Oman: A Vast Geography of Former Exclaves

The Sultanate of Oman's geography is unique. Many geography blogs have already blogged before about its exclaves on the Musandam Peninsula. This exclave branches off the United Arab Emirance and serves as the Arab side to the entrance of the Strait of Hormuz. This exclave allowed Oman to monitor, and to a certain extent control, trade between Persian Gulf ports and the Indian Ocean port cities from the 1600s until European domination of Middle East trade in the 1800s.

Many people, however, do not know about the former exclaves of Oman which made the geography of the sultanate even more extended. The major one was Zanzibar, off the coast of present day Tanzania. In 1698 the Portuguese were forced off of Zanzibar by Oman. Oman used Zanzibar to act as its major spice, goods, and slave trade port for Africa. Sultan Said bin Sultan loved Zanzibar so much that in 1837 he made Zanzibar the capital of Oman! After his death his sons divided the empire with one brother getting Oman and a few other possessions while the other became the sultan of an independent Zanzibar.

Though the British made the sultanate a protector after the shortest war in the history of the world, the Arab descendants of Zanzibar ran the country until a revolution and ethnic cleansing led by Marxist Black Africans against the Arab rulers and Indian business class in 1964.

The other major exclave of Oman was Gwadar in present-day Pakistan. In the 1500s to 1800s Oman kept very close ties to the various Muslim states in the Indian subcontinent due to trade. This links survives with Oman's food being spicy like Indian food (unlike Arab food) and with many Indian/Pakistani Muslims and even some Hindus living in Oman today.

In 1783 the exiled former Sultan of Oman, Saiad Sultan, used his personal connections to become ruler of the small port city of Gwadar. He later retook control of Oman. Once Saiad moved back to Oman but he continued to rule Gwadar through a governor. Gwadar stayed under Oman's control until Pakistan bought the small port in 1958 for three million dollars.

Oman's African and subcontinent exclaves are no longer on the political map but their legacies still survives. As mentioned above there is a strong Indian presence in Oman and many shipping lanes and airplane routes continue to connect the subcontinent to Oman. The ties are even stronger between Oman and Zanzibar. Most Omani and Zanzibaris (and even some Pakistanis around Gwadar) are Ibadi Muslims, neither Sunni or Shia but a unique denomination which recognizes philosophy, use of a smaller and separate hadiths, and other beliefs. Oman is responsible for the survival of the Ibadi Muslim faith as the only Ibadi Muslims who cannot claim Omani descent or influence are a few remote Berber tribes in the Saharan Desert. These exclaves cannot be found on a map but their legacy lives on in the realm of human geography.


Geographic Travels

Tanzania’s Ambassador to the U.S., Announces Second Annual Vip Business/Leisure Safari To “Discover Tanzania”

Following the success of last year’s inaugural Discover Tanzania VIP Safari, H.E. Mwanaidi S. Maajar, Ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the United States of America, will again lead a small group of business executives on the second annual VIP business and leisure safari to Discover Tanzania, scheduled for June 22-July 3, 2012.

Through this personal journey with Amb. Maajar, participants will be able to enjoy Tanzania’s natural and cultural attractions as well as explore Tanzania’s business and investment opportunities. The VIP Safari will also feature two exclusive dinners, one in Dar es Salaam with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania; and the second in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.

According to the World Bank’s Tanzania: Country Briefs, “Tanzania is becoming one of the best performers in Sub Saharan Africa…in recent years growth in gross domestic product (GDP) averaged between 5 and 7 percent.” The potential for profitable foreign investment in the country is huge in such a diverse range of industries as tourism, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, transportation, and mining.

H.E. Maajar stated that “Tanzania is rich in natural resources and natural wonders, including world-renowned tourist attractions (Serengeti National Park, Mt. Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro Crater, and the spice islands of Zanzibar); prime geographical location (six landlocked countries depend on Tanzanian ports); abundant arable land; a skilled labor force; warm, friendly people; and assurance of safety.” On December 9, 2011, Tanzania celebrated its 50th anniversary as a peaceful and stable democracy.

