This post is made of a Dan's comment he left on a previous article (click here for the reffered article) and I thought he touched into areas that will leave food for thought to ponder, that's why I promoted it into a full post, for a wider viewing.
Subi
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Since the day I walked to school in 1986, I had learned to draw the map of Tanganyika (now Tanzania mainland) with a border between it and Malawi at the middle of Lake Nyasa. This is the case with every person who has gone to school in Tanzania. I had never had a reason to search for the truth behind these borders besides what was potrayed in the maps. On more than one occassions I got furious that the stupid colonialists determined the fates of our nations to the extent, but what would the poor school kid do. So the matter crossed and went.
In past year, the matter of Malawi Tanzania border around lake Nyasa came back to life. With Malawi president raising claims of total ownership. At first I thought they are joking. I had not even thought of looking at history to realize the matter had a querry since the old days.
After the continuation of these otherwise insulting and disturbing claims, I took a look. I realize many global maps, show the lake with the boarder on the edge of the lake on Tanzanian side. I got pissed at google map, so I took other maps, I realized many maps drawn by the collonial descendants have similar margins. I got angrier and angrier, so I searched the treaties. It is very stupid to think that any land bordering the lake or
Subi
/--
Since the day I walked to school in 1986, I had learned to draw the map of Tanganyika (now Tanzania mainland) with a border between it and Malawi at the middle of Lake Nyasa. This is the case with every person who has gone to school in Tanzania. I had never had a reason to search for the truth behind these borders besides what was potrayed in the maps. On more than one occassions I got furious that the stupid colonialists determined the fates of our nations to the extent, but what would the poor school kid do. So the matter crossed and went.
In past year, the matter of Malawi Tanzania border around lake Nyasa came back to life. With Malawi president raising claims of total ownership. At first I thought they are joking. I had not even thought of looking at history to realize the matter had a querry since the old days.
After the continuation of these otherwise insulting and disturbing claims, I took a look. I realize many global maps, show the lake with the boarder on the edge of the lake on Tanzanian side. I got pissed at google map, so I took other maps, I realized many maps drawn by the collonial descendants have similar margins. I got angrier and angrier, so I searched the treaties. It is very stupid to think that any land bordering the lake or
ocean will not have a taste of the waters neighbouring them. I am Tanzanian, and I am for fairness and respect of the treaties no matter how stupid, but I am with my government on this one. Afterall, I am not sure Tanzania will remain held as one big country as is today. We have internal conflicts that suggests other parts of lands are benefiting from resources availlable in those parts of lands. And soon the people of Mbeya may have to relie on what they have, the lake.
The story of Lake Nyanja or Nyasa is absurd. Naming the lake or lake or anything being named after someone doesnt rent the ownership to the namer or the one named after. On the northern border of the country we have lake Victoria. During colonial era it was named after the Queen Victoria who tortured our fathers and mothers. Does she have a claim to own the lake now? We have many roads named after our late great president Mwl Nyerere, President Mandela, President Mwinyi, and now we have named one after President Obama. Do they own those road?
If you are not careful, like I wasn't for a minute, you might think the confusion is over the waters. No. The problem is not the waters, the problem is the possibility of gas availlability. Asking for a chunk of land to the Indian ocean is smart. A stretch but smart. I however wonder will the piece of land come with those who dwell in those lands or will they push them aside to concentrate them on the Tanzanian border.
Will the people in that land be given a choice whether to retain citizenship? The more I look at this crazy dispute the more I reflect the one over the use of the waters of Lake Nile. If I was a passive bystander, I would say it is high time for the Africa to be reasonable and fair. But I realize there is no fairness in all this. The very existence of country as Tanzania is a bunch of papers and pens contracts.
Why is Tanzania one big country and Malawi like one region?
On the other hand, I though the author/whoever compiled the article above was shallow and insensitive. How can you suggest that the Tanzania wants to go to war with Malawi because Malawi has a woman president? Does the author think the strenghth of presidency of malawi is jeopardized by having a woman in the chair? That was really shallow dear Author. (I hope this part will not be a reason for disqualification of my comment). Well, I think it is time to act on these pending assignments.
Tanzania has another dispute on the ownership of Mt. Kilimanjaro too. And on one side Zanzibar wants off. At least the issue with Zanzibar is owned by the Tanzanians themselves. The borders however are the inherited disasters that need addressed.
The story of Lake Nyanja or Nyasa is absurd. Naming the lake or lake or anything being named after someone doesnt rent the ownership to the namer or the one named after. On the northern border of the country we have lake Victoria. During colonial era it was named after the Queen Victoria who tortured our fathers and mothers. Does she have a claim to own the lake now? We have many roads named after our late great president Mwl Nyerere, President Mandela, President Mwinyi, and now we have named one after President Obama. Do they own those road?
If you are not careful, like I wasn't for a minute, you might think the confusion is over the waters. No. The problem is not the waters, the problem is the possibility of gas availlability. Asking for a chunk of land to the Indian ocean is smart. A stretch but smart. I however wonder will the piece of land come with those who dwell in those lands or will they push them aside to concentrate them on the Tanzanian border.
Will the people in that land be given a choice whether to retain citizenship? The more I look at this crazy dispute the more I reflect the one over the use of the waters of Lake Nile. If I was a passive bystander, I would say it is high time for the Africa to be reasonable and fair. But I realize there is no fairness in all this. The very existence of country as Tanzania is a bunch of papers and pens contracts.
Why is Tanzania one big country and Malawi like one region?
On the other hand, I though the author/whoever compiled the article above was shallow and insensitive. How can you suggest that the Tanzania wants to go to war with Malawi because Malawi has a woman president? Does the author think the strenghth of presidency of malawi is jeopardized by having a woman in the chair? That was really shallow dear Author. (I hope this part will not be a reason for disqualification of my comment). Well, I think it is time to act on these pending assignments.
Tanzania has another dispute on the ownership of Mt. Kilimanjaro too. And on one side Zanzibar wants off. At least the issue with Zanzibar is owned by the Tanzanians themselves. The borders however are the inherited disasters that need addressed.
Source: http://www.wavuti.com/4/post/2013/07/dan-maros-two-cents-on-tanzania-malawi-lake-border-dispute.html#ixzz2ZJXRIOSe
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