ts in camp at the time who were horrified that it could be shot so close to a tourist resort. Staff from both camps believe the wrong elephant was shot.
Soon afterwards one of our drivers was attacked by an elephant and was incredibly fortunate not to lose his life. Parks shot this elephant the next day and it was found to have a wound on its head. We all believe this was the culprit from the first attack and the only one that should have been shot.
Then the caretaker from another camp (after stealing the company vehicle and over indulging in alcohol) walked into an elephant which killed him. This elephant was shot by parks the next day, again a few hundred metres our camp. According to all witnesses it took 16 shots to do the job.
We had foreign tourists at the time who witnessed what happened. They vowed never to come back. Again a few days later another elephant was shot. The official response I got from Parks Chirundu was that this elephant was causing problems with the truckers. A junior parks official told me the first one shot was the wrong one thus the need to shoot the second one.
This week a fifth elephant was shot on the northern side of Chirundu , it took over 40 shots to kill this one according to witnesses. This one was apparently shot because it knocked over a phone booth. An eye-witness account in my possession records:
“At approx 5.30 pm on 3/9/06 I was sitting overlooking the Chirundu floodplain. Suddenly what sounded like an AK 47 rifle fired 4-5 shots in rapid succession. I jumped up to see what the commotion was about. Right below me I saw an elephant stumble and collapse onto its front knees. It seemed to have been shot in its knee caps, disabling it from running further. I then saw a national parks member shooting at random, up to a further 40 shots into the elephant. After approx 7 minutes the elephant fell over on its side, and a heavy calibre weapon was heard to fire a single shot.
My domestic worker gave me 4kg elephant meat to take home to his wife 10 days ago when the 8th elephant was shot, after apparently killing a drunk person. He paid $1200 for it was not issued a receipt. The large parks ranger was seen at the local bar that night in a very inebriated state.”
This random slaughter is now reaching endemic proportions, 30 km away from Mana Pools, a national heritage site.
CONCERNED, Chirundu
Can you help?
EDITOR – Thembelihle is a “Halfway House” for patients with complications of
AIDS who, although ill, do not need (and cannot afford) admission to hospital for treatment, yet are too sick for care at home.
It is a nursing home in Mpopoma which provides appropriate nursing Care, good nutrition and support by skilled staff in a peaceful environment at minimal cost. Relatives are also counselled. It is a non-Government organisation (NGO) which does not receive regular financial support from Government sources, nor from the Global HIV/AIDS, malaria, TB fund. We have received much help from Rotary, Churches, Tudor Trust, MAC and NAC and other organisations and individuals but now these sources are drying up and Thembelihle is faced with a crisis. We need ongoing funding for staff and every day expenses – about US$15 000 per month. Can any
Of your readers suggest potential donors whom we could contact? If so please contact Mrs A Mangena (Manager) Tel Byo 405350 (or) Mrs Carol Gillett Tel Byo 242164 Email cgillett@netconnect.co.zw (or) Dr A O Pugh Tel Byo 252125 Email alanpugh@zol.co.zw
PLEASE HELP, Bulawayo
Winds of change
EDITOR – The recent clampdown by servants of the Mugabe regime on your Harare office, on Trade unionists, The MDCs, ZUJ and MISA shows that the Mugabe regime knows it has lost touch with the povo and is no longer fit for purpose.
Soon the winds of change will pervade the Zimbabwean political landscape. I salute all gallant voices like Wilf Mbanga, Tsvangirai, Chibhebhe, Mutambara, Madhuku to name a few among many defiant activists defending the right to freedom of expression in the now pariah state that is Zimbabwe.
Keep on keeping on till the archaic media laws like POSA,and LOMA are confined to the dustbins of history where they belong, till demonstrating is part of the DNA of every Zimbabwean, till the police becomes fit for purpose, till the elections are free and fair, till many newspapers publish daily without fear or favour, till all those scattered in the diaspora will gladly return home to rebuild the Zimbabwean dream. DAVID CHASUMBA, UK
Presidents don’t sleep
EDITOR – I am sure the police visited your Harare offices because you carried that picture of Mugabe and Chidyausiku asleep in Cuba. You cannot insult the President you know, don’t you know that Presidents don’t sleep during important meetings, they simply rest their eyes from time to time, all part of consolidating the gains of our liberation struggle!
