GABON: transitional government readjusts its decision on the slaughter of elephants
GABON: transitional government readjusts its decision on the slaughter of
elephants
Boris Ngounou, Afrik21
January 10, 2024
After giving the green light to the population to kill elephants that
ravage plantations or break up houses, Gabon's President of the Transition
is reversing his decision. Giving pride of place to the human element,
General Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema acknowledges that human-elephant
conflicts must be settled in strict compliance with the law. This
clarification was backed up by a press release from the Gabonese Ministry
of Justice on the conditions governing the slaughter of elephant pests.
The transitional Gabonese government has reviewed its decision on the
slaughter of crop-raiding elephants. At the New Year’s Eve ceremony on 4
January 2024 at the presidential palace in Libreville, the head of state
pointed out that the man-elephant conflict in Gabon must be settled in
strict compliance with the law. “Yes, we must protect people from
elephants. But protecting people whose flesh or property is attacked does
not mean slaughtering elephants, which are a fundamental part of our
environment. Everything must therefore be done in accordance with our laws
and regulations on the subject”, declared General Brice Clotaire Oligui
Nguema.
Only shoot pachyderms in self-defence
On the same day, a press release from the Ministry of Justice provided
further details of this warning from the Gabonese President of the
Transition. According to the Ministry, the measures taken by the President
of the Transition are based on article 172 of law no. 016/01 of 31 December
2001 on the Forestry Code in the Gabonese Republic, which stipulates that
“legitimate defence is understood to mean the prohibited act of hunting
carried out in the immediate need to defend oneself, others or one’s
harvest”.
The Ministry of Justice press release also points out that “apart from
legitimate self-defence, fully protected animal species, in particular the
elephant, may not be hunted or captured. Those responsible for poaching are
therefore liable to prosecution and penalties ranging from 15 years’
imprisonment to 3 to 6 months’ ritual imprisonment, in addition to a fine
of between one million and 10 million CFA francs”.
At least 4 elephants have already been slaughtered
The Gabonese government’s new stance on the slaughter of elephants was
prompted by the controversy surrounding the announcement made by the
President of the Transition at the beginning of December 2023. During a
tour of the interior of the country, he met and exchanged views with the
local population, who presented him with their concerns, including the
horrors of the human-elephant conflict. In no uncertain terms, the Head of
State called for the killing of elephants that attack crops and the release
of all those imprisoned for killing a pachyderm.
Since Oligui Nguema’s announcement, local media have reported that at least
four elephants have already been killed.