effective role of all people in the world.

On the ISWiT that had carried the theme `Global citizenship: The youth perspective,` Mengi blamed the media for being responsible in destroying the chances for global citizenship.

"It is the media that writes negative stories on many issues. If you take, for instance, the western media like in the USA or Germany, 68 per cent of what is written on Africa is negative, to the extent that whatever is known about Africa is always negative," he said.

He said global citizenship could not be achieved if all what was written or made on the other side of the world was negative while we are all one people in one garden, the world.

He also challenged the students to address what he described as `mental poverty,` saying it was poverty of the mind that "kills Africa."

Earlier on, one of the students, Rose Wanjui, sharing her group`s presentation on climate change, blamed developed nations for refusing to sign protocols intended to address the issue.

"Developed countries have contributed in accelerating issues of climate change since they have refused to sign protocols designed to end activities, particularly industrial ones, that destroy the ozone layer," she said.

The students` dean, Dr Martha Qorro, expressed gratitude to Mengi for the great lesson he had given to the students.

ISWiT president Philomena Modu thanked Mengi for accepting the honor of becoming ISWiT patron.

Students from around the world, including Uganda, Kenya, Iran and Bosnia, gathered at the University of Dar es Salaam for the annual event, where they discussed issues of climate change, global citizenship, security, education and tradition and culture.

http://ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2008/08/19/120852.html
 

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