Kenyan protest

(Photo by AFP/Getty Images)

More bad PR for China's star-crossed running of the Olympic torch: Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, has pulled out of the symbolic torch relay in Tanzania this weekend. The L.A. Times reported today that Maathai "had notified organizers of the torch run that she would give up her spot in the relay Sunday, joining in the growing international protest against China."

Much of the furor surrounding the torch relay this week has concerned China's support for Sudan and alleged abuses of human rights abuses in Tibet and elsewhere. Maathai has another beef: massive Chinese investment in countries like Congo is fueling environmental destruction, particularly from rapacious logging and strip-mining for valuable minerals. China likes to say that its investment in Africa is one developing country helping others. But as a growing player in Africa, Maathai says China should use its economic influence to push for better environmental practices.

"As a country that is so powerful, China can afford to push for the protection of the forests," the Times quoted her as saying yesterday. "China has a moral and ethical duty to protect some of these countries that are unable to protect their forests from illegal logging."

Some of my colleagues have criticized Maathai for not playing a greater role in solving Kenya's political crisis. I happen to believe that this woman -- a former member of the Kenyan parliament who lost her party's support due to her brave stances against tribalism, among other odious characteristics of Kenyan politics -- has been one of the more outspoken voices on a continent that needs more like her. Her stance on the torch relay should add another important and too often overlooked element to the growing debate about China's controversial role in Africa.

Comments

[Art Mobley]

I'm glad to see our sister refuse to participate in the game of carrying the torch of phoney nationalism in favor of African motherhood... to first be concerned about our rainforest, our Congo. While China has been a much greater friend to Africa than any European nation could ever pretend to be, Africans must be careful not trade one exploitive resource thief for another.

China must be a better steward of the needs of Africa than its predecessors. China or any other trade partner must be prevented from raping Africa's non-renewable resources. Thank you Sister Maathai..