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The Herald (Harare)
April 3, 2002
Posted to the web April 3, 2002
Wisdom Mdzungairi
AN Australian, Mr Bob Penfold, was last week bundled out of the largest hunting convention in the United States after he launched a hate campaign against Zimbabwe and tried to dissuade hunters from visiting the country.
This follows a continuous campaign by the Australian government among the white Commonwealth members of New Zealand, Canada and Britain to suspend Zimbabwe from the 54-member grouping.
The Australian Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, yesterday said he would use his trip to Britain next week, for the funeral of the Queen Mother, to discuss Zimbabwe with the leaders of Canada, New Zealand and the Commonwealth.
Mr Howard said he believed pressure would grow on organisers of the Commonwealth Games to ban Zimbabwe from the event in Manchester in July but stressed individual countries could not stop Zimbabwe from taking part.
Mr Howard said he had already spoken to New Zealand Prime Minister Ms Helen Clark and hoped that if Canadian Prime Minister Mr Jean Chretien also attended the royal funeral, the three nations could discuss possible future Commonwealth action on Zimbabwe.
"(Clark and I) agreed to get together in London and if Jean Chretien, the Canadian Prime Minister is there, which I think is very likely, we'll probably have a meeting the three of us, perhaps with the Commonwealth secretary-general to talk further about Zimbabwe," Mr Howard said. Ms Clark wants Zimbabwe excluded from the Commonwealth Games but Canada has dismissed that call. Mr Howard said it was a decision, which could only be made by the Commonwealth Games Federation.
"We cannot as governments, not in our kind of free society, stop people from coming. But I wouldn't be surprised if pressure for that grows," Mr Howard said.
Mr Howard was part of a three-nation Commonwealth troika which met in London last month to suspend Zimbabwe.
Mr Penfold, a co-director of Hunt Australia (Pvt) Ltd and Hunt New Zealand Safaris Ltd took the Australian campaign to the United States where he tried to influence Safari Club International to stop hunters from coming to Zimbabwe.
He was however, hauled before the Safari Club International hunting ethics committee where he faces possible life banishment from attending future hunting conventions.
In addition, he risks losing his membership from the 40 000-strong largest hunting grouping for bringing the convention into disrepute.
If banned, it means that he would not be allowed to do any business with any member of the Safari Club International anywhere in the world and this could spell doom to his business empire in Australia and New Zealand.
Australia has repeatedly said it would keep open the option of imposing sanctions on Zimbabwe but ruled out immediate unilateral action following the re-election last month of President Mugabe and the suspension of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth councils.
Mr Penfold claimed in his e-mail and fax notices to safari hunting agents worldwide that President Mugabe "has made it clear that he cannot guarantee the safety of visitors to Zimbabwe" soon after his re-election in the presidential election.
"Notice to All agents . . . We have just been made aware of the cancellation of flights and hunts in Zimbabwe. President Mugabe has made it clear that he cannot guarantee the safety of visitors to Zimbabwe.
"Hunt Australia (Pvt) Ltd and Hunt New Zealand Safaris Ltd would like to offer you our services. If you have been affected by
the situation in Zimbabwe, we will be happy to assist you in putting together an alternative hunting package to the South Pacific for your clients.
"We still have excellent buffalo hunting opportunities available, and we are able to handle groups of hunters during periods between late May and early September 2002.
"Remember . . . Australia and New Zealand are the safest countries in the world. If you have not previously considered the South Pacific as a hunting destination, we look forward to helping you realise the potential in this area," wrote Mr Penfold and Mr John Berry, his co-director.
After receiving the hate mail, a US safari agent Mr Wendell Reich of Hunters' Quest International blew the whistle on Mr Penfold when he approached a Zimbabwean safari operator, Mr Jan Strauss of Beitbridge.
Mr Reich asked: "Is this just a new marketing campaign for Bob (Penfold) or is there something going on?"
Irked by the falsehood in the e-mail and its intended goal, the Zimbabwe Wildlife and Tourism Advisory Council chairman, Mr Ed Kadzombe, and Zimbabwe Association of Tour and Safari Operators chief Mr George Pangeti and other tour operators nearly manhandled Mr Penfold.
However, SCI security quickly moved in, restrained the Zimbabwe safari operators, and whisked him away to a disciplinary hearing.
The Minister of Environment and Tourism, Cde Francis Nhema, who was leading the delegation, held a meeting with the SCI ethics committee and visited several agents allaying their fears.
The SCI also made announcements to the effect that Mr Penfold had lied about Zimbabwe.
Mr Penfold was ordered to apologise in writing for his unprofessional conduct to Zimbabwe safari and tourism operators and agents worldwide.
It was an embarrassing moment for Mr Penfold when his apology was sent to all agents and the convention daily news up date.
In his apology he claimed to have been advised by "several of his former clients that there had been announcements that non-Zimbabwe residents' lives were no longer guaranteed by the Zimbabwe Government and that there were travel warnings announced.
"My reaction was to e-mail my hunt booking agents to advise them that we had plenty of very good hunting opportunities available and that if the clients who had booked for Zimbabwe were concerned, we could be happy to attend to a hunting arrangement in Australia or New Zealand for them.
"The Zimbabwe Government officials attending the convention now advise me that the reports were not true. I hereby apologise for any inconvenience that I may have caused in this matter," Mr Penfold said.
Cde Nhema said hunters were welcome in Zimbabwe, adding that there was a special police protection unit to protect tourists.
Cde Nhema said it was disgraceful for business people to embark on hate campaigns in an effort to increase income receipts.
A US attorney and a friend of Zimbabwe, Mr Leo Grizzaffi, said Zimbabwean businesses could sue Mr Penfold for possible business loss resulting from his unethical business conduct.
