Ingabe Ukuhwebelana Kwembulunga Yonke Kungazixazulula Ngempela Izinkinga Zethu?

“Njengemiphakathi eminingi, umphakathi wembulunga yonke esinawo namuhla awugculisi; unamaphutha amaningi. Akuzona zonke izakhamuzi zawo eziphathwa kahle; azinawo amathuba afanayo. Izigidi zintula kakhulu kangangokuthi azicabangi ngisho nokuthi ziyingxenye yomphakathi.”—“OUR GLOBAL NEIGHBOURHOOD.”

UFATIMA, ohlala edolobheni elithile elikhulu e-Afrika, uzibona enenhlanhla. Okungenani unesiqandisi. Kodwa umuzi wakubo uwumkhukhu nje owakhiwe eceleni kwamathuna amathathu emabula. Njengezinye izakhamizi eziyisigamu sesigidi, bakhé emathuneni. Kwakhona emathuneni sekuyisiminyaminya. Uyakhononda: “Baningi kakhulu abantu abafikayo, ikakhulukazi lapha emathuneni.”

Ebangeni elingamakhilomitha angu-15 ukusuka kubo kaFatima, kukhona uxhaxha lwezindlu ezintsha, ezinezitolo zokudlela eziphambili nendawo yegalofu enkulukazi. Ukudlala umzuliswano owodwa wegalofu kudla imali engaphezu komholo wenyanga womuntu oyedwa wakuleli zwe lase-Afrika. Leli dolobha belilokhu limpofu, kodwa izinkundla zegalofu—eziwuphawu lweziqumama—ziyinto entsha ecasulayo. Emphakathini wethu wembulunga yonke, ukunethezeka nobubha kukhona konke nakuba kubucayi.

Umfula iWadi Hadhramaut, ogwingciza ezweni elomile laseYemen eMpumalanga Ephakathi, uwumzila wasendulo wezihambi zasogwadule ohamba uba namadolobha asendulo lapha nalaphaya. Uma uthi nhlá, kubonakala sengathi izinto kulesi sigodi esiqhelile zisalokhu zinjengoba zazinjalo endulo. Kodwa umzungulu ubopha womile. Edolobheni laseSaywūn elingumakhelwane, umnyuziyamu uye wacela usizo lomuntu oneziqu zaseyunivesithi ukuba awenzele ingosi ye-Internet enohlu lwawo wonke amagugu awo. Nakuba lo muntu eyintombazane yakule ndawo, wafunda e-Ohio, e-U.S.A. Namuhla, abantu nemibono bangazungeza umhlaba ukwedlula noma yinini ngaphambili.

Ebangeni elingamakhilomitha ayizinkulungwane ezimbalwa ngasentshonalanga, eSahara, kulandelana amaloli amathathu emgwaqweni osehlane elibangise eningizimu. UMashala, omunye wabashayeli, uyachaza ukuthi uthutha amathelevishini, imishini ye-video nezithungatha-maza (satellite dish). Uhlale enolwazi ngezenzakalo zomhlaba ngokubukela izindaba zaseMelika. Edolobheni lakithi “sonke sinazo izithungatha-maza,” echaza. Zimbalwa izindawo emhlabeni lapho zingafiki khona izindaba zezwe.

Abantu abehla benyuka emhlabeni wonke, ukusabalala kwemibono, izindaba, imali nobuchwepheshe kuye kwakha umphakathi wembulunga yonke omusha ongaletha izinzuzo. Ukuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke kuyasiza ekusakazeni isiko lendawo eYemen futhi kwenza uMashala ahole u-R35 000 ngohambo lwamasonto amathathu. Kodwa akubona bonke abayitholayo imali. UFatima nomakhelwane bakhe babuka idlanzana labantu bejabulela izinzuzo zokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke, kuyilapho bona bekhungethwe ubumpofu.

