How I beat my Christmas depression
We all get down, and especially near Christmas time. Life could be worse. Indeed, after reading an article posted recently on the life and times of people on the African island of Migingo:
Migingo (also called Bugingo or Ugingo) is a tiny 4,000-square-metre (one-acre) island, about the size of a football pitch in Lake Victoria.
In 2008-2009 the island itself was claimed by both Kenya and Uganda. July 2009 a survey team found that the island is 510 metres (1,700 ft) east of the Kenya-Uganda border within the lake, a finding supported by openly available Google Earth imagery. Since 1926, territorial ownership of the island has been consistently shown on maps and in language on official documents as Kenyan.
However, much if not most of the Ugandan protests revolve around the lucrative fishing rights, mostly for valuable Nile perch, and Ugandan waters come within about 510 metres (1,700 ft) of the island. In July 2009 the Ugandan government shifted its official position, stating that while Migingo Island was in fact Kenyan, much of the waters near it were Ugandan. The island had been claimed by the Ugandan government in 2008-2009 until 11 May 2009 when Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni conceded that the island is in Kenya, but continued to point out that Kenyan fisherman were illegally fishing in Ugandan waters which lie just a few hundred metres (about 700 ft) to the west of Migingo , the Ugandan flag was lowered, Uganda withdrew its military troops, and agreed that all its police officers would leave the island.
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If you book your flights now, I'm sure you'll get a great Christmas discount! Just don't expect 1 star accommodation. Or electricity. Or water. Or safety.
In 2008-2009 the island itself was claimed by both Kenya and Uganda. July 2009 a survey team found that the island is 510 metres (1,700 ft) east of the Kenya-Uganda border within the lake, a finding supported by openly available Google Earth imagery. Since 1926, territorial ownership of the island has been consistently shown on maps and in language on official documents as Kenyan.
However, much if not most of the Ugandan protests revolve around the lucrative fishing rights, mostly for valuable Nile perch, and Ugandan waters come within about 510 metres (1,700 ft) of the island. In July 2009 the Ugandan government shifted its official position, stating that while Migingo Island was in fact Kenyan, much of the waters near it were Ugandan. The island had been claimed by the Ugandan government in 2008-2009 until 11 May 2009 when Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni conceded that the island is in Kenya, but continued to point out that Kenyan fisherman were illegally fishing in Ugandan waters which lie just a few hundred metres (about 700 ft) to the west of Migingo , the Ugandan flag was lowered, Uganda withdrew its military troops, and agreed that all its police officers would leave the island.
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If you book your flights now, I'm sure you'll get a great Christmas discount! Just don't expect 1 star accommodation. Or electricity. Or water. Or safety.
S So don't be sad. At least someone wants to be your friend!
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