Ken Flechler, Vice President, Pike Electric Corp, based in Mt. Airy, North Carolina, joined the first VIP Safari in 2011, together with Pike CEO, J. Eric Pike, his wife Belinda Pike and their two sons, Will and Ben. Pike Electric’s operation in Tanzania represents the Company’s first international venture. Flechler said, “Beyond the natural beauty throughout the countryside, the excitement of the safari and the diversity of culture, this VIP Safari led by Ambassador Maajar, afforded Pike the chance to strengthen existing relationships here in Tanzania as well as the opportunity to develop new friendships that will have a broader impact for the country and our operations around the world. This is an exciting time to be part of Tanzania’s development, growth and expansion, Pike looks forward to becoming an integral part of the country’s future and a key partner for helping develop a strong partnership with the United States.”

Details for the VIP 2012 Discover Tanzania Safari include:
· The trip begins in Arusha, a place which has traditionally been a springboard to Tanzania’s renowned national parks, with a brief city tour and meets with the city’s influential business community.
· A dinner with guest of honor, H.E Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, President of the United Republic of Tanzania.
· A dinner in Zanzibar with guest of honor, H.E Dr. Ali Mohamed Shein, President of Zanzibar.
· Visit Lake Manyara, a concentrated park whose main attraction is the legendary tree-climbing lions.
· Experiencing the world-acclaimed Ngorongoro Crater, the “Eighth Wonder of the World,” home to over 30,000 animals that are supported within its ecologically rich environments.
· Flying to the Selous Game Reserve in Southern Tanzania, to explore the rugged wilderness and its inhabitants.
· Participating in VIP activities on the opening day of “Saba Saba,” Tanzania’s premier international trade fair, including an opportunity to network with the Tanzanian business community.
· Optional extensions to the spice islands of Zanzibar.
The number of people on the safari is limited in order to provide each participant with an individualized experience.


TW

African violets enjoy worldwide appeal

African violets have a fascinating background in African history. They come from Tanzania, a country whose name was derived by combining Tanganyika and Zanzibar. (I love saying those names.) Tanzania is surrounded by countries we have often heard of — Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Mozambique — and borders the Indian Ocean in eastern Africa.

Tourist trade and safaris take people there today, but life was quite different in the late 1800s. Imperial Germany conquered the region, ended the slave trade and made it a colony. In 1892 a colonial official, Baron Walter von Saint Paul-Illare, an amateur botanist, discovered a wonderful, “hairy” flowering plant. In his honor the violet’s botanical name is Saintpaulia. (Post World War I this area came under British rule.)

Saint Paul sent plants (or seeds, no one is quite clear on this) to his father in Germany, where they flourished in his care. Herman Wendland, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens at Herrenhausen, named the first flowering specimen S. Ionantha, which translates to “with violet-like flowers,” hence the emergence of their commonly known name, African violets.

More details just click here

The delights of a coastal town

Every city has its own characteristics that distinguish it from others. However, sometimes these characteristics leave you with a smile. If you are walking in the streets of an African city and you hear whistles behind you, then you know you are in Dar es Salaam, but don’t worry no one is after you, they are just drawing people’s attention to the cold water bottles they are selling. A much needed drink in the tropical weather of this coastal town that used to be the capital of Tanzania.

Many years after my initial visit to Dar, there seems to be little change in terms of infrastructure, a few new malls, some modern villas built along the coast line, but much more traffic than ever before.
If you happen to arrive in the city after a rain storm and on a working day, then you should prepare yourself to sit in a car that is “floating” in water, in a jam that does not seem to be moving anywhere any time soon! And it happened that just a few days before our visit, the worst flooding in 57 years hit the city, causing human causality and leaving thousands of people homeless.

Apart from a few new high-rise buildings, there are no skyscrapers shooting up on the scene, but what seems to have sky rocked is the prices of land and real estate.While here in Uganda people rush to sell their land as soon as an offer knocks the door, Tanzanians tend to favour long or short term leasing of their land which allows them keep the land title, get a rent and at the end of the day they are still land owners. How Ugandans have by now missed on this point, is now beyond repair!

Our hotel had an amazing view of the harbor where one could see ships, and cargo vessels docking. I was hoping to see more traffic here than on the roads, but that was not meant to be. Coming from a landlocked country like Uganda that depends totally on its neighbours Kenya and Tanzania in terms of sea cargo, I wished there was more activity in that port to take away some of the pressure from long queues in Mombasa port causing the late arrival of cargo in Uganda, but that seems to be a long term project, or a far-fetched one for now.

