FEATURE: South Sudan conflict placing wildlife at risk

April 9, 2015 (BOR) – Millions of species of wildlife are said to be at risk in South Sudan, especially in its Jonglei state where poaching is rampantly carried out by armed elements searching for meat, skin and tusks.

Lt. Col. Akech Anyieth Deng, Jonglei state’s deputy director of wildlife says animals were highly exposed to risks during and after the crisis, a situation that was different during the long civil war.

Jonglei is believed to home of millions of Mongalla, Topi also known as Thiang, antelopes, among others. Few Giraffes also exist in the semi-arid desert lying between Bor, Pibor, Pochalla in Jonglei and Central as well as Eastern Equatoria states.

About 5,000 elephants live in Nimule and the swamp areas in Jonglei state bordering Yirol County in the west, wildlife officials say.

Boma, Payomko and, Bandigilo are some of the parks within and around the state. In all these places, there exist strict regulations that prevent people from moving through them to, hunt, farm or make roads in or near the parks. No business activities are allowed in parks.

“We in the ministry of wildlife and tourism, we don’t want animals to be killed by the people either for meat, skins or other materials, it is unlawful. Because animals are big resources to this new country, even before South Independent, animals in South Sudan formed the largest resources to the Sudan economy,” said Deng.

“Today in South Sudan, Oil and wildlife resources are the major resources we have today in this country, although this sector is inactive. For this reason, we don’t want anybody to put his hand in killing the animals of any kind. That is what the wildlife ministry was established for,” he continued.

ROAD OBSTACLE TO ANIMALS

Recently, South Sudan’s cabinet passed a resolution, halting the Juba-Pibor new road construction, saying it would interfere with wildlife in the Bangilo national park.

Philip Panchol Majak, the national director of wildlife supported the decision, saying animals were at risk as roads pass via national parks.

Addressing a Dinka community meeting in Bor on 5 April, Deng cautioned the population in the state against killing the wild animals.

“We don’t need a vehicle, person or a road through the parks, because they scare the animals. We don’t need that,” he said.

The government troops, rebel forces and the civilians have targeted animals such as the Topi (Thiang), Mongalla, white-eared and red eared kob, according to a ministry of wildlife and tourism report.

ARMY, SECURITY OFFICERS ARE POACHERS

Meanwhile, armed civilians, pro-government forces and rebel fighters reported to be actively engaged in poaching wild animals.

Deng wondered why government officers contravened the laws.

“We have laws that no one, even a soldier [and] civilian, is allowed to kill animals for any reason. We don’t want it to happen,” he said.

Although hundreds of poachers were not traced, few of them had been caught and brought to law, wildlife officials told Sudan Tribune.

Bull Gai Anyang, who works as the security inspector for wildlife said he had a number of people caught with animals which they killed for meat and are now either in the court or still waiting to go to court.

Last month, Bul arrested one army officer from the national security service deployed in Jonglei state guarding the state governor.

John Awad Grat, a private officer in national security service was recently caught selling dry meat in Marol market in the capital, Bor.

Grat told wildlife officials he was innocent since he did not kill anybody and that killing animals should not be considered a crime.

Anyang claimed national security officers in Jonglei go poaching in their military pickups and return to Bor at night to avoid being caught.

On 29 January, he said, some national security officers were caught carrying seven fresh animals in their vehicles, but they were released allegedly on orders from the office of the deputy governor of Jonglei.

“We got one vehicle carrying fresh animals but we were ordered by the office of the deputy governor to release the vehicle and what it was carrying. We took the photos of the animals in the car and we allowed them to go. We are only keeping the photos as evidence,” he said.

Adau Chol, who came to buy bush-meat in Marol market, said the dry bush-meat was cheaper than one kilogram of fresh cow meat.

Although Chol said it was her first time to buy bush meat in Bor, she was brought to face the investigation panel with the seller in Bor.

“I came to Marol market looking for meat. I found people buying this meat from him (Grat). It was cheaper, and so I look nice, one strip of dry meat was sold at ssp25. But before I went away, this man was now caught and he was asked to move with his meat,” said Chol.

“I returned his meat and asked him to give me my money but he refused. The wildlife officers told me to come to their officer to collect my money. That is why I am here,” she added.

A former primary school teacher narrated how he turned to poaching for survival due to the low payment accorded to him. Describing himself only as Dhor-Thiang, the ex-teacher said he quit the chalk board and took his gun, which he considers his wealth.

“When I come to the bush, I don’t go home without animal. It is not through mistakes that I kill females. I only arm at male ones”, he said.

But Deng insists he will hunt for poachers and make them face justice.

“If we catch a person, we will always bring them to court. There are laws for them to be held accountable. The government has already set laws against persons killing animals or threatening them,” he said.

Deng says a campaign be rolled out to reach various communities, through chiefs, to help authorities control poaching in the counties.

“We are trying to work closely with paramount chiefs of the state to help us in protecting animals in all the payams in Jonglei,” he said.

(ST)