Nakuba umphakathi wethu wembulunga yonke ungagculisi, cishe ngeke isahlehliswa inqubo yokusebenzelana kwembulunga yonke. Ingabe abantu bayokhohlwa amathelevishini abo, balahle omakhalekhukhwini, babulale ama-computer futhi bayeke ukuya kwamanye amazwe? Ingabe amazwe ayozama ukuzehlukanisa ngokuphelele nomhlaba wonke, kwezombangazwe nakwezomnotho? Kubonakala kungenakwenzeka. Akekho ofuna ukulahla izinzuzo zokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke. Kodwa kuthiwani ngezinye izinkinga ezihambisana nako? Zibangela ukukhathazeka okwandayo, futhi zithinta ukuphila kwawo wonke umuntu. Ake sicabangele kafushane ezimbalwa zezinkinga ezibangelwa ukuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke.

Igebe Elikhulayo

Selokhu kwathi nhló ukwabiwa komnotho wembulunga yonke bekulokhu kungalingani, kodwa ukuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke kwezomnotho kuye kwalandisa lelo gebe phakathi kwabacebile nabampofu. Yiqiniso, kubonakala kunamazwe asathuthuka aye azuza ngokusebenzelana nembulunga yonke kwezomnotho. Ochwepheshe bathi kule minyaka eyishumi edlule, inani labantu abadla imbuya ngothi eNdiya liye lehla lisuka kumaphesenti angu-39 laya kwangu-26 kanti ne-Asia iyonke iye yathuthuka ngendlela efanayo. Olunye ucwaningo lubonisa ukuthi ngo-1998, amaphesenti angu-15 kuphela omphakathi waseMpumalanga Asia ayephila nge-dollar elilodwa ngosuku, uma kuqhathaniswa namaphesenti angu-27 eminyakeni eyishumi ngaphambili. Nokho, isimo sembulunga yonke asiqhakazile kangako.

Emazweni ase-Afrika eningizimu yeSahara nakwamanye amazwe asathuthuka, empeleni umholo uye wancipha kule minyaka engu-30 edlule. UKofi Annan, unobhala-jikelele we-UN uyaphawula: “Umphakathi wembulunga yonke . . . uvumela abantu ababalelwa ezigidini eziyizinkulungwane ezintathu—cishe isigamu saso sonke isintu—ukuba baphile ngama-dollar amabili noma ngaphansi ngosuku ezweni elinengcebo engakaze ibonwe.” Enye yezimbangela ezinkulu zaleli gebe kwezenhlalo ubugovu ngokwezimali. “Emhlabeni wonke, izimakethe zezohwebo ezizimele azibanaki abampofu kakhulu,” kuchaza uLarry Summers, owayengungqongqoshe wezezimali e-United States. “Amabhange amakhulu awafuni ukuya emiphakathini empofu—ngoba ayinamali.”

Umehluko omkhulu phakathi komholo wabacebile nowabampofu wehlukanisa abantu kanye namazwe. Esikhathini esingengakanani esidlule umcebo wenjinga ebadlula bonke e-United States wawedlula umholo wabantu abangaphezu kwezigidi eziyikhulu eMelika. Ukuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke kuye kwazizuzisa izinkampani ezicebile zamazwe ngamazwe eziphethe imakethe yomhlaba wonke yemikhiqizo ethile. Ngokwesibonelo, ngo-1998 izinkampani eziyishumi kuphela zaziphethe amaphesenti angu-86 ebhizinisi lezokuxhumana elibiza izigidi eziyizigidi ezintathu zamaRandi. Amandla omnotho alezi zinkampani zamazwe ngamazwe ngokuvamile ayawedlula awohulumeni, futhi njengoba i-Amnesty International iphawula, “amalungelo abantu nawezisebenzi awayona into esemqoka okuxoxwa ngayo emihlanganweni yazo.”

Izinhlangano ezilwela amalungelo abantu zikhathazeka kufanele ngokunqwabelana komnotho womhlaba edlanzaneni labantu abanenhlanhla. Ungathanda yini ukuhlala endaweni lapho abantu abangamaphesenti angu-20 abayizinjinga behola khona imali ephindwe izikhathi ezingaphezu kwezingu-74 kunabampofu kakhulu? Ngenxa yethelevishini, abantu abangamaphesenti angu-20 abampofu esintwini bazi kahle ukuthi ozakwabo abacebile baphila kanjani, yize bona bengenawo nhlobo amathuba okuzifukula. Ukungabi nabulungisa okunjalo emphakathini wethu wembulunga yonke ngokucacile kubangela isiyaluyalu nokukhungatheka.

