Moral Responsibility and Environmental Conservation in Karamoja Mining Area: Towards a Religious Engagement

Abstract

The consequences of the mining industry in Karamoja region have resulted into a serious environmental hazard to all forms of life in the area. For some reasons, efforts by the Ugandan government to respond to the environmental crisis seem inadequate. Investors in the mining sector and other stakeholders, particularly those who are directly affected, also seem not to be concerned with the dangers associated with the crisis. This situation raises a number of critical moral questions, for example, who is responsible for the degradation of the area? Why are the efforts of the government not yielding any results? Why are the locals who are bearing the brunt of the environmental crisis not showing any concerns? These and many more are the questions the article seeks to answer. Through the lens of the ethical theory of stewardship, the article challenges faith communitiesparticularly the two major religious groups in the area-Karamajong indigenous religion and Christianityof the need to respond not only to humanity but also to the natural environment on which their existence depends. The article argues that responding to the environmental crisis should not be solely left to the government but rather is part of the moral and social responsibility of every individual including religious groups, in the area.

The cultural beliefs, values and utilization of East Africa Sandalwood Osyris lanceolata Hochst. & Steud. (1832) in and around Chyulu Hills Ecosystem, Kenya

“…This taboo protected the unnecessary cutting of the plant, hence prohibited its misuse. The taboos preventing unnecessary cutting of trees have been observed in other studies where particular natural grooves or sites associated with spirituality or sacred spaces had a positive impact on conserving them (Adewoyin et al 2020, Ssebunya & Okyere-Manu 2017.…”

Environmental ethics, religious taboos and the Osun-Osogbo grove, Nigeria

“…Drawing from myths and tales about how people who had previously defied the goddess incurred her wraths, Osogbo people feared they may face same, if not worse consequences, should they desecrate the grove by hunting, fishing, farming or building in the heritage site. Such fears of going against local traditions, and particularly religious and cultural taboos, have been found to have a positive impact on environmental and natural resources conservation in Nigeria (Eneji et al, 2012;Rim-Rukeh et al, 2013;Anoliefo et al, 2015) and elsewhere (Diawuo and Issifu, 2015;Woodhouse et al, 2015;Kanene, 2016;Ssebunya and Okyere-Manu, 2017). What this portends is that by reverencing the goddess and keeping the taboos, the Osun grove is able to retain its sanctity as a heritage site.…”

“…While the punishments are believed to be visited on the offenders in an afterlife in most of the religions, the repercussions of breaking the law are believed to be earthly and almost immediate in the traditional African religion where these instructions and laws are viewed as commands or taboos. Specific to environmental conservation, the Traditional African religion views the environment as sacred and a dwelling place of ancestral spirits and gods that connect the physical with the Creator/ Supreme Being (Ssebunya and Okyere-Manu, 2017). Consequently, rivers, groves, mountains Environmental ethics, religious taboos and some species of plants and animals are revered and considered sacred, and tampering with them in any form constitutes a taboo with serious consequences (Wilson, 1989;Eneji et al, 2012;Diawuo and Issifu, 2015).…”