Zimbabwe NGO Sues Gov't Over Alleged Planned Export of Elephants to China
Columbus Mavhunga, Voice of America News
July 15, 2021
See link
https://www.voanews.com/africa/zimbabwe-ngo-sues-govt-over-alleged-planned-export-elephants-china
for photos.
HARARE, ZIMABABWE: A Zimbabwean environmental group is suing the government
over plans to export elephants to China. The group, Advocates4Earth,
accuses China of subjecting elephants to unhealthy conditions.
In an application to Zimbabwe’s High Court, Advocates4Earth is seeking to
prevent the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority from going
through with the export.
Lenin Tinashe Chisaira, who heads Advocates4Earth, says the group just
wants authorities to comply with existing laws. “Basically, we are applying
for a declaratory order that the Zimbabwe government and its agencies
should respect international conventions especially the resolutions that
African elephants, African wildlife should not be exported to destinations
that are not appropriate for these species that are not natural or historic
range,” Chisaira said.
“We strongly feel that there is a desire by some agencies of the government
to violate those agreements by exporting some of our species to countries
such as China, without abiding by the existing legal framework,” he added.
The court application also cites the country’s environment minister,
Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu, in the lawsuit.
Zimbabwe’s elephant population has grown in recent years, climbing to more
than 100,000. Some farmers have complained that the elephants are
destroying their crops and grazing lands. However, the Zimbabwe Wildlife
Authority denies it is in the process of exporting elephants to China.
Tinashe Farawo, the Authority’s spokesperson, says it’s nothing but a
publicity stunt.
“These are people trying to seek relevance. In President [Emmerson]
Mnangagwa’s address he put those people on notice. They are people who are
bent on saying a lot of negatives. And they must prove that this is what we
are doing... The fact remains - we are not capturing any elephants for
export. Nothing of that sort is happening. They must bring the evidence,”
Farawo said.
In the past Zimbabwe has exported elephants to other countries despite
objections from animal rights and environmental groups, such as
Advocates4Earth.
On Thursday, officials at the Chinese embassy in Harare refused to comment
saying they were not cited in the court papers.
https://www.voanews.com/africa/zimbabwe-ngo-sues-govt-over-alleged-planned-export-elephants-china