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Govt declaring war against poachers, says Masebo

Govt declaring war against poachers, says Masebo
By Henry Sinyangwe and Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 04 Sep. 2012, 19:16 CAT

GOVERNMENT is declaring war against poachers, says tourism minister Sylvia Masebo. Speaking on arrival at City Airport on Sunday from Kafue National Park where she had gone to launch the new uniforms for ZAWA officers, Masebo said the Zambia Wildlife Authority officers would work with defence wings to curb poaching.

She said the government attached great importance to wildlife and would ensure that poaching was curbed to enable the country earn more resources from the endorsement.

"Government attaches great importance to the natural resources, in particular the wildlife. Government through ZAWA is declaring war against the poachers. And we are happy that the defence forces are coming on board to support us as has been demonstrated by the presence of commanders during our meeting... We need to look after the wildlife to ensure that we solve the problem of the much talked about unemployment and earn the country forex," Masebo said.

She said the village scouts and ZAWA police would be trained by the defence wings to enable effectiveness and efficiency in curbing poaching.
Masebo said the officers would also receive new and correct weapons to fight the poachers.

"We don't have planes so they (defence wings) can also help us in that area through joint operations in terms of monitoring wildlife. The government has released K15 billion which was budgeted for in this year's budget and all that is meant to help in the conservation and management of wildlife. We have bought uniforms now everybody has," Masebo said. "We also want to equip them with the correct weapons to fight the poachers. We hope that before the end of this year we should be able to buy some guns and more transport for the purposes of enhancing their operations".

She said ZAWA officers used the guns confiscated from the poachers because there had not been much funding to the institution.

And speaking when she launched the uniform, Masebo disclosed that the population of well sough-after animals like elephants had plummeted due to poaching scourge.

"The elephant population plummeted from over 250,000 animals that used to roam on the Zambian soil in the 70s was severely
reduced to 17,000 in 1989, due to severe poaching that was experienced in the 80s.This unfortunately, led to the extinction of black rhino during the same period," she said

She said that over the years, trends in population of some species had continued to show gradual decline largely attributed to poaching occurring at both subsistence and commercial levels.

"This time, poachers have become sophisticated criminals, some of which are either retired or serving service men, and are equipped with sophisticated weapons, which include automatic rifles," Masebo said.

"Unfortunately, even the traditional hunter who once used to hunt only for the pot has also turned commercial and has become a threat to wildlife and officers as he has equally become armed and defensive."

And ZAWA director general Edwin Matokwani said the
statutory instrument that had provided for the introduction of a new uniform that will be warn interchangeably with the old had for the first time also provided for rank insignia for the officers.

"This development certainly raises ZAWA's profile to its rightful position as a paramilitary organisation as recognised in the policy for wildlife and national parks in Zambia," he said"

ZAWA has always used the jungle green uniform.

Labels: SYLVIA MASEBO, WILDLIFE, ZAWA

posted by MrK @ 3:30 PM