One of the best attractions for most tourists seems to be taking the ferry from Dar to Zanzibar, the legendary island of spices and white sand beaches. Just hop into one of the most prominent carriers- Azam marine and costal fast ferries- and two hours later you arrive in this magical island mentioned in tales that kept us mesmerised in our chairs. When adults were telling us stories, hoping to keep us busy and away from mischief, little they knew that as soon as the story came to an end, we had already created our own version of the adventures. Buckets of water were our ocean and broom sticks our swords, there was no wall too high to climb and our ultimate treasure hunt was to find the sweets meant for visitors that our parents hid away from us.

Back to life in Dar es Salaam, I think the historical background of the country seems to influence its present, it is still living in a sort of cocoon. While they are kind and welcoming to visitors, encouraging new investors seems not to be a priority.

A large tax payer told us that the constant increments of taxes and the ‘little flexibility’ of the Revenue authorities is pushing new investors to think twice before making a move.
I hope the future brings better news, having new blood in the economy has its advantages. In our world today there is no more room for vacillation.


The Monitor

From the archive, 21 January 1964: A last moment of glory for the Sultan?

"Originally published in the Guardian on 21 January 1964"

Sultan Seyyid of Zanzibar arrived at St Pancras Station, London, from Manchester yesterday afternoon for what was perhaps a last moment of glory in his public career. The photographers were there with lights and cameras, the reporters with their notebooks, the police with their strong arms, the stationmaster with his top hat, and the Duke of Devonshire with a welcoming handshake on behalf of the Commonwealth Relations Office.

But there also were familiar attendants of disaster – the Red Cross ladies with bundles of old clothes for "kitting out" cold, impoverished refugees, and the Zanzibar Ambassador to Egypt, who had flown to London especially to meet the Sultan and was distributing copies of a petition he had sent to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights asking for "immediate interference to stop the widespread massacres in Zanzibar" and "nonrecognition of this new anarchist regime" there.

The Sultan, his wife, his mother, his five children and 52 other refugees of all ages, stepped from two reserved carriages with no more luggage than a few brown paper parcels, and were driven to the St James's Court Hotel, round the corner from Buckingham Palace. It was barely a week since they had left the sunshine of Zanzibar.

A CRO spokesman said that there were no plans at the moment for the Sultan to meet any British Ministers, but no doubt there would have to be talks soon with the Sultan's representatives on how best to wind up the British Government's obligations to the Sultan – with a word on the final bill for the chartered aircraft from Dar-es-Salaam, the train from Manchester to London, and the accommodation at the hotel, all being paid so far by the British Government.

Before leaving Manchester, where his aircraft had been forced to land because of fog at London Airport on Sunday, the Sultan said he was sorry to hear of the trouble in Tanganyika and hoped the reports were not true. He emphasised his appreciation of British hospitality and said he hoped to stay in Britain for the time being.

Mr A S Kharusi, private secretary to the Sultan, denied that the Sultan had come to England for financial aid. He wanted only British hospitality; friendship from old friends.

Butterfly Farmers Help Protect Threatened Forests

Farmers in Tanzania are helping to conserve threatened forests by cultivating an unlikely crop: butterflies.
The Amani Butterly Project is one of the schemes using butterfly farming to help locals supplement their incomes and protect the environment at the same time.

The brainchild of American biologist Theron Morgan-Brown, it's based in Tanzania's East Usambara Mountains -- a region known for its biodiversity, but where forests are being cleared to produce charcoal and to open up farmland.

"The main objective was to find an alternative income for the local community in the surrounding village and forest, and also relieve the pressure on the forest of people cutting timber," says project manager Amiri Saidi.
The butterfly rearing process starts with farmers catching a few female butterflies and transferring them to an enclosure where they can lay eggs on host plants.

The farmers then collect the eggs and when they hatch, the caterpillars that emerge are placed on new plants, which must be regularly replaced to satisfy their voracious appetites. The caterpillars continue to feed until they pupate, and are ready to be transported.

