Human wildlife conflict scars human victims
Calls for provision of therapeutic rehabilitation Comprehensive compensation Establishment of an Ex Gratia Scheme or Ex Gratia Tribunal
Family members and surviving victims of Human Wildlife Conflict ( HWC hardly receive closure from these terrifying and traumatic events and often experience regular flashback memories which upset and haunt them for the rest of their lives.
This was said by Israel Blackie from Botswana Institute for Development Policy Analysis ( BIDPA) in his research brief titled ‘ Resolving Human Wildlife Conflict in Botswana through Social Protection’.
Blackie stated that apart from crop destruction and cattle predation, HWC victims and mostly men, have shown that these horrific and traumatic events often leave them sexually incapacitated and thus takes away their pride as men.
The Policy Brief by Blackie is based on a national tracer survey covering 66 villages in Botswana. The aim of the study was to ascertain the magnitude and social impacts of human wildlife conflict ( HWC) on victims and their families.
The study also sought to assess the relevance and effectiveness of the Ex- Gratia compensation scheme to victims of wild animals’ attack which was introduced in 2015. The key findings reveal that local people exposed to life threatening wildlife attacks express fear and animosity towards wild animals, and also feel rejected and disappointed from a fragmented government service delivery system.
According to the study major policy recommendations to be considered by government and other stakeholders include provision of comprehensive therapeutic rehabilitation and reconstructive surgery to HWC victims, comprehensive compensation according to the severity of injuries sustained, and establishment of an Ex Gratia Scheme or Ex Gratia Tribunal where all HWC injuries or death incidents can be effectively dealt with.
Blackie stated that most importantly, compensation for injured victims should consider healthcare and rehabilitation, loss of reasonable income and associated disability care as a result of being gruesomely attacked, trampled and mauled by the wild animals.
“Lastly, the proposed benefits could be covered by income from monies paid under the tourism levy, hunting royalties, contribution by wildlife- based CBOs, social corporate responsibilities from private sector as well as from other government revenue sources. “These recommendations are aimed at giving victims of HWC a peace of mind during the challenging times of their agony, as well as infusion of humanistic approach to wildlife management in Botswana,” said Blackie in the Policy Brief. Human Wildlife Conflict ( HWC) does not only result in crop damage and cattle predation, denied access to welfare resources such as water, closure of migratory routes, shelter and breeding grounds; but also leads to social impacts on human victims of this conflict.