Zimbabwe: 'Elephants Slaughtered to Feed Hungry Soldiers'
Bernard Mpofu
8 January 2009

IN a move likely to appal conservationists the Zimbabwe Defence Forces (ZDF) and the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority have reportedly struck a deal that has resulted in the authority slaughtering elephants to feed soldiers at army barracks across the country.

Sources in the army told the Zimbabwe Independent that there were acute food shortages in the barracks and the supply of elephant meat was a big relief.

Parks Authority director-general Morris Mutsambiwa yesterday said there was no such a deal with the army.

However, military sources insisted the existence of the pact and disclosed that shortages of food rations in the barracks started early last year after the Ministry of Defence exhausted its budgetary allocation due to the harsh economic environment.

Secretary for Defence Trust Maphosa last year admitted before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence and Home Affairs that the government was fortunate that none of the soldiers had so far dared to take it to court for failing to comply with the statutes on food requirements.

"For the better part of last year army canteens have been preparing the staple sadza only and soldiers have been bringing their own relish," one of the military sources said. "Although the state has a statutory obligation to provide soldiers stipulated amounts of kilojoules and calories per every meal, the government has taken advantage of their ignorance and docility to renege on its responsibility."

The sources said most barracks started taking delivery of the elephant meat last week.

"People started eating the meat of elephants last week," said a female soldier from 2 Brigade in Cranborne.

In a written response to questions from the Independent, Parks spokesperson Olivia Mufute said: "Dr Morris Mutsambiwa said there is no such agreement that exists between the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe National Army."

Army director for public relations Simon Tsatsi professed ignorance of the matter before requesting written questions.

"I am sorry I am not aware of that, please put your questions in writing and fax them to our offices," Tsatsi said.

The government is desperate to reduce the population of elephants in the country which it claims has far exceeded the carrying capacity of its national parks.


Pressure from animal rights groups has, however, prevented it from wholesale killing of the animals while it cannot afford the other control options that include translocation to countries with smaller populations and contraception.

While control and management of the animals is giving the Zimbabwe government serious headaches, in other parts of the world they have become an endangered species which has to be protected under the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna.

Zimbabwe: Elephants Slaughtered to Feed Mugabe's Soldiers
Alex Bell
9 January 2009

Zimbabwe's government, which so far has made no effort to relieve the suffering of it's starving people, has now resorted to slaughtering the country's elephants to feed Robert Mugabe's soldiers.

According to ZimOnline, the state Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has since last week supplied elephant meat to army barracks, which, like the rest of the country, have run out of food. The crippling food shortage has left up to half the nation already facing starvation and in the midst of the cholera crisis has left untold thousands of people dead.

The country's elephants are now the latest victims in a crisis that the government has refused to accept responsibility for. The Mugabe administration reportedly views the supplying of elephant meat to soldiers as "killing two birds with one stone" as it enables it to cull allegedly excess animals while also ensuring its army has food.

The army is a critical part of Mugabe's continued grip on power and the soldiers' comfort has long since taken precedence over that of the people. With no food or goods to plunder in the ravaged country anymore, it is not surprising that hunger is rearing its head in the barracks. Analysts have ruled out the possibility of a military coup against Mugabe because all top commanders are still relatively comfortable. But some say that worsening hunger could at some point force ordinary soldiers to either openly revolt or to simply refuse to defend the government, should Zimbabweans rise up in a civil rebellion.


Meanwhile Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi has declined to comment on the matter or to discuss the availability of food at army barracks in general, while Parks director-general Morris Mutsambiwa reportedly would not take questions on the matter. It is as of yet unknown how many elephants have been turned into soldier fodder, but it does go without saying that the slaughter is not merely a method of feeding the troops. The ivory collected will undoubtedly be sold off to the country's dubious Chinese business links, lining the pockets of government officials and further aggravating the illegal ivory trade.

the day I got my buff and we were getting back to camp, we were notified that we would be providing (ie, shooting) three tuskless cows for an "Uncle Bob" barbecue. Trucks were enroute from Harare to Marongoro when the call came.

Boom, Boom-Boom, Boom-Boom; three dead elephants!

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Rich
Buff Killer