Human-elephant conflict: Lee White launches exchanges with the population (Gabon)
*Translated from the French by an automated online translation service, so
please excuse the roughness. See link for original. *
Human-elephant conflict: Lee White launches exchanges with the population
(Gabon)
Griffin Ondo Nzuey, Gabon Review
July 15, 2021
See link
https://www.gabonreview.com/conflit-homme-elephant-pr-lee-white-lance-les-echanges-avec-les-populations/
for photos.
Almost two months after the clashes in Mékambo, which led to numerous
arrests of demonstrators and a local elected official, the government is
once again focusing on awareness.
This Wednesday, Professor Lee White and Charles Mve Ella, accompanied by
their colleague Michel Menga M'Essone, were in the town of Cocobeach, in
the province of the Estuary. The Minister of Water and Forests and his
deputy minister thus launched the “Provincial consultations on the
human-elephant conflict”.
Initiated several weeks after the descent to Mékambo of ministers from the
province of Ogooué-Ivindo—who had been instructed by Prime Minister Rose
Christiane Ossouka Raponda to go and raise awareness among the populations
who were reacting to the inaction of the authorities in the conflict, which
pits peasants against pachyderms who devastate their plantations thus
endangering their physical, social and economic integrity—these
consultations aim to "discuss with the populations in order to strengthen
the system to fight against this scourge", explains the Ministry of Water
and Forests.
For Professor Lee White and Charles Mve Ella, it will be a question of
recalling what has already been done in the context of the management of
this conflict, of discussing the government's plans relating thereto, and
above all of explaining the draft decree adopted by the Council of
Ministers, on June 10, which authorizes the execution of administrative
battles and, if necessary, the use of the right of self-defense by the
populations [who are] victims of this conflict.
These exchanges with the populations will continue until July 29. The two
managers of Eaux et Forêts should be accompanied by their colleagues from
the province at every stage. They will not escape the question of
compensation for victims of plantation devastation.