Ukuthelelana Kwendlela Yokuphila

Esinye isici esibangela ukukhathazeka ukungqubuzana kwezindlela zokuphila nokusakazeka komkhuba wokuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo. Ukuthekelana ngemibono kuyisici esivelele sokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke, futhi isibonelo esikhulu salokhu yi-Internet. Ngokudabukisayo, i-Internet ayisetshenziselwa kuphela ukusakaza ukwaziswa okuwusizo, indlela yokuphila nezentengiselwano. Ezinye izingosi zayo zibonisa izithombe ezingcolile zobulili, zigqugquzela ubuhlanga nokugembula. Ezinye zize zinikeze neziyalezo eziqondile zokwenza ibhomu lokuzenzela. Njengoba uThomas L. Friedman esho, “uma usebenzisa i-Internet ungazithola usungene obishini ngokuchafaza izinkinobho ezimbalwa nje. Ungazithola usudukele engosini yabahlela ukuvukela umbuso noma emtatsheni wezithombe ezingcolile, . . . futhi kungekho muntu okukhuzayo noma okutshela ukuthi wenzeni.”

Ithelevishini namabhayisikobho kunethonya elikhulu endleleni abantu abacabanga ngayo. Ngokuvamile izinto ezisemabhayisikobho zivela eHollywood, indlunkulu yomhlaba yezithombe ezikhohlisayo. Izindinganiso ezikhuthazwa yile mboni yokuzijabulisa zigqugquzela ukuthanda izinto ezibonakalayo, ubudlova noma ukuziphatha okubi. Zingase zingavumelani nhlobo nendlela yokuphila yasemazweni amaningi omhlaba. Noma kunjalo, ohulumeni, othisha nabazali bayehluleka njalo ukunqanda leli gagasi.

Isakhamuzi saseHavana, eCuba, sachazela isivakashi saseNyakatho Melika: “Siyayithanda indlela yokuphila yase-United States. Sizazi zonke izilomo zenu zaseHollywood.” Impucuko yaseNtshonalanga ikhuthaza nokudla okuthengwa kuphekiwe neziphuzo ezibandayo. Usomabhizinisi waseMalaysia waphawula: “Abantu balapha bathanda yonke into yaseNtshonalanga, ikakhulukazi eyaseMelika. . . . Bafuna ukudla njengabantu bakhona, bafane nabo.” Umphathi waseHavana College washo ngokudabuka: “ICuba ayisesona isiqhingi. Azisekho iziqhingi. Umhlaba usuyindawo eyodwa.”

Indlela yokuphila yaseNtshonalanga ethelelwanayo ithonya amathemba nezifiso zabantu. “‘Ukufuna ukungashiywa’ akusasho ukulwela ukuba nezinto umakhelwane anazo kodwa sekusho ukuphishekela indlela yokuphila yezicebi nosaziwayo bamabhayisikobho nezinhlelo zethelevishini,” kusho i-Human Development Report 1998. Kusobala ukuthi iningi lesintu alisoze layifinyelela leyo ndlela yokuphila.

Ingabe Ukuhwebelana Kwembulunga Yonke Kuyikhambi?

Njengezinto eziningi ezenziwe umuntu, ukuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke kuwusizo futhi kuyingozi. Kuye kwabazuzisa abanye kwezomnotho, futhi kuye kwaletha inkathi yezokuxhumana kwembulunga yonke. Noma kunjalo, kusiza kakhulu abacebile nabanethonya hhayi abampofu nabaswele. Izigebengu nezifo ezithathelwanayo ziye zasizakala kakhulu ngokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke ngaphezu kohulumeni.—Bheka amabhokisi asemakhasini 24 no-25.

