We The Voices for Zim Wildlife wish to express our concern with the direction some animal rights activists/groups have taken as far as Zimbabwe is concerned.
We fully acknowledge the failures of our government in managing the county’s political and economic affairs but it seems there are some groups who have diverted from their true cause as animal advocates and become nothing short of political activists, hypocritically using the baby elephant issue to present themselves as animal activists while advocating for political regime change.
We believe our role as animal activists will never be realised as long as we do not separate animal activism from political activism. Get us right here, we are not in any way condoning the government’s failed policies and its impact on our cause. But we are urging animal activists to lay aside any political agenda and engage the government as true animal advocates who have nothing but the welfare of our wildlife at heart.
The reason why our struggle to save the captured baby elephants has realised few results is that the approach of some individuals and organisations has been political and therefore triggered a hostile response from government. As we stand today, animal activism is viewed and treated the same way as opposition politics.
Western voices
For the government this is justifiable because some have even gone to the extent of engaging western governments and courts to intervene in our affairs. This is futile and self -defeating to our cause. It only serves to defeat our campaign whilst strengthening Zimbabwe’s claimed position as a victim of western conspiracies.
We need to realise that the government will never listen to western voices, and the government is the only authority that can stop the export of baby elephants. The only way to go if we wish to be entertained by our government is to leave politics to political activists and work to gain respect and trust as animal advocates who only seek better welfare for our wildlife.
Zimbabwe is not the only country where wildlife rights are violated. In South Africa trophy hunting is legal and currently the SA government is pushing for legalising rhino horn trading, yet we don’t hear that government being demonised. Animal activists there amicably engage their government to come up with favourable solutions.
China is the leading market for rhino horns and the chief culprit for all the poaching problems in Africa. Their ivory carving factories are a legal component of their economy but we don’t hear China being verbally abused.
Policy reforms
We as Voices for Zim Wildlife are making that quality decision to desist from politics and stand up for our wildlife, to positively engage our government with programmes that are focused on wildlife policy reforms. As such we are cutting ties with all individuals and organisations who are bent on undermining us and our African initiatives.
For a long time we have failed to implement our own solutions to our Zimbabwean problems because those with the resources always demanded their own terms, but not anymore. From now on we shall fight for our wildlife heritage the way we believe is best for Zimbabwe. We are not in any way closing our doors but we welcome the support of those who will present unbiased opinions, those who are in it for the love of the animals.
We believe that saving the captured baby elephants is a global issue and the love of animals is without political boundaries. – Issued by: <span class="skype_c2c_print_container notranslate +27730781656</span><span id="skype_c2c_container" class="skype_c2c_container notranslate" dir="ltr" tabindex="-1" onmouseover="SkypeClick2Call.MenuInjectionHandler.showMenu(this, event)" onmouseout="SkypeClick2Call.MenuInjectionHandler.hideMenu(this, event)" onclick="SkypeClick2Call.MenuInjectionHandler.makeCall(this, event)" data-numbertocall="+27730781656" data-isfreecall="false" data-isrtl="false" data-ismobile="false <span class="skype_c2c_highlighting_inactive_common" dir="ltr" skypeaction="skype_dropdown <span class="skype_c2c_textarea_span_ui1" id="non_free_num_ui <img class="skype_c2c_logo_img" src="resource://skype_ff_extension-at-jetpack/skype_ff_extension/data/call_skype_logo.png" height="0" width="0 <span class="skype_c2c_free_text_span_ui1 </span><span class="skype_c2c_text_span_ui1 +27730781656</span></span></span></span> Kenesias Dambakurima.
Post published in: Environment