Uganda: Hunting Kony

The Daily Monitor ( Uganda ) reports

Uganda, US troops find tusks in CAR

Kampala

                                                      Photo Virunga National Park DR Congo

The UPDF and American Special forces in Central African Republic have discovered a cache of elephant tusks reportedly hidden by LRA fighters north of Djema Town.

A statement issued on Thursday by the UPDF spokesperson, Col. Felix Kulayigye, said the discovery followed a tip-off by an LRA defector, who reported that the rebels maintained caches of ivory tusks and identified the approximate location.“A US Embassy Bangui representative contacted officials at the CAR Ministry of Forests and Water, who indicated that the ministry was unable to reach the remote location to secure the tusks,” he explained.

Given the political situation in CAR at the moment it is unsurprising that the Government is unable to do very much. The national unity government has been in place just over a week.

The discovery corroborates reports that LRA is involved in trading elephant tusks, which are reportedly taken to Darfur and exported. One kilogramme of ivory can sell for more than $1000 and the price keeps going higher.

In 2011, 38.8 tonnes of illegal ivory was seized by authorities worldwide, equaling the tusks of more than 4,000 dead elephants.

Last year, the UPDF was implicated in the killing of elephants in DR Congo but Col. Kulayigye said the discovery of ivory in Djema exonerates them. “It should be recalled that some so-called researchers had accused the disciplined UPDF of poaching, yet back home we are well known conservationists,” he said.

Col. Kulayigye said the tusks were handed over to the CAR government. “Together with our US allies, we are in contact with CAR officials to fully account for, and dispose of, the tusks in accordance with international law and treaty obligations,” Col. Kulayigye said.

That means that they should be burned. I can understand the rational behind that but it seems to me at least to be a waste of valuable ivory and I doubt it does much to discourage poaching. The LRA is prepared to kill humans on a huge scale they are not going to hesitate to kill elephants.

When asked for more details on LRA’s involvement in the trade, he said: “I don’t know the details of the trade-that is speculation.”

Last week, Resolve, a US based advocacy organisation released a report, saying the LRA was becoming weaker but still remains a regional security threat.

Ending the activity of the LRA should be a priority for the world. Joseph Kony and his followers should be hunted down or brought in front of the ICC personally I don't much care which option is exercised. 

The UPDF, backed by American forces are in the region to fight the Ugandan rebels group. The rebels shifted base to the CAR in 2008, following the Operation Lightning thunder that flashed them out of their base in Garamba Forest in the eastern DR Congo.

The LRA was originally based in northern Uganda, where it fought with government, displacing about 1.5 million people, killing and maiming hundreds of thousands others. 

The sooner justice is visited on Kony the better.

Here comes Jumbo

New Times ( Rwanda ) Reports

Residents digging the trench which will prohibit the free movement of elephants from the national park to gardens- The New Times / S Nkurunziza.

 

Rwanda, DRC border residents in joint drive against stray animals

"Local wildlife officials and Rwandans residing near Virunga National Park are closely working with their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo on a joint venture to halt any more attacks by elephants which stray into communities and destroy gardens.

Previously, residents especially from Bugeshi Sector in Rubavu District have seen their prospective harvests destroyed by the jumbos."

It would be heart breaking to lose your crops but elephants are just being elephants. When a dog takes a piss on a lamp post it isn't being a vandal. 

"For the past three days, residents from both countries are currently digging a protective trench stretching for approximately 3.5 kilometres which, once completed, would limit the free movement of the animals to their farms."

Wouldn't it be great if this was the usual manner of DR Congo / Rwanda interactions.

"Despite the larger chunk of the park being situated in the DR Congo, elephants often cross into the district destroying agricultural property worth millions of francs. "

Well Elephants are more likely to respect natural boundries than lines on a map.


Most residents look at the initiative as a sustainable way of controlling such attacks.

“I have already lost a lot of money through these regular attacks but I think if we successfully complete this trench, we shall have solved the problem once and for all,” an area resident Jean Damacene Bizimana told The New Times in an interview."

I wouldn't be to sure about that. But I hope you are right Jean. The author desribed them above as jumbo's not dumbo's.

"Despite losing approximately 400 kilogrammes of Irish potatoes and a hectare of maize when the elephants ravaged his farm last week, Bizimana has worked hard to mobilise area residents to curb the destruction. 

Benjamin Mugabo, from the International Gorilla Conservation Programme, acknowledged that digging of deep and wide trenches along the points where the elephants cross would act as a deterrent."

I think deterrent is the right word I wouldn't bet against the Elephants figuring out a way across if the really wanted to.

"He disclosed that the initiative was facilitated by the Norwegian Embassy in Kampala under a programme to manage the human-wildlife conflict."

Kampala is of course in Uganda so there is obviously some impressive cooperation occurring here.

"The chief warden officer from the DRC, Basigar Karinda, disclosed that there was a possibility of erecting an electric fence once the trench is complete to shield farms from the jumbos."

I suspect getting an electric shock would just piss " jumbo " off . I would think that the level of shock that you would need to deter an elephant might be rather dangerous in an environment that humans use as well. 

"In the recent past months, the animals have invaded the area on several occasions, drawing concern amongst area residents.

"Last year, a herd of elephants crossed over destroying crops and killing several domestic animals.
Previously, residents used flashlight torches to flash at the jumbos as a short term preventive measure as the elephants usually strike at night."

I would have thought light and sound would be far more effective than an electric fence.

"Most victims are yet to be compensated as the provisional law, which caters for this is still under scrutiny at parliament."

That makes a lot of sense. Compensation should actually fall to the international community. We with some justification demand that biodiversity be preserved but that has a price and it should fall to us not African farmers to pay the bill.