swaziland2

an interview with thuli mahama

campaigns wildlife habitats vs local communities

Most protected areas are privately owned and in areas hard hit by drought caused by four dry years. This serious water shortage along with a high level of poverty has led to a food crisis with many people relying on donations from organisations such as the World Food Programme. In addition Swaziland is in the top five countries worldwide for HIV/AIDS infection rates.

The lowveld is an area particularly affected by these problems. It is privately owned and fenced in to prevent entry by the local community stopping them collecting water, grain and wood for fuel. In this time of dire need we want some controlled access but have found serious cases of human rights abuses in trying to regain access. There are many reports of individuals dying at the hands of park rangers and managers plus many others crippled and scarred by attacks. When the wildlife strays from the parks any attempt to stop them eating the local’s crops is met by violence. They are not compensated for any damage the animals cause.

Around 40% of Swaziland ’s land is privately owned, much of it by foreigners living outside the country. Some of these owners have immense power and have established themselves into forces terrorising local communities. Some people have tried to prosecute the perpetrators, without success. The company, Big Game Parks, have been given the power to manage the wildlife areas. This means that with the power they have ensured that there are clauses making them immune from prosecution. This law is the Game Act and as well as protecting the company concerned is used by other private landowners as a cover for committing the atrocities. The local people are not benefiting from this biodiversity management and risk being killed ifthey attempt to enter the protected areas. The local communities are suffering crippling poverty and terror.

Swaziland is a signatory to various international conventions on biodiversity and the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES). Having carried out our own investigation we discovered that the administration of CITES has been given to Big Game Parks who have responsibility for both management and scientific issues. The company has stated that the King of Swaziland has entrusted them with the management of one of the large National Parks and this gives them authority to do as they wish, with no accountability, as the King commands great respect in our country.

We would like to see the laws that regulate wildlife conservation taken back into the hands of the Government. In addition the normalisation of CITIES should ensure that decisions are based on scientific evidence allowing access by local communities and the protection of species.

At the forthcoming CITES conference the company in question is proposing, on behalf of Swaziland , the sale of black rhinos. There are only 61 of these rhinos and this is a proposal based on profit. We tried to have an observer at the meeting, however, as a Non Governmental Organisation we needed the management company’s authority. Naturally they refused.

We need international awareness of the issues and the exposure of Big Game Parks whose patron is Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands. The company used advertising in local newspapers to intimidate us because of our revelations and with their record of past violence we fear for our own safety. One can only imagine how the local community feel.

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