500 Unterschriften erreicht
An: The President of Uganda Yoweri Museveni
Save Rhino Fund Uganda
In order to safeguard Uganda’s international reputation for conservation and to grow the attractiveness of Uganda as a destination for high-value ecotourism, please, let Rhino Fund Uganda go back to what they are best at, running an internationally renowned, community based rhino conservation project in Uganda. It is a way of saving thousands of wild Ugandan animals as well as keeping rhinos and tourists safe. It is also the only way to get a community, totally vested in fauna and flora conservation, satisfied by including them in this conservation project as well as assisting with corporate social responsibility in their District. Our request is to allocate to Rhino Fund Uganda gazetted land conducive for white rhinos and black rhinos, for Rhino Fund Uganda to create a sanctuary where the 33 Ziwa rhinos and some of the wildlife on the sanctuary can be moved to and kept save through community involvement.
Warum ist das wichtig?
Rhino Fund Uganda has compassionately and professionally managed a perfect example of a community based Ugandan conservation project for the past 15 years: combining eco-tourism, birding and community land use with a successful rhino breeding program. Yet, within a matter of weeks, Rhino Fund Uganda has been left homeless and had no choice but to let go their 140 dedicated and compassionate staff by being forced off of Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, following a number of unfounded rumors, threats, and an actual attack on the Rhino Fund Offices by hired goons.
Rhino Fund Uganda had a valid Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Tourism Wildlife and Antiquities, Uganda Wildlife Authority and the owner of the land that Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary is situated on. Said landowner, dishonoring the MOU, moved to evict Rhino Fund Uganda from the sanctuary. Throughout a mediation process with UWA and the landowner, Rhino Fund Uganda was lead to believe that there would be a solution and the Memorandum of Understanding would be honored by all parties. Instead, Rhino Fund Uganda was starved of income, bullied and intimidated until they had no choice but to withdraw from Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, completely handing over to UWA and the owner of the land in mid-May of this year. At no time did the Government or UWA call Rhino Fund Uganda to discuss the matter with Rhino Fund Uganda.
Please, find a way to have Rhino Fund Uganda continue with the amazing and very important work they have conducted with pride for Uganda by allocating to them gazetted land conducive for white and black rhinos on which Rhino Fund Uganda can create a sanctuary where these 33 Ziwa rhinos and some of the wildlife on the sanctuary can be moved to, to continue breeding and kept safe through community involvement.
Thank you for your support.