Mr Pangeti, who is a senior SCI advisor on conservation and policy on Southern Africa, said the executive committee would soon hand down its judgment on the issue.
The latest move comes after another similar campaign by British Airways, which since last year discouraged its British customers to travel with sporting firearms claiming they were prohibited in Zimbabwe.
A travel agent, Wiltshire Deer Services, in January, told SCI, " myself (M. A. Brackstone) and two others are intending to go to Zimbabwe in June, after the elections. British Airways have recommended that we do not travel with sporting firearms, as Zimbabwe is not allowing any arms whatsoever into the country."
During the convention, the SCI produced material to the effect that sport hunting provided a major source of funding for wildlife and habitat conservation.
Projects such as Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources (Campfire) relied on direct methods of distributing wildlife benefits to individual and corporate landowners in cash or infrastructural developments, said SCI.
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saeed@ emirates.net.ae
www.accuratereloading.com
Most of the other general information he presented was not too far from the truth I guess !! I dont believe any one in their right mind can say without fear of contradiction that all is rosy in the garden of Zimbabawe
Take care, happy hunting
Regards, Peter
Also
"If banned, it means that he would not be allowed to do any business with any member of the Safari Club International anywhere in the world and this could spell doom to his business empire in Australia and New Zealand"
What right does the SCI have to TELL any member who they can and can't do business with ???
(personally I don't equate the word "business" well with hunting. Hunting is a vocation, a way of life, not a business, even if you do make your income from it. Perhaps some clubs should look at it that way as well, and not as a money makimg business)
Bob Penfold does seem to have upset some people though in trying to divert business from a country where political violence is now the norm to a stable western country where a road accident is your main worry.
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John
alias Nitro
NitroExpress.com
[This message has been edited by NitroExpress.com (edited 04-04-2002).]
What kind of rifle would be best for this hunt? 
HOW POLITICALLY CORRECT IS THAT?
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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art
[This message has been edited by MacD37 (edited 04-04-2002).]
quote:
Originally posted by MacD37:
We only need one season's hunting in Zimbabwe, and the total bag would be the newly "ELECTED" government!What kind of rifle would be best for this hunt?
HOW POLITICALLY CORRECT IS THAT?
Silly!
Bjorn
It reminded us of the year before when an unhappy former client took a swing at an outfitter. The outfitter ducked and the punch caught his wife and decked her.That was an "interesting" event to see!
From talking to Don Causey of The Hunting Report, the US government considered forbiding US citizens from financial tranactions with the Zimbabwe government (like paying trophy fees), or even a travel ban. They did not do either, but actions against Zim are pending.
jim dodd
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"if you are to busy to
hunt, you are too busy."
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RAB
Who was watching out for the SCI Members?
George
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Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!
GG
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If Elmer didn't say it, it probably ain't true.
quote:
Originally posted by Bjorn Klappe:
Silly!
Bjorn
Bjorn, it has become quite evident to me that you have a problem with me on a personal basis. Perhaps it is because I do not agree with much you say, or the other way around. You seem to have a problem with Americans in general, and me in particular. This doesn't bother me, you may say what ever you please, it is a free speach forum, but I would think a man of your age, and experience as a self proclaimed "LONG TIME PH IN AFRICA" would have a little better manners than I have seen here-to-fore.
Bjorn, I disagree with Mr. Penfold's attempt to turn a sad turn of events to a grab fest, to try to take customers away from people who are already hurting financially. I however, do not think he is wrong about the danger that exists in Zimbabwe, there has been a travel advisory by the USA State Dept. about Americans traveling to and in Zimbabwe.
That country is a dangerous place in some parts, and even if your life were safe, there is no guarentee your trophies will get out of the country, and exorbatant bribes may be ask for in some quarters. The travel advisory cautioned about Harrere, and Vic Falls about street crime. The SO-called ELECTIONS were bogus, and Bobby Mugabi cares nothing for anything but money, and power,any way he can get it. So the way I see it, Mr Penfold did not tell a lie, he just has BAD MANNERS, sound formilier?
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..Mac >>>===(x)===>
also DUGABOY1
DUGABOY DESIGNS
Collector/trader of fine double rifles, and African wildlife art
I do know the PH in Zimbabwe told me they changed their salt supplier because of trouble such as you discussed. I did not ask who suggested they do so.
All,
Maybe I am foolish but I will be going back to hunt Zimbabwe this year. I guess I could boycott as some suggest and not give the goverment any more money but it is the safari operators and booking agents you are hurting with this attitude. You know I will only be in Harare long enough to catch the plane to the Zambezi valley. The Zambezi valley seems quite safe, no trouble on communal lands from what I understand or saw last year.
My home town has a lot of unsafe areas and murders a thousand or so people a year, yet does real well with the tourists. Why is that, I guess just different attitudes of what safety is. My attitude is I feel safe with the PH in Zim and will take my chances with a few hours in the Harare airport.
BigB
[This message has been edited by BigB (edited 04-05-2002).]
I wonder if it has occured to some on this board that people just like us live, shop, go to school, go to work, go to church and walk the streets of Zimbabwe every day, Men, women and yes even their children..Ladies drive from ranches across great stretches of lonely roads every day...
Ever compare the violent death rate with Zimbabwe to say just New York City, NY wins it hands down, so does LA and many more of our safe cities!!!
Get a life!! and never trust big Government.
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Ray Atkinson
Welcome to the forum.
I have been hunting in Zimbabwe for many years, and have never had any problems with my trophies.
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saeed@ emirates.net.ae
www.accuratereloading.com
Cheers
PH.
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Happiness is a warm gun
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Happiness is a warm gun