allAfrica.com: Tanzania: Don't Ignore Pemba,Cautions RC Church (Page 1 of 1)

The Catholic Church yesterday called for the speeding up of efforts to solve the political crisis in Zanzibar as a means to stem the increasing secession talk by some Pemba elders.

The church said that nothing short of a comprehensive settlement of the political conflict pitting the opposition Civic United Front (CUF) against the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi (CCM) would curb the growing political unease in Pemba.

Dar es Salaam's Catholic Auxiliary Bishop Methodius Kilaini told The Citizen that the sealing of the Zanzibar Mwafaka (pact) between the two rival parties would have helped to unite the people of Unguja and Pemba, leading to the building of one strong and peaceful nation. Bishop Kilaini was commenting on the recent call by some elders in Pemba for their island to secede from Zanzibar.

The elders have accused the Isles government of President President Amani Abeid Karume of marginalising Pemba. Yesterday, opposing the secession call by the elders, Chadema national chairman Freeman Mbowe said this would only divide the Isles further and would not solve the serious problems facing Pemba.

Mr Mbowe, who spoke to The Citizen by telephone, said: "The people of the Isles would be better united as they try to solve existing problems, since unity is strength." However, Mr Mbowe added that the people of Pemba had been driven into desperation by CCM, which he accused of blocking the implementation of Mwafaka.

"If patience runs out, then the people begin thinking of other ways they believe can solve their problems," Mr Mbowe warned. The Catholic Church's appeal follows a controversial move by some people from Pemba, who surprised the country by handing a petition to the United Nations offices in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday, calling for secession from Zanzibar and the Union Government.

Yesterday, Bishop Kilaini said the only solution to the political crisis in Zanzibar, which would make the Pemba people feel comfortable, would be to find a lasting settlement of the political impasse.

"The Mwafaka will, indeed, help strengthen the Union and maintain the peace, which people have been enjoying since the 1964 revolution," he said.

"The people of Pemba feel that they have been isolated and forgotten politically because of their little representation in the revolutionary government of Zanzibar and in so doing their problems are not addressed in the government," the bishop added.

"Let us all help the people of Pemba so that they can help themselves. From there they will see their importance to the union instead of forgetting them." The bishop said that the fact that Pemba is dominated by CUF was a good enough reason to speed up Mwafaka, to introduce some form of power sharing in the Isles government.

"The people feel Pemba is not represented because they are in the opposition." Twelve elders from Pemba presented their secession plea to the resident director of the United Nations System Resident Coordinator, Mr Oscar Fernandez-Taranco, and asked him to forward it to the UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-moon. The move was quickly denounced by a government official, who declared that it amounted to committing treason.

Last month, the same group asked the US Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Mark Green, to send a message to President George Bush, asking him to help them break away from Pemba's union with Unguja and Tanzania mainland. Yesterday, Bishop Kilaini said the destiny of the people of Pemba "lies with the two political parties" as it was no secret that Pemba is CUF's stronghold and Unguja is CCM's territory.

The Catholic Church leader said the Zanzibar crisis must be addressed as agreed in the talks between CUF and CCM, which took 14 months, culminating in the Mwafaka, which the the ruling party NEC meeting in Butiama failed to endorse. Pemba elders argued that their island has been economically marginalised by the Zanzibar Government.

According to a document released recently by opposition politicians, out of the 192 top positions in the government, only 26 are occupied by people from Pemba Island. The rest are held by Unguja. The minister of state in the Vice- President's office responsible for Union Affairs, Mr Muhammad Seif Khatib, on Thursday flew to Zanzibar to assess the situation in Pemba in an effort to cool the political temperature.

He had earlier denounced the elders' demand for secession as treason, comparing it with the rebellion in the Comoros, which Tanzanian troops helped to quell. The elders first spoke about secession two weeks after the collapse of the Zanzibar peace accord.

Mr Khatib described the elders and their supporters as "dangerous individuals" like Colonel Mohamed Bacar, who was recently ousted from the Comorian island of Anjouan by Tanzania-commanded African Union troops.

But Mr Khatib would not say whether the elders would be arrested and charged with treason.

"Their move, according to the country's laws, is treasonous I don't believe that Pemba can be an independent country," Mr Khatib said.

He accused the Opposition of fuelling and backing the secession plans by taking advantage of "ignorance among their supporters". He added: "Personally I believe that (Opposition) political parties have a hand in this development, and this is very dangerous. Politicians must under no circumstances mislead the people.

"Political analysts see this latest development as yet another test for President Jakaya Kikwete's Government, which has been struggling to end the long-standing political impasse in Zanzibar. Mr Khatib denied the elders' claim that development projects are concentrated in Unguja, leaving Pemba residents with "crumbs".

He said it was true that there were economic and social disparities between Pemba and Unguja, but argued that blamed the underdevelopment of Pemba on "geographical factors". "Unguja is the seat of the government and it is to be expected that it will have a higher level of development than Pemba.

"But nobody can claim that Pemba is a forgotten island because development has been taking place, including the building of airports, a stadium and ports," Mr Khatib said. Pemba is situated about 50km to the north of Unguja.

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