Ukuhwebelana kwethu kuye kwazikhulisa izinkinga ebezivele zikhona kuleli elimagade ahlabayo. Kunokuba kulethe ikhambi ezinkingeni zomhlaba, kuye kwaba yinkinga kona ngokwako. Umphakathi uye wahlukana nakakhulu, kwanda nokukhungatheka. Ohulumeni emhlabeni wonke bakuthola kunzima ukusebenzisa izinzuzo zokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke bebe bevikela izakhamuzi zabo ukuba zingalimali ngenxa yako. Bazophumelela yini? Ingabe ukubeka abantu phambili enqubweni yokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke kungaba yikhambi? Isihloko esilandelayo sizohlaziya le mibuzo.

[Amabhokisi/Izithombe ekhasini 24]

UKUSABALALA KOBUGEBENGU NOBUPHEKULA EMHLABENI WONKE

Ngeshwa, amathuluzi okuhweba nezentengiselwano angashintshwa kalula abe amathuluzi obugebengu. I-Human Development Report 1999 iyachaza: “Njengoba nje izinkampani zamazwe ngamazwe ziye zaba obhongoza ekuhlanganiseni umnotho womhlaba, kanjalo ‘nezinhlangano zobugebengu zomhlaba wonke’—amaqembu obugebengu obuhleliwe—ziye zasizakala ngako.” Ubugebengu obuhleliwe buye bazuza kanjani ngokuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke?

Izinhlangano zabashushumbisi bezidakamizwa ziye zavulekelwa amathuba amaningi amasha okwenza izindodla zemali eziyitholayo zibonakale zingokomthetho. Ukuchithwa kwemithetho eminingi yokungeniswa kwempahla emazweni nenani elikhulayo labantu abahambela amanye amazwe kwenza kube lula ukuba izinhlangano zishushumbisele izidakamizwa kwamanye amazwe noma amazwekazi. Ngokuphawulekayo, phakathi nawo-1990 ukukhiqizwa kwe-cocaine kwaphindeka kabili, okwe-opium kwaphindeka kathathu. AmaQembu Ezigelekeqe amazwe ngamazwe nawo aye asungula ibhizinisi elichumayo lokuthengisa ngomzimba. Unyaka ngamunye, athumela abesifazane namantombazane abangaba ngu-500-000 eNtshonalanga Yurophu ngenxa yale njongo—iningi labo lithunyelwa ngempoqo.

Amaqembu ezigebengu, njengezinhlangano zamazwe ngamazwe, aye adlondlobala eminyakeni yamuva. Amanye asebenza embulungeni yonke, futhi phakathi kwawo athola inzuzo eyizigidi eziyizigidi ezingu-17,5 zamaRandi ngonyaka—inani elingaphezu komkhiqizo wonyaka wonke wezwe laseFrance.a

I-Internet iye yaba ithuluzi elihle kochwepheshe bama-computer abangathembekile. Ngo-1995 uchwepheshe othile wobugebengu bama-computer wanyonkela ukwaziswa okubalelwa ezigidini ezingu-12 zamaRandi kanye nezinombolo ezingu-20 000 zamakhadi okuthenga ngesikweletu. Umphathi webhange waseSpain, uJosé Antonio Soler wachaza: “Ukweba ngokusebenzisa ubuchwepheshe obusha akunazingozi kodwa kunenzuzo.”

Amaphekula nawo ayawasebenzisa amathuluzi okuhwebelana kwembulunga yonke. Ngenxa yemibiko yezindaba efinyelela emhlabeni wonke, ukuthumba izivakashi ezimbalwa zaseNtshonalanga egumbini elikude lomhlaba kungaba yindlela esheshayo yokuzwakalisa noma yisiphi isikhalo sezombangazwe.

“IZIHAMBI” EZINGATHANDEKI

Izifo nabantu kungahamba umhlaba wonke, kanti ezinye zezifo ziyabulala. UProfesa Jonathan M. Mann, onguchwepheshe wezifo eziwumshayabhuqe uyachaza: “Ukwanda kwabantu abehla benyuka emhlabeni wonke, ukusabalala kwempahla nemibono yikona okubhebhethekisa izifo. Ngokushesha nje umhlaba usubhekene nengozi enkulu yokuqubuka nokusakazeka kwezifo ezithathelwanayo ezintsha nezindala emhlabeni wonke.”