The Amani project has been selling pupae to live butterfly exhibits in the United States and Europe for between $1 and $2.50 each. Of that sum, 65 percent goes directly to the farmers, while another 7 percent goes to a community development fund that contributes to projects such as building schools and hospitals.

Because most tropical butterflies don't live for long, exhibits usually order new pupae every two to three weeks.
Farmers keep some pupae from each generation, so they rarely need to catch more female butterflies from the wild, although they sometimes catch new male butterflies to maintain genetic diversity in their farms.

The project now uses 250 butterfly farmers, more than half of them women, says Saidi.
He says the project's own studies show that because butterfly farmers rely on forests near their communities to provide host plants for their butterfly farms, many farmers now support forest conservation.

"Because butterfly farmers get tangible benefits, they get money, people involved in butterfly farming conserve the area," says Saidi. "They have their own forest area and use the money they are getting for replanting and other activities."

As well as training its own farmers the Amani project has helped train farmers for a butterfly project on the Tanzanian archipelago of Zanzibar.

The Zanzibar Butterfly Centre consists of a netted tropical garden that's home to hundreds of butterflies, all bred by local farmers. It was created as a tourist attraction, funded by admission fees, and like the Amani project the aim is to help protect the environment.

"A lot of forest is being destroyed in Zanzibar," says project manager Rosa Santilli. "Local people cut down trees to make charcoal to sell. People need it for fuel because gas and electricity is very expensive, so people cook with charcoal.

"The center was set up to stop local people cutting the forest down, and to provide an alternative for them to earn money from."

Santili says the center has trained 17 local farmers to rear the pupae that provide all the center's butterflies.
It's not a solution to deforestation, but it is helping, says Santili. "The butterfly farmers don't make charcoal anymore, so it has stopped that small sector of the community cutting down trees," she says.
Like the Amani project, the Zanzibar center funds a village development association, which is improving the local water supply. It is also trying to get local people to produce crafts and honey to be sold as souvenirs at the center.

But there is a cloud on the horizon. Both the Amani and Zanzibar schemes rely on couriers to transport their pupae to overseas buyers, and they say they have been hit by courier DHL's decision to stop transporting their pupae.
Saidi says Amani has been hit especially badly. It now has to transport pupae by air cargo, which dramatically increases their cost to buyers.

He says that until the end of 2010 the Amani project was selling a total of 50,000 pupae a year to 13 buyers, but now the project has lost all but one buyer. But DHL says it will be now discussing transport options with both projects, and hopes to find a solution that will let it resume pupae deliveries.

The Zanzibar center sees exporting pupae as key to getting more locals trained as butterfly farmers.
Santilli says: "We are hoping to expand to get more farmers involved. We need butterflies for our garden and also to export. If the farmers can export to Europe then the sky's the limit."


Denver News

Camilla na mambo ya Zenj..

Ali Kuniki

Nyerere Day 2011 in Washington DC

Maadhimisho ya nne ya kuenzi maisha na kazi za Mwl Julius K. Nyerere yatafanyika Oktoba 15, 2011 hapa Washington DC. Mmoja wa waasisi wa Julius Nyerere Comemoration Bwn Rick Tingling akielezea maandalizi ya siku hiyo katika video hapa chini
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfp2o_kTmyw

NYOTE MNAKARIBISHWA

Itafanyika
Howard University Basement Auditorium
725, 2225 Georgia Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20059
FROM 3PM-6PM

MAELEKEZO KUELEKEA Howard University Hospital Basement Auditorium:
1.Ingilia mlango wa mbele wa Hospitali unaotazamana na Georgia Avenue.
2.Pita kwenye dawati la maelezo kwa utambulisho
3.Endelea mbele mpaka kwenye "lift" zilizo kama yadi 50 toka dawati la mapokezi.
4.Chukua "lift" / elevator kuelekea sakafu ya chini (basement).
5.Elekea upande wa kulia ukifuata alama zinazoelekeza ulipo ukumbi.


NOTE: Mabadiliko pekee niliyojulishwa ni kuwa Balozi Mwanaidi Maajar hataweza kuhudhuria kwa kuwa atakuwa nje ya mji.

