Poaching is Economic Sabotage
They can march from Katutura to Katima Mulilo. They can burn our flag. They can pellet our cargo trucks. They can kill or maim our cattle when they stray over the border. But all these acts of thuggery will not weaken our resolve to protect and safeguard our territorial integrity and sovereignty. We are also not going to allow these secessionist thugs to derail our thriving bilateral relations with Namibia. The fact is Botswana and Namibia enjoy very cordial diplomatic relations. Further, there are strong cultural and familial ties between peoples of the two countries. In fact, more than any other country in the neighbourhood, Namibia and Zimbabwe have proven to be our truly dependable neighbours. We therefore, are not going to allow poaching syndicates, their sponsors and sympathisers to hurt our relations and our already struggling tourism sector by reducing our pristine biodiversity into Hobbesian gangland.
We cannot stand aside and spectator this clear act of economic sabotage. The illicit ivory and rhino horn trade arguably weakens our macroeconomic and fiscal stability, deters investment, contributes to income inequality, and hinders growth at all levels of an economy. Tourism revenues are particularly threatened by unmitigated poaching. Indirect impacts of poaching include the loss of income and employment in related industries and activities, and it may also result in environmental or other damage that necessitates economic costs to clear up. As a country, we are more dependent on natural resources as a source of revenue. Wildlife has always played a key role in providing a foundation for investment and economic development. Depletion of this asset as a result of poaching can undermine this foundation, therefore, limiting options for local and national sustainable development. Poaching also undermine efforts to manage these resources sustainably, thus reducing our ability to profit from them in the future.
Therefore, the two countries should not allow the rule of law to be hijacked and replaced by thuggery and buccaneering by those pursuing narrow sectarian and secessionist agenda. Botswana subscribes to one Namibia, and we are not going to be bullied or blackmailed by this ‘ Region’ or that ‘ Region’ to submit into their political agenda. In fact, some of those pelleting our cargo trucks, have had their friends and families safely sheltered here for decades as refugees. Therefore, Botswana is going to deal with the problem of poaching, as a function of national security and preservation, and not a function of internal Namibian politics. For those sympathising with poachers and pushing the pseudo ‘ human rights’ narrative, may they be reminded that in March this year, the nation was mourning the brutal killing of Lance Corporal Obakeng Tlhaloganyo at the hands of poachers. My ‘ learned counsel,’ may in your interaction with these poachers, kindly remind them that our soldiers are ‘ humans’ too and their lives matter.
Poaching, which started as an environmental and conservation problem has turned to a fullblown national security issue. Once small- scale enterprises, operations are increasingly sophisticated, targeting and killing animals with weapons including semiautomatic guns. Poachers are now using increasingly sophisticated weapons and equipment, including rocket launchers, M- 16 rifles, and night vision goggles. In some instances, militia elements have been implicated. Armed actors move ivory in exchange for arms and use existing smuggling operations to facilitate the movement of ivory. This evolution in poaching tactics, naturally calls for rangers and security forces to employ more aggressive tactics to combat poachers. Large- scale commercialised and militarised poaching which has caused unprecedented death rates and unsustainable killing of keystone species. Left unaddressed this will lead to extinction of wild populations as killing rates exceed birth rates in some cases.
tmasokola@ gmail. com