PG, Europe
Chirundu slaughter continues
EDITOR – Further to my letter in Sept of the slaughter of an elephant, There have been numerous killings of elephants since then, specifically to sell their meat. National Parks obviously have a lucrative ‘business venture’ going with NO investigation, no explanation!
The Zambezi river in the Chirundu area is one of the most beautiful unspoilt natural areas left inthe world! This outrage must be exposed especially in the manner these magnificent elephants are killed. Dozens of bullets into one animal. Shocking!
In early September I was one of the unfortunate ‘scarce’ tourists to be visiting the Chirundu area. I was game viewing down the river from the bridge. A dark green landrover belonging to Parks arrived looking for an elephant who had killed a local chap who had stumbled into the elephant drunk. These Parks people put 16 bullets into this elephant. The following day it was rumoured they had shot the wrong elephant! Cruelty beyond belief! Did the proceeds of the elephant meat go back into conservation or into someone’s pocket?
DISGUSTED, Chirundu
Police – be warned
EDITOR – With Mugabe’s declaration that the police were only doing their job, the police have effectively become the President’s storm troopers. We are now effectively a Police State.
But what these foot soldiers do not know is that they are being used by a regime that is last legs. Mugabe is merely using them as a buffer zone so that Zimbabweans become too scared to oppose him. He gives them the green light because he knows that they are blindly loyal to him. Some of the police officers perpetrating violence do so reluctantly, but this will not save them from jail when the day of reckoning arrives, as it surely will.
They can run, but they can’t hide. Their devotion to Mugabe will cost them dearly one day. There shall be gnashing of teeth!!
They can escape to other countries but they will be hunted down eventually.
What they don’t know too, is that when the day of reckoning comes, they are the ones who will be arrested, tried, and jailed, and not Robert Mugabe, who will likely get an amnesty.
No amount of “we were only doing our job” will save them. What they should know now is that their actions are not escaping notice. They are committing crimes but are being told they are only doing their duty. The victims of police brutality know the names of their perpetrators. With the help of witnesses and other victims, their time shall come as surely as the sun rises from the east.
The perpetrators need to be disabused of the notion that it is a faint possibility that they will be tried. Make no mistake, they WILL be tried! The dates, names of victims are being systematically recorded and kept.
One more thing, the police has a lot of informers who know full well who their fellow perpetrators of violence are, and they are keen to distance themselves by providing information.
So to the police I say, enjoy yourselves while you can…We shall overcome!!
MWANA WEVHU, Harare
A pathological liar
EDITOR – Nathan Shamuyarira, speaking for the 20 000 civilians butchered in the Gukuruhundi, has now said that “5 Brigade went to protect the people” and “no, I don’t regret.” Not long ago an assessment of Nathan’s background was sought from an elderly Zimbabwean historian/anthropologist. “Western educated and extremely well spoken, and a pathological liar” was the opinion. Hardly surprising that this would be Zanu’s choice for an information spokesman – a custom model?
Recent reports indicate that Zanu is now courting high profile commercial farmers as trainee Zanu mujibas, by flashing Mwenezi Ranch as a carrot. Zanu seems to have studied human nature, and the old saying that “every man has his price,” and are now using it to extend their power and influence. Zanu mujibas can come in so many forms now.
MUJIBOLOGIST, Australia
Hlani kuhle a health hazard
EDITOR – There no need to celebrate World Habitant Day by those settled under the Garikai/Hlani kuhle project. I am talking of the houses in Cowdray Park Suburb, Bulawayo. The houses were just constructed without the sewer system, let alone water pipes. They don’t have any toilets, water or electricity. The residents are just sitting in a health hazard bomb. The residents are relieving themselves in the nearby bushes posing a great health hazard to the occupants.
LOVEMORE P MASEKO, Bulawayo