EU parliament resolution on Ugandan oil is an attack on our sovereignty
- Written by Sam Evidence Orikunda
Uganda oilpipline
The European Union parliament can't hide its envy for Uganda as a country even when they're aware that we are still struggling in terms of development as a country and region.
From the time they left East Africa as her masters, the Europeans have refused to stop involving themselves in our internal affairs. That's why they find it easy and okay to discuss our country's affairs even when they're aware that we have legitimate governments and parliament put in place by the people of Uganda and in charge of the executive and legislature of our country.
Surprisingly and annoyingly, here in Africa, it's an abomination for any of African parliament to discuss the issues in Europe and even pass a resolution on that matter. That can only be done in comedy skits and other forms of drama but not in reality. This shows that Africa has either kept itself inferior to the western countries either because of a lack economic independence or lack of independence or confidence.
It wouldn't be easier for anybody to indulge in our country's affairs if they were aware that we are self-sustainable and therefore have no fear of anybody or anything against us. The European countries have for many years disrespected and abused the international laws governing the independence and sovereignty of African countries and have sometimes involved themselves in Africa's affairs militarily to deliberately destabilize African countries.
For instance, the military involvement of NATO led to the killing of Col Muammar Gaddafi the then incumbent President of Libya. That action hugely affected the development and political stability of Libya and it will take decades for Libya to get back to where it was before Gaddafi was violently assassinated.
The world has kept its head down as the Europeans arrogantly abuse the sovereignty and independence of African countries. One wonders about the importance of organizations like UN if such disrespectful acts continue to happen. What is the relevance of the UN and those other international humanitarian organisations that usually show up during elections in African countries?
Members of the European parliament are well aware that some of the challenges that Africa suffers are in place because of poverty and lack of sustainability. Had the citizens of the African countries been financially stable, some of those challenges wouldn't be existing or it would be easier to fix them.
While passing that unfortunate and disrespectful resolution, the European parliament gave petty and senseless reasons that the pipeline will have a great impact on the environment and the natural resources as if they're the ones who have kept those resources up to now. They also said that the Ugandan government had not compensated people fully which is obviously concocted and not true.
In any case, those reasons are not strong enough for anybody to pass such a brutal and disrespectful resolution. They were simply looking for where they can base themselves to abuse our sovereignty and independence as a country. Everyone in the world knows, who exactly does activities that have greatly impacted the world climate.
The world is aware that the European countries continue to erect new factories and use fossil gas - something that has greatly impacted the climate of the whole world. It should actually be Africa to complain about those activities because in the end, we are also affected and yet the privileges of those factories go to the coffers of the European countries.
The current standoff between Russia and Ukraine is happening because of the similar egocentrism and disrespect for the sovereignty of independent countries. European countries continue to cheer and give weapons to Ukraine in the foolery of supporting her to defend herself yet Ukrainian people continue to lose their lives in a war which would have been avoided. Today, the whole world is facing the impacts of the Ukraine-Russian war and yet some of countries have nothing to do with the disagreements that led to that unfortunate conflict.
The writer is a deputy RDC Kyenjojo district.
Comments
The Paris Agreement COP21 was signed few years ago. Is Uganda blind when signing these agreements??
It is utter incompetence by Uganda just making noise, for example US refused to ratify Kyoto because they wanted to pollute more?? Why did Uganda ratify COP21??
And sovereignty has never been absolute, look at international humanitarian law, in extreme cases of human rights etc.. countries have a right to invoke the responsibility to protect R2P.
We signed of our rights because of ignorance so stop making noise about sovereignty, sovereignty nonsese.
You are just espousing ignorance on the topic and issues here!!!!
I think that we should leave diplomacy to diplomats instead of every Tom Dick and Harry. A good diplomat will know how to diffuse this situation. I can help if Gov UG needs help to resolve this matter.
That is the problem with people in Uganda they claim to be experts on everything, yet they know zero. It is talk, talk.
Just empty noise, you can see even the speaker if parliament and the monster supposed to be a chief diplomat of the country did not know what to do but resorted to street noise, sort of high school stuff with youth euphoria!!
It is a pity!!
It is like a rapist who forces his victim of aggravated rape into marriage at gunpoint; and goes on to tells the whole wide world that his marriage was a legitimate marriage out of consent.
And because of his indelible guilt and self-deception, the rapist keeps reminding the world and family of the raped woman that their marriage is legitimate and are living happily.
In other words Orikunda, give Ugandans and the world a break from your "criminal, illegitimate government and self-deception".
And a reminder Orikunda, except a heartless criminal; how can the president of a "legitimate govt", tell the people he leads that he is neither their servant nor employee?
Wachireba ?