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Hunting contracts destroying wild life
2005-10-06 07:11:08
By Karaine Lukumayi
Daily campaigns are made on wild life conservation, but it is amazing to note that some individuals still get hunting contracts through unknown means.
AS Tanzanians prepare for the general elections on October 30, this year, many pastoralist families in the country and Loliondo in particular, go to bed hungry.
They are also psychologically disturbed because their treasured ancestral pasture land and wildlife are no longer in their hands.
In Loliondo and many other parts of the country endowed with wildlife, foreigners have extended a long hand, all this through contracts some of which are dubious.
In fact to many Tanzanians bad memories still linger about the manner in which the Emirates Brig. Mohamed Abdul Rahim Al -Ali, was given an exclusive right to hunt in the area more than ten years ago.
The manner raises eye brows. The contract permits hunting and trapping of animals, some of which are later airlifted to the Emirates, contrary to the wishes of the local people. They were not even consulted on the matter.
Those who happen to go near the company’s hunting areas are often harassed and arrested by its security guards.
According to reliable sources, the application for the hunting contract did not go through the normal channel.
Worse still, its approval did not receive any expert evaluation including Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).
Reliable sources say that a few days before the signing of the contract the emirate leader frequented the ministry of tourism and natural resources headquarters for talks with senior officials.
It is also reported that colleagues who attempted to block the signing of the contact were given verbal warning; while others were transferred or demoted.
The tactics were targeted to create a conducive atmosphere to facilitate issuing of the hunting contract.
Very reliable sources revealed that the contract was hurriedly approved and hunting licences issued to Brigadier Al Ali.
It is sadly recalled that immediately after the contract was signed on November 20, 1992, Loliondo residents, the mass media together with some environmental activists protested in the strongest terms and challenged the government’s decision to allow the Emirate man to hunt in the Game Controlled Area, but their views were ignored.
Surely, readers would be interested in knowing what happened after the contract was signed.
Since he started hunting, there has been a lot of complaints from the local community.
Horror stories on unsustainable hunting and violation of human rights have been appearing frequently in the national press.
We should not lose sight, to some people, Loliondo is now a time bomb. The general elections are approaching.
But what is disturbing is that since the campaigns were launched on August 21, 2005, not a single political leader has touched the issue of unsustainable hunting in Loliondo.
It is high time the issue is made a leading agenda on the 2005 elections campaign programme.
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