I write to comment on the pressure Against Soda asha project at lake Natron-Tanzania.

I think the UK activists they just don't stay in Uk and speak against the project of Soda ash at lake Natron.Tanzania is a one of the poorest countries in the world according to the UN standards,however this country has alot of natural resources which have not yet been well explored to safe the people of this country from poverty. One of the untaped resource is the Soda Ash at lake Natron of which the country can use the resource to improve the living stardand of its people.So far the said tourism attractio has not very much helped to improve the situation in the country,Tourism ofcourse contributes and offers employment to a good number of Tanzanians but its not so significant that why the poverty is still rampant in the country and even worse to the people living around Lake Natron.To my opinion,you people urguing against the project I think you shuold come up with the alternative of improving peoples lifes in the Area around Lake natron aand in the Country at large,otherwise you keep quite! I appeal to you to come and visit the people living in this area and think of how you can help them to improve their lifes.Tourism by itself has not made very much on their wellbeings as they just see dollars passing away to people from Towns and most are the whites who owns those businesses.

TATA and NDC project would create more than 500 hundreds jobs for local people in which this income would go directly to the household.Tourism makes alot of money for already succesful business people and not for the poor people at lake natron!

Let us all join efforts to see how we can help people living around Lake Natron to improve their living standard and hence be able to protect the fragile wetland environment.This is only how the world can safe this place and continue to enjoy the magnificent woried lesser Flamongoes.To ME Poverty is the GREATEST ENEMY and untill the time we adress it at lake Natron is only when we can be sure of suvival and exisitence of the biodiversity in the Area. Mind you pollution throuth inorganic fertilizers is already taking place which in the long run it has negative impact to survival of the flamingoes,exactly the same problem we are opposing on Soda Ash project.

The question is.How is the International Community and especially the The Conservationists prepared to support the people around lake Natron to improve their lifes like other people in the world? Masegeri Tumbuya From the Lake Natron

We must totally reject this disastrous project from ever being implemented.Africa is strewn with such ill conceived 'white elephant' projects whose impact on the people and the environment will perpetuate their poverty. I do not believe that Africa needs to adopt failed models of western 'industrialisation' from the 19th century as a solution to our development in the 21st century!! The value of Lake Natron to Tz development lies in its exploitation as a nature reserve more than the industrial extraction of its soda ash. What is the benefit of creating 500 min pay jobs when the overall impact is the loss of 1000s in all the sectors currently supported by the lake?!. Let TATA go and build its factory elsewhere in India and if it is interested in our sustainable development , bring compatible businesses it owns in related fields that will optimise TZ,s benefit from the lake without threatening future generations ability to benefit from this unique world site.We are tired of all the opportunistic asset stripping 'investments' that are being offered to Africa under the guise of 'development'