I am very impressed in how AIM expressed environmentalism with social issues.
Unfortunately our liberation movements in South Africa were only focused on social liberation along socialist lines (and many of the ANC leaders
received training in former socialist countries).
This means that the promises and aspirations of the ANC center on housing, plumbing, electricity and all the benefits of being on "the grid" of
modernization.
Little is invested in the former reserves, or "homelands", which people still farmed traditionally two decades ago.
Instead, the population is rapidly urbanizing, and despite the nostalgic discourse around land re-distribution, most such projects end up mismanaged
or abandoned.
There are many Africans (both white and black) who are concerned about our natural world.
Some have started growing endangered medicinal herbs, or using animal skins from non-endangered species.
But many still have the attitude that they are "Africans" and can use as many leopards as they wish for skins, or strip the vegetation bare.
What is sad about other African countries like the Congo (DRC) is that they have enough hydro-electric potential to power-up the whole continent. Yet,
all the expertise on how to run this left in the post-colonial chaos.
Now the forests are are going in smoke to make charcoal.
The "people first" modernist philosophy is very dated and harmful.
Of course big industry does its best to corrupt politicians to their advantage.
Not only is big industry coming from the West, but also from China (with its disreputable attitude towards environmental issues).
Ultimately it just poisons and strips everything.
But how can expanding, hungry populations be convinced to be conservationists?
So I think that AIM discourse and philosophy is sorely needed here.
Natural rights are also human rights.
I certainly hope people will start voting for some of the "greener" parties in SA at the next election, and not some half-baked Stalinist pipe
dream.
I also hope the Khoisan people get aboriginal rights, since they are more environmentally aware generally than some of the other population
groups.
edit on 23-4-2011 by halfoldman because: (no reason given)