BuzzFeed: world wide Fund for nature (WWF) hire forest Rangers, who tortured and killed suspected poaching
BuzzFeed
Chitwan national Park, Nepal
Vadim Tolbatov / Wikipedia
In Asia and Africa for the protection of national parks using the Rangers, who dealt harshly with alleged poachers. In recruiting these guards involved not only local government but also the world wildlife Fund (WWF), says BuzzFeed. Moreover, the Fund aware of the fact that the Rangers tortured and killed people. Moreover, animal advocates are lobbying for the termination of investigation of such crimes, the newspaper writes.
According to BuzzFeed, the WWF spends millions of dollars of donations to fight organized groups of poachers, who kill animals in protected areas. The money goes to buying weapons and technology (everything from knives and clubs to small arms, drones, helicopters and night vision devices). However, this militarization can be justified: the work of the Forester is really dangerous, and last year the world was killed by poachers about 50 Rangers.
Hired security guards, attracted by the WWF, conduct raids in national parks adjacent to the villages and tortured the local inhabitants if they suspect or can provide information about where the poachers are hiding. During the investigation, BuzzFeed received testimony about the beating with bamboo sticks or machetes, unconscious, rape, torture, drowning and murders committed by the green Ranger in such countries as Cameroon, Central African Republic and Nepal.
For example, in 2006 in Nepal, a farmer named Sitaram suspected of killing a Rhino in Chitwan national Park. The carcass of the animal, or at least his horn is not found, but the Rangers still have a suspect in custody and sent under arrest. Sitarama beat, and also Lily his nose and mouth salt water. After the torture, which lasted several days, the man died.
The body of the deceased was not a living space. According to forensic experts, he had seven broken ribs. Version of torture confirmed by the testimony of the widow of Sitarama and seven other witnesses.
Three Rangers of the national Park, including the chief, were convicted of murder, but a few months later, the criminal case with the active pressure from the WWF was closed. The Foundation presented this as a victory in the fight against poaching and continued funding of services protection of the Park. Later, one of the Rangers Kamal Kunwar was taken to work in a charity WWF project, and in 2014 was awarded the Fund for their activities. Moreover, he wrote a memoir in which he described one of his favorite interrogation techniques: waterboarding.
Approval BuzzFeed, torture of those believed to be involved in poaching are common practice. For example, in Cameroon in 2017, the foresters of the national Park funded by the WWF, tortured 11-year-old boy in front of his parents. Later, the villagers of the victim filed a complaint at the world wildlife Fund. A few months later the boy’s parents said that they have not received any response.
To obtain data on the poachers WWF, according to BuzzFeed, uses a network of paid informers from among the local residents. The publication stresses that the organization puts their lives at risk, as in the case of a dangerous situation the Fund is, in contrast to public services, there is no way to protect an informant, says Meduza.
The flip side of the protection of nature lies in the fact that the usual habitat lose, often, the local tribes of hunters and gatherers. For example, in 1872, long before WWF, Indian tribes were forced to leave their ancestral lands, which created Yellowstone national Park. Now in the same situation were the Tharu tribes in Nepal and Baka in Central Africa.
The natives were treated as the enemies of the local flora and fauna, although they for centuries have been embedded in the ecosystem and can be of great benefit in the fight for the preservation of nature. “Tank is the eyes and ears of the forest, and could really help in its preservation” – said the Cameroonian human rights activist Charles Jones, Nankali.
Although WWF promises to investigate all complaints against the Rangers, the procedure of their presentation too complicated, but in fact many of them are not considered, says BuzzFeed.
In the WWF refused to answer detailed questions sent to the organization in connection with the investigation. The Fund just announced that initiated the independent verification of reports of torture and other human rights violations identified by the journalists.
“Human rights violations are completely unacceptable, and the protection of nature cannot be an excuse under any circumstances”, – said the WWF.
BuzzFeed is leading the investigation against the WWF for a year. During this time there were interviewed about 100 people in six countries.
WWF was founded by a group of naturalists, mainly British, in 1961, in Zurich. At the moment the branches operating in 40 countries. WWF supporters are many stars and public figures.
Charity advertising campaign of WWF represent the Rangers as “the first and last line of defense of the planet” from poachers. Only in 2017, WWF has received 767 million euros of donations. More than half of this amount came from private individuals.