Zanzibar To Charge 5 In Deadly Ferry Capsizing

(CNN) -- Tanzanian authorities will charge five men with negligence after a ferry capsized in the island of Zanzibar this month, killing more than 200 people.

Four of the suspects have been arrested and will appear in court Monday, said Suleiman Haji Suleiman, a spokesman for the second vice president of Zanzibar.

They are two port officials, the owner of the ship and a transport official in charge of ensuring passengers' safety.

"All those people will pay for allowing the overloaded ferry to leave port," the spokesman said. "The captain of the ship is still missing, but there's a warrant out for his arrest. We are hearing that he fled to Kenya or another neighboring country."

The captain will be charged in absentia, he said, adding that a complete list of their charges will be presented Monday.

Government officials are investigating the source of the accident and will report their findings in about two weeks, the spokesman said.

It was unclear how many people were aboard the ship when it sank on September 10, but more than 600 people survived, according to authorities. It capsized in the predawn hours, sending passengers clinging to mattresses and objects from the cargo to avoid getting swallowed by the dark waves.

Authorities said the ferry -- MV Spice Islander --carries a maximum capacity of about 600 people and was traveling between the islands of Zanzibar and Pemba.

The two main islands on the Zanzibar archipelago are popular among tourists for their pristine sandy beaches on the Indian Ocean.
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous part of Tanzania.

Hope fades for ferry survivors...

Stone Town, Zanzibar - Divers searched on Sunday for any remaining survivors from the capsizing of an overcrowded ferry off the east African coast which killed nearly a quarter of the 800 passengers crammed onboard.

Zanzibar police said overloading probably caused the worst maritime disaster in the history of Zanzibar, Tanzania's semi-autonomous archipelago and a popular tourist destination.

“According to what we've heard so far from survivors, the ship was overloaded with cargo from Dar es Salaam, which included several vehicles, cement and iron rods,” Police Commissioner Mussa Alli Mussa told Reuters.

“Passengers who survived the accident told the police that the ship started taking in water from the cargo hold. That's when the vessel started to sink,” he said.

Zanzibat minister of state Mohamed Aboud Mohamed told a news conference on Sunday the latest death toll from Saturday's disaster was 197, with 619 survivors.

The MV Spice Islander began its voyage in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, where it was loaded with passengers, motor vehicles, bags of food and cement and other building materials.

When it reached Zanzibar, also known as Unguja, it took on more passengers and cargo for the trip to the archipelago's smaller island of Pemba.

Some passengers realised they were in danger as the ferry started to tilt while still in the port and tried to get off. A few succeeded before the crew pulled up the ladders so the ship could depart.

“First of all, the person to be blamed is the government, the whole government of Zanzibar ... they are still not serious, they need to resign now,” said Safia Juma, who lost relatives in the accident.

Rescue workers admit it is unlikely they will find anyone alive but expect to recover more bodies.

“Teams of divers are searching the area this morning to see if they can rescue more survivors or recover additional bodies from the submerged vessel,” said Mussa.

Crowds of relatives and onlookers gathered in Stone Town on Sunday morning to await news of passengers still missing.

“We lost eight relatives but my child survived ... and we haven't got any bodies and I have been here the whole night” said Yazid Amour.

Zanzibar residents said ships on the Unguja-Pemba route are notoriously overcrowded but few are inspected for safety.

“These ships are death traps, which have been brought here to finish us all,” said Nassoro Abdallah Nassoro, who said he lost five relatives in the accident.

Mussa said on Saturday more than 500 people were on the ship's manifest. According to the registrar of Zanzibar's seafaring vessels, the Spice Islander was licensed to carry 600 passengers.

Four hours after the ferry left on Friday, Abuu Masoud got a call from relatives as the ferry started to sink. They were among those who perished in the fast Indian Ocean currents.

“At around 3 a.m., they told us the vessel had tipped over and they were standing on its back waiting for assistance,” Masoud said.

“They told us there were about 25 to 30 of them who were left standing on the ship. At around 4am, their phones were not reachable and we haven't seen or heard from them since,” said Masoud, who lost seven relatives in the accident.

Tanzania's worst maritime disaster was in May, 1996. Eight officials were charged with the murders of 615 people after the ferry MV Bukoba sank in Lake Victoria. - Reuters