Friday, February 03, 2006

Finally, some sensible talk

The East African Standard, in an editorial about the government's burning of thousands of homes belonging to squatters in the Mount Elgon forest in Kenya, eloquently states what ought to be world policy toward squatters who encroach on environmentally sensitive land:
The squatters in Government forests must go, but they should not be flushed to the wilderness since this is tantamount to feeding the cycle that created them, which cannot be broken by might. The only way out is to set aside land to settle the landless and protect forests from fresh encroachment. There is also need for radical land reforms because there’s enough land for all Kenyans.

The Daily Nation reports that the government now promises to relocate the squatters. But, shouldn't that have all been planned out and discussed long ago? Burning people's homes and belongings is no solution at all.

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