Conservationists Fighting Back with Guns Need Your Help!

[Gray_Fallen]

I hope this is alright to post here.

The following is a December news-article that has had my attention since I first read it in December. When I first read it I new I wanted to help African Rainforest and Rivers Conservation in some fashion. After the holidays and some nasty computer troubles, I've finally gotten around to following up on my intention to help these folks, please read and consider.

Some conservationists fighting back - with guns
By JOAN LOWY
Scripps Howard News Service
December 17, 2002
- A small band of American conservationists has taken the extraordinary step of trying to arm and train a private militia to counter marauding gangs of poachers who are decimating wildlife and slaughtering villagers in a remote corner of Africa.
Dr. Bruce Hayse, a family physician from Jackson, Wyo., formed African Rainforest and Rivers Conservation after witnessing the human and ecological devastation wrought by poachers while on a rafting trip in the Central African Republic four years ago.
Hayse and his two companions, another doctor and an ecologist, were disturbed by the eerie absence of wildlife they observed while floating down the Chinko River, one of the world's wildest rivers.
Eventually, the Americans learned from Zanbe tribespeople in the village of Rafai that the surrounding forests had been wiped clear of wildlife by heavily armed gangs of Sudanese poachers who cross the border every year at the start of the six-month dry season, beginning in November, searching for any kind of animals they can find for the bushmeat trade

The ecological damage and violence against villagers - rapes, beatings, murders, and forced labor - has steadily escalated over the past decade, but the impoverished Central African government has been unable to respond effectively, Hayse said.

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This organization is doing a very worthwhile thing. Big conservation organizations are afraid to support them, because if they did, they would lose some of their major corporate backer, because its not "Politically Correct".
These are the good guys, they are doing the right thing, when no one else will. Poachers, like any predator, respond only to force, not to the pleas and cries of their prey. In this case their prey cannot fight back for themselves, even when they prey upon villagers when they are not illegally killing wildlife. Force is being shown, but much more needs to be done. African Rainforest and Rivers Conservation needs more than their budget allows them to get.
I have been in contact with their director of field operations, and their lead trainer, and have put together a small list of needed things (will be expanding upon it as time goes on), and have put up a small dot org on which to publish this info. Please take a look:
www.ConservationMilitia.org

I would ask that everyone go to the site and at least read about whats going on, and pass the site on to your friends even if you cannot do anything else.
I'm sure regular donations would be appreciated by ARRC as well, but I'm not involved so contact them.
I am just trying to get the word out, receiving donations of any kind is up to them, and all donations, letters of support, whatever, should be sent to them.

It only takes a few minutes to look at my site, and only a few more to look at theres, and pass them on. If thats all you do, it could still help.
Thank you.

 

[Khornet]

Interesting, Grey....

be careful though.