07 Apr 2015

Botswana’s international reputation as a safe haven for wildlife is at risk because of the country’s inability to investigate and prosecute wildlife crimes effectively.

Senior assistant commissioner of police, Ms Dinah Marathe, said this during a law enforcement workshop in Gumare recently.

She said the western part of the country was rich in biodiversity and home to many endangered species of wild fauna and flora, but unfortunately the region was also a hot spot in wildlife crimes and illegal cross border activities.

Ms Marathe said the long term survival of wildlife populations and in particular the success of interventions to combat wildlife crimes would depend to a large extent on the engagement of the local communities who live alongside them.

“Where the economic and social value of wildlife for local people is positive, they will be more motivated to support and engage in efforts to combat and manage poaching and illicit trade,” she noted. She also said it was important to take the communities on board through education and continuously highlighting the economic value of the species in their respective areas.

On another point, Ms Marathe said there was need to sensitise members of different organisations and improve cooperation between law enforcement agencies, prosecution and the courts in order to reduce or even eliminate wildlife crimes.

When giving a vote of thanks, Brigadier Benjamin Masunga of the Botswana Defence Force emphasised the need for security agencies to develop mutual understanding and communication links among all stakeholders. 

He also called for improved cooperation among countries on trading routes to combat transnational crimes and also to strengthen prosecution mechanisms. Brig Masunga said they also need to ensure that the local communities benefited from conversation through Community Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) strategies. 

The workshop was attended by Station Commanders from the North West region, senior BDF members, and Magistrates, among others. 

The gathering deliberated on operational matters and mapped the way forward, particularly the investigations and prosecution of wildlife crime and related issues. ENDS