Safari Notes

It is amazing how wild animals and life survive in such a barren and desolate place like the valleys, mountains and deserts of Hadhramout! It takes years some times, for any rain to fall in most areas. And yet: life survives! A variety of life forms. This troupe of Baboons, of the Papio hamadryas species, I guess - survive near an oil field. Here, they are scavenging for food near a garbage dump area used by the oil companies. This lizard survives under and near the accommodation shacks used by oil workers; it too, finds food and water easily in such places. As much as oil prospecting has disrupted their ecosystem, the animals have found a way of surviving around people. The camel! The undisputed 'king' of the desert! There are no wild camels in Hadhramout, but the bedouins , leave their much valued camels to wander in the plains and valleys, around. The bedouins, who have always lived here - found their lifestyle too, disrupted by the discovery of oil; but they too, and t...

A very wise African proverb! Water , the essence of life, 'cannot be washed'. There is water and water ! And yet it is said 'more than one billion people have no access to clean water'! And the statistics on water are alarming! And very saddening! The way fresh water sources are being depleted and polluted, gives very little hope. More so in Africa ; same in Yemen . I still remember way back in the sixties and seventies, when I was growing up in East Africa: there were only pristine rivers and lakes. Not a single plastic bottle or bag in the waters, then. No more! Chemicals, garbage and all kinds of pollutants are now being dumped in to the rivers and lakes; just as is happening in other parts of the world. Unlike other parts of the world, where water pollution went hand in hand with economic development - Africa hasn't had much economic improvement. The fourth World Water Forum has just finished in Mexico. As always, much talk and discussions, but very little wi...

Yesterday, I read the story of the very extra-ordinary two year old boy in Kenya, who was born without legs and arms: Freddie Msena Mtile . A very heartrending and sad story! Abandoned by his parents after being born disabled, due to sick and warped up traditions practiced by some tribes in Kenya - Freddie had found love, care, joy and new meaning in life from his foster parents and many kind people. But only for a short time. It is only when one considers and deeply contemplates the lives of people like Freddie, that one can really appreciate ones wholeness and life. Many of us go about with life complaining and worried about very minor things indeed: the weather, a cold, not having enough money and such. And yet, most of us are physically whole and healthy. But there are people who live very difficult and sad lives; some, even with such disabilities - find joy and give great meaning to their lives; none more than the incredible Kyle Maynard ! What an extra ordinary man! What an...

Mozambique is one of those countries that has always interested me a lot. A friend of mine once mentioned to me in the early 1980s, how very fertile land was very cheap there - and there were large tracts of it; I dreamed of going to Mozambique and buying some piece of land. And maybe, moving and settling there. But just like most dreams, other things come in and re-direct course. I still remember very clearly, how I followed the bloody war for liberation there and the eventual independence in 1975 from the Portuguese; its leader - Samora Machel was one of my heroes then, then came the visionary Joaquim Chissano and now there is Armando Guebuzza. Mozambique, is still very poor; and relies heavily on foreign donors and assistance. It has other issues too, but compared to what it was just a few years ago, Mozambique has very much improved. Best of all: it has peace now. Families can live in peace and children can go to school; people can carry on with normal life. A few days ago, when ...

"The problem of Africa in general and Uganda in particular is not the people but the leaders who want to overstay in power." That's what Museveni said about twenty years ago! "After the triumph of his 1981-86 guerilla war, the then young liberator was not shy in expressing his disgust for long serving African 'Big Men' including his autocratic Ugandan predecessors Idi Amin, Milton Obote and Tito Okelo. But winning re-election to earn another five years in power, Museveni, now 62, is content to have transformed himself into one of the continent's biggest men - a benevolent one in his view; of the despotic kind according to his critics." Well, whatever might be said, I believe Mr. Yoweri Museveni is still the best person to lead Uganda from the lot; to lead Uganda for the next five years. Uganda's internal political and economic situation at the moment, is so delicate and shaky, that the last thing it needs - is a change of leadership. And, non of...