VP calls for a joint collaboration to end illegal poaching

VICE-President Mohammed Gharib Bilal has called on Tanzanians to collaborate with the security organs in search of people allegedly in possession of illegal firearms which are used for poaching activities in the country’s national parks. The call by the VP comes amid reports of the high increased rampant poaching of the most important animal species being done by unfaithful people in national parks, noting that the act is a threat to their survival of animals and a loss to the government and the tourism sector as a whole. He made his concern in his speech during the destruction of 3,193 illegal firearms and light weapons carried by police force yesterday at Ukonga prison ground 15 kilometers away from Dar es Salaam city.  The occasion was also witnessed by joint sectoral council members of the East African Community (EAC) responsible for defense, interstate and foreign policy coordination which had a weeklong meeting that ended on Friday this week. He said that, the continued acts of poaching in national parks is a great threat to the development of the tourism  sector in the country as important animal species such as elephants and others rare animals would face extinction if drastic legal measures are not taken to prevent the scourge. “I would like to remind you once again that our country’s security is a concern of everyone in the country, therefore it’s imperative to collaborate one another in order to help curb the increased illegal possession of firearms and that we should do it now without hesitation” he said.  However, he has also asked the EAC defense secretariat responsible for peace and harmony in the regional bloc to strengthen their motives towards ensuring peace and security and the fight over illegal firearms as per the agreement by all five member states during the signing of the Nairobi protocol in 2006. Among the resolutions agreed in the Nairobi protocol by the working secretariat of the five EAC member states is to work on the strategies laid down that would enable curb with the illegal trespassing of firearms from one country to another and the move aims at preventing numerous crimes to free trade. Dr. Bilala has also thanked the government of German through its donor agency GIZ for the help it had been giving to the EAC security council in its move to curb with the increased possession of illegal firearms and light weapons which up to now the available statistics shows that, about 200,000 firearms have been destroyed within the region for the last ten years. He also noted that, it is estimated that, in the whole of East African region, there are about 500,000 illegal firearms which are still in possession of the bad people who continues to pose a great threat to the lives of the people in the regional bloc. On his side, the German Ambassador accredited in the country H.E Klaus .P. Brandes who witnessed the occasion described the ceremony as a ‘Flame of Peace’ whose major task is to raise the awareness and demonstrated that, the EAC is moving towards sustainable peace and security. He warned the five member EAC states to beware of illegal possession of firearms as they increase the intensity of and durability of armed conflicts, undermines the sustainability of peace agreements, impends the success of peace and frustrates both individuals and government developments. He has however, thanked Tanzania police force especially the department responsible for small firearms control in the country which is being led by ACP Modest Mwauzi for the tireless work they have committed which has helped to curb the proliferation of illegal firearms in the country. He also commended a strong commitment for the EAC partner states especially of the National Focal Points of the respective national Police Forces  who have been active in the implementation of practical small arms control measures such as stock-pile management, building of armories and awareness raising at national level of each EAC member states. The exercise of destroying firearms was attended and witnessed by Tanzania’s Inspector General of Police as a host on the ground and other dignitaries of the five member states who earlier signed a protocol on peace and security on behalf of the respective member states. These were Tanzania Minister for Foreign Affairs Benard Membe, Ugandan Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sam .K. Kutesa, Assistant Minister of State for Provincial Administration and Internal Security of the Republic of Kenya, Mosses Ole Sakuda, Minister for Public Security of the Republic of Burundi Gabriel Nizigama and Rwandan Minister for Internal Security Sheikh Harerima Mussa Fazil.