 |
Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467 
|
||
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
|
Al-Ahram Weekly 3 - 9 February 2000 Issue No. 467
|
||
| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
| ||
Egypt Region International Economy Opinion Culture Features Special Profile Travel Living Sports People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Not their country
By Salama Ahmed Salama
Apart from the Tourism Promotion Authority, everyone knows very well that nature reserves have a fragile ecological system and are extremely vulnerable to the slightest neglect or abuse. Everyone also knows that any damage to natural resources can only be repaired after long decades of work.
The TPA, which participated in a supervisory capacity in organising the Egyptian leg of the Paris-Dakar Rally jointly with an Egyptian investor operating in the tourism industry, must be ignorant of these facts. Perhaps this is why it failed to take the trouble to coordinate the event with the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency, or with officials in the Wadi Al-Rayyan natural reserve.
Perhaps the TPA had been blinded by an excess of zeal, overcome by the desire to see Egypt placed on the Rally map in coming seasons. This desire must have been so overwhelming that it was prepared to sacrifice one of its most precious nature reserves, among the rarest and most beautiful geological formations in the world. The damage to the ecosystem of Wadi Al-Rayyan was relatively limited this time, as the minister of the environment stepped in personally at the last minute to save the day.
On receiving word of the imminent barbaric invasion of the reserve, Nadia Makram Ebeid rushed to the area. The invasion had just begun in the most fragile part of all the Wadi, namely, the protectorate of Gabal Al-Medawwara. Scores of vehicles had arrived, their heavy wheels digging into the soft sands, running over dunes and hillocks, and crushing rare fossils. Flocks of migrant birds fleeing the cold European winter were also disturbed.
In sum, several international environmental laws and agreements to which Egypt is party were violated. Fortunately, however, the minister arrived in time. To reduce the ecological damage, she persuaded the organisers to cancel the fireworks and other items on the programme, including a party that was scheduled to take place in the camp set up by the Egyptian investor. In the midst of the havoc, Fayoum Governorate officials and Local Council authorities looked on with indifference, as if they were not involved -- as if this was not their environment but someone else's.
It is not difficult to imagine Wadi Al-Rayyan the following day, when the camp where several hundred people had spent the night was dismantled. The place was littered with plastic bottles and bags. Tractors had to be brought in to clean up, probably causing yet more damage. Still, the incident provided some insight into what tourism means to the TPA.
Few people know that the protection of nature reserves in Egypt, including maintenance, management and expert services, are funded by grants presented by European countries and international organisations. The Wadi Al-Rayyan natural reserve is funded by just such a grant, which expires in March 2001. In other words, without foreign assistance, the ignorance of officials and their inability to coordinate the efforts of various state bodies, added to the lethargy of local authorities and their indifference to the state of the environment, may very well lead to an environmental catastrophe. Why should we expect Italian race-car drivers, for instance, to protect our interests when we ourselves do not? Why should others care for our environment if we so dismally fail to do so?
Amazingly, although preparations for the international race took four months, the TPA made no effort to coordinate its plans with other offices, including the Environmental Affairs Agency. Must we expect a replay of the same fiasco next year? Will race-cars speed through the heart of the reserve once again, this time to complete its devastation? And will the Environmental Affairs Agency turn up too late -- as usual?
