A nation apart
Mmegi Editor | Thursday February 9, 2017 12:05
Even their elected legislative representative is in the dark. On Tuesday, Ronald Shamukuni broke his and his community’s silence by questioning the criteria that informed Botswana’s decision to fight for the uplisting of elephants at the recent CITES Conference of Parties.
In October, Botswana threw in its lot with the African Elephant Coalition which pushed for the uplisting of all African elephants to CITES strictest category, Appendix 1, which bars any trade whatsoever in the animals or their products.
The effort was ultimately defeated and while Botswana’s elephants remain on the second strictest category, Appendix II, they have a special demarcation that essentially accords them Appendix 1 protection.
Shamukuni grilled Environment, Natural Resources, Conservation and Tourism minister, Tshekedi Khama about the criteria used to decide Botswana’s position at the CITES meeting, particularly since local communities were not consulted.
Khama responded by saying it was only possible to consult with the “Botswana delegation that comprised Government officials, NGOs, traditional and community representatives” attending CITES.
The Member of Parliament, whose mandate specifically involves collating community concerns and taking them to national attention, says villagers are unhappy with Botswana’s decision.
Villagers in Chobe live and work next to a ballooning population of elephants, many of these on the run from poachers in the rest of Africa. The numbers grow as the jumbos enjoy higher reproduction rates and chances of survival due to stringent monitoring.
Shamukuni’s constituents witness their meagre efforts to cultivate crops crushed underfoot by jumbos, with a pittance for compensation, while their livestock competes for diminishing pastures, as nature reserves grow larger. Even villagers’ very lives are imperilled every day by the growing numbers.
Far too often, the interests of ordinary Batswana in the tourism belt are subjugated to the “all knowing” conservation and environmental groups, whose opinion appears to matter more to the authorities. A few influential researchers have successfully lobbied for various changes and positions that Botswana should take and Shamukuni’s worry is that his voice and with it, that of the people of Chobe, has been drowned out in the din of opinions. In no way are we advocating trade in elephants or their products. Neither are we calling for the reintroduction of hunting. However, these communities must be compensated for the sacrifice they are making to co-exist with the jumbos. They need alternative skills, training, specialised incentives, but most importantly meaningful direct empowerment and inclusion in the tourism activities, beyond the CBOs and trusts.
What we have now is a dichotomy where the interests of tourists and environmentalists supersede those of the citizens, who, if empowered would be better watchdogs of our elephants than any anti-poaching units.
Today’s thought
“The people told me they are against the move. I also am. We cannot move to Appendix 1 when we have elephants terrorising our people.”
- Ronald Shamukuni