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13. 6. 95
The rights of our children and future
generations
I am writing to you in connection with a matter which has
exercised my mind, and those of many others, for some time. Although this
is a
matter of the greatest importance, the way of handling it is not easy to
discern. I hope that my recommendations will assist
you in your
deliberations.
I would urge you in framing the constitution to attend to
the preservation of the earth for our children and for future generations.
Unfortunately, this issue is usually referred to in euphemistic terms, for
example, "environment", "ecology", "conservation" etc.
For generations
white South Africans have neglected to attend to the evil consequences of racism
and apartheid. Ironically, insufficient
attention to the destruction of the
earth now threatens consequences as serious as those of apartheid.
The
destruction of the planet is due to a variety of factors, including:
* Materialism and greed, in which the goal of enriching oneself is pursued
at the expense of the resource base of the human race
* The population explosion
* Exploitation of the poor, forcing them to extract food, firewood etc from
the earth, regardless of consequences (to the starving,
the earth understandably
is a peripheral consideration, compared to their own survival and that of their
families and children)
If the destruction of the earth, including topsoil, water resources,
atmosphere etc continues apace, the following consequences are
logically
inevitable:
* The failure of the RDP programme
* No future for our children and future
* Criminal neglect on our part, as the generation which can still to some
extent halt the destruction
I recommend:
1. The
explicit inclusion in the Bill of Rights, of the rights of our children and
future generations to a safe, non-toxic and reasonably
clean environment
2.
An injunction to government to give the highest possible priority to a strategy
of preservation of resources for our children and
future generations; and to
leadership of and strong support of international efforts in this regard
3.
Provision for the criminalisation of and heavy penalties for
(a) wanton
destruction of the resources in question, whoever may be responsible for such
destruction; and
(b) major developmental efforts without preceding thorough,
objective, scientific environmental studies
Dr P. J. D.
Lourens
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