Arthur Greene
Uhulumeni wase-Sierra Leone wenze isivumelwano semali engu-$55 (izigidi ezingama-R780) nezwe lase-China sokwakha itheku lezimboni zezinhlanzi, okuyinto abaphikisi abayibize ngokuthi “yinhlekelele enkulu kubantu kanye nemvelo.”
Itheku lamahektare angama-250 lizokwakhiwa ebhishi i-Black Johnson, ugu oluhehayo oluyikhaya lezinye izinhlobo zezilwane ezisencupheni yokushabalala kakhulu e-Afrika, njenge-duiker antelope kanye nama-pangolin.
Abadobi bendawo bavuna emanzini alo, acebile ngama-sardine, i-barracuda ne-grouper, ukuhlinzekela imiphakathi yabo. U-70% wezinhlanzi ezibanjwe ngasogwini lwase-Black Johnson zithengiswa ngaphakathi kwemakethe yasekhaya e-Sierra Leone.
Selokhu isivumelwano sokwakha itheku siqinisekiswe wumnyango wezokudoba wezwe, sesibangele ukugxekwa okukhulu phakathi kwabalondolozi bemvelo, izinhlangano ezilwela amalungelo abantu kanye nabanini bomhlaba bendawo.
Bathi lesi sikhungo, okuzoba yitheku “leminye imikhumbi emikhulu yokudoba” ethumela izinhlanzi zethu kwamanye amazwe, sizobhubhisa imiphakathi yendawo edobayo futhi sibeke engcupheni izilwane zasendle eziseduze.
UJames Tonner, ongumnikazi womhlaba ku-Black Johnson, ubhalele umengameli uJulius Maada Bio incwadi, emnxusa ukuthi aqede izinhlelo zokwakha itheku.
Uthe lesi sikhungo “sizoba yinhlekelele ezweni nasemhlabeni,” esho nokuthi sizobhubhisa amahlathi emvula aseduze nezilwane zasendle ezihlala kuwo, futhi kufake ubuthi ezinhlanzini zamanzi aseduze njengoba imiphakathi yendawo ithembele khona.
Uhulumeni uthe ibhishi i-Black Johnson “ibiyindawo ekahle kunazo zonke” kulesi sikhungo futhi ubeke eceleni imali eyisinxephezelo engu-13,76 billion leone (izigidi ezingu-R18,7) yabanikazi bomhlaba abathintekile, kodwa uTonner uthe lelinani elibekiwe lingaphansi ngokuphindwe ngamashumi amathathu kunenani lemakethe yomhlaba.
Lesi sikhungo kungenzeka futhi sibe nomthelela omubi kwezokuvakasha endaweni yangakithi.
UDkt Sama Banya, umengameli wezinhlangano ezilondolozayo ze-Conservation Society of Sierra Leone, utshele abezindaba ukuthi itheku lizoba nomthelela “oyinhlekelele” kwezokuvakasha kanye “nemboni yezinhlanzi okufanele ngabe iyasekwa.”
Umthombo wesithombe: @thisissalone