Isibonelo esikhulu sale ngozi entsha umhlaba ozithola ukuyo ubhubhane lwengculaza, manje ebulala abantu ababalelwa ezigidini ezintathu unyaka ngamunye. Kwamanye amazwe ase-Afrika, izisebenzi zezempilo zinexhala lokuthi lesi sifo siyogcina sibulele ingxenye yesibili kwezintathu yazo zonke izinsizwa nezintombi. “Naphezu kokuba sekuyizinkulungwane zeminyaka ubhadane lwezifo, izimpi nendlala kukhona, akukaze kwenzeke emlandweni ukuba abantu abaningi kangaka bafe besebancane,” kubika i-Joint United Nations Programme on HIV⁄AIDS.

Amagciwane awazona ukuphela “kwezihambi” zembulunga yonke ezingathandeki. Izilwane, izitshalo nezinambuzane azisatholakali endaweni yazo engokwemvelo kuphela kodwa sezidlulele nakwamanye amazwekazi. Uhlobo oluthile lwenyoka enesihlungu yase-Australia selugcwele eziQhingini zasePacific, cishe lwafika khona ngokunombela ezindizeni. Seluzishaye lwazibhuqa cishe zonke izinyoni zasehlathini eGuam. Ihiyakinte yasemanzini yaseNingizimu Melika isisakazekele emazweni ashisayo angu-50, lapho isivale khona imisele yabulala namachibi ezinhlanzi. I-International Herald Tribune iyabika: “Minyaka yonke ‘izifiki’ ezingabahlaseli zidla izigidi zezigidi zamaRandi zomnotho wembulunga yonke kanti futhi zisakaza izifo zenze nomonakalo omkhulu emvelweni.”

[Umbhalo waphansi]

[Izithombe]

IMALI EYASHUSHUMBISWA

Yatholakala emabhereni angama-thoyizi ayethunyelwa ndawana-thile

UKUSHUSHUMBISWA KWE-COCAINE

I-cocaine edla amaRandi ayizigidi ezingu-47 eyatholakala emotweni ethwala izinto zokuzijabulisa eyayizowela umngcele

UBUPHEKULA BAMAGCIWANE

Amasosha afuna i-anthrax eCapitol Hill, eWashington, D.C.

UKUQHUMA KWAMABHOMU

Ukuqhuma kwebhomu elicushwe ebhasini kwa-Israel

UKUSAKAZEKA KWENGCULAZA EMBULUNGENI YONKE

Ubhadane lwengculaza lwande kakhulu eNingizimu Afrika kangangokuba ezinye izibhedlela zomphakathi azibamukeli abantu

UKWANDA KWEZILWANE ZAKWEZINYE IZINDAWO

Izinyoka ezinsundu ezihlala ezihlahleni sezicishe zazishaya zazibhuqa izinyoni zasehlathini eGuam

IHIYAKINTE YASEMANZINI

Lesi sitshalo sivala imisele siqaqela nasosebeni lwemifula emazweni angaba ngu-50

[Imithombo]

Money and cocaine smuggling: James R. Tourtellotte and Todd Reeves/U.S. Customs Service; bioterrorism: AP Photo/Kenneth Lambert; burning bus: AP Photo/HO/Israeli Defense Forces; child: AP Photo/Themba Hadebe; snake: Photo by T. H. Fritts, USGS; water hyacinth: Staff CDFA, California Dept. of Food & Agriculture, Integrated Pest Control Branch

[Izithombe ekhasini 23]

Ukuhlanganiswa komnotho kuye kwandisa igebe phakathi kwabacebile nabampofu

[Umthombo]

UN PHOTO 148048/ J. P. Laffont - SYGMA

[Izithombe ekhasini 26]

I-Internet isetshenziselwa ukugqugquzela ubuphekula