ViewFromMatopos
One of Africa’s leading voices in support of sustainable utilization of wildlife resources, Africa Wildlife Conservation Coalition (AWCC) has described the lifting of the Botswana 2014 hunting ban as a triumph of sovereignty over the interests of foreign Non-Governmental Organisations.
This comes following the midweek announcement by Botswana’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism that Government had taken a decision to lift the hunting suspensions.
Africa Wildlife Conservation Coalition (AWCC) tweeted, “It is official; the Botswana hunting ban of 2014 has been lifted. President Masisi decided after consulting with experts, stakeholders and ordinary citizens that his decision is in the best interest of the country. A triumph of sovereignty over the interests of foreign NGOs.”
AWCC rubbished claims by Dr Paula Kahumbu that the move was detrimental to the tenets of wildlife conservation.
Dr Kahumbu had earlier tweeted that “Botswana lifts elephant hunting ban under guise of helping communities as Masisi destroys Ian Khama’s globally respected legacy of policies that saw elephants protected. Expect mass culling next and aggressive efforts to reopen ivory trade. Impact will be felt across Africa.”
AWCC responded: “Your comments are misleading. 92.1% of the residents in northern Botswana wanted the ban lifted, Khama made the decision to enact a ban unilaterally and there isn’t going to be mass culling. You may not like it but the citizens of Botswana do and President Masisi acted on their wishes.”
Survival International CEO, Stephen Corry, weighed in support of AWCC and scoffed at the so called Khama’s global respected legacy. Corry tweeted “"globally respected legacy"! Haha. He kicked Bushmen off their land for a diamond mine. He profited from tourism there. Elephant herds in parts of Botswana now exceed the carrying capacity of the land. Herds need controlling or animal welfare suffers. What's the solution?”
He added: “Brits forbade traditional elephant hunters in Kenya and great suffering was inflicted on over-large herds at next drought time.”
