DHAKA: “We cannot sleep at night, fearing a wild elephant attack,” said Mohammad Ali Johar, 47, a refugee living in Bangladesh’s Kutupalong Rohingya refugee camp with his six-member family.
“I have seen several elephant attacks in the past five months,” he told Arab News.
The Asian elephants of this region have been declared as critically endangered species, a situation made worse when their habitat was occupied by a refugee influx that began in September last year. The elephants’ natural movement corridor was disrupted by makeshift houses and the forests were chopped down for firewood, resulting in clashes between man and animal as the elephants left the forest in search of food.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) are collaborating to save human lives as well as the elephants.
Elephant attacks forced the IUCN to carry out field research in 70 square kilometers of hill country in January. About 45 elephants were found to be active in the area.
“We have already formed 17 elephant response teams and will increase this number to 25 in the next two weeks,” IUCN Country Manager Rakibul Amin said.
“In the past 10 days, we have managed to control two elephant attacks without any casualties. The team members call us if an elephant is sighted near the camp area and we take instant measures to address the situation.”
The IUCN is consulting with elephant experts to create an elephant corridor so that the animals can travel safely on their migratory routes and avoid people living nearby.
In addition, the IUCN will build watchtowers near the camps to monitor elephant movement around the refugee areas.
“This Rohingya refugee settlement area stands on the main migratory route of the elephants between Bangladesh and Myanmar. These elephants have been using this same route for generations. If the animals find their corridor blocked, it makes them hostile. It is only at this time that the elephant becomes aggressive enough to uproot the obstacles,” said Ali Kabir, the divisional forest officer of Cox’s Bazar district in southeast Bangladesh.
Elephants need around 200 kg of food a day. Damage to forests by refugee settlements has resulted in food scarcity, forcing the animals to leave the jungle and encounter human beings.
“This partnership with IUCN is not only important to save the elephants but also for the refugees, some of whom have lost their lives in attacks,” said Kevin Allen, UNHCR’s head of emergency response at Cox’s Bazar.
The UNHCR and IUCN plan to educate refugees and host communities about the importance of environmental resources.
At least 10 Rohingya refugees have died in elephant attacks in the past six months and more have been severely injured. The crowded refugee camp areas of Balukhali and Kutupalong are now home to 560,000 Rohingyas.
Elephant attacks in Bangladesh leave Rohingya refugees fearing for their lives
Elephant attacks in Bangladesh leave Rohingya refugees fearing for their lives
Venezuelan activist Javier Tarazona released from prison as US diplomat assumes post
- Human rights activist Javier Tarazona was arrested in July 2021
- He was released shortly after the arrival in Caracas of US charge d’affaires
CARACAS: Venezuelan human rights activist Javier Tarazona, an ally of opposition leader María Corina Machado, was released from prison after the government promised to free political prisoners in an amnesty bill, rights organizations and family members said Sunday.
Tarazona, the director of the Venezuelan nonprofit human rights group FundaRedes, was arrested in July 2021, after reporting to authorities that he had been harassed by national intelligence officials. Two other activists of the group were also detained at the time.
Venezuela’s Foro Penal, a rights group that monitors the situations of political prisoners in the country, said Sunday that 317 people jailed for political reasons had been released as of noon local time Sunday, and 700 others were still waiting to be freed.
“After 1675 days, four years and seven months, this wishful day has arrived. My brother Javier Tarazona is free,” José Rafael Tarazona Sánchez wrote on X. “Freedom for one is hope for all.”
Tarazona was released shortly after the arrival in Caracas of US Charge d’Affaires Laura Dogu, who will reopen the American diplomatic mission after seven years of severed ties. It comes after US President Donald Trump ordered a military action that removed the South American country’s former President Nicolás Maduro from office and brought him to trial in the US
Dogu, who was previously ambassador in Nicaragua and Honduras, arrived in Venezuela one day after the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced an amnesty bill to release political prisoners. That move was one of the key demands of the Venezuelan opposition.
Venezuela’s government had accused Tarazona of terrorism, betraying the nation and hate speech, all frequent accusations it makes against real or potential opposition members. Tarazona was vocal against illegal armed groups on the country’s border with Colombia and their alleged connection to high-ranked members of the Maduro administration.
Amnesty International reported that Tarazona’s health has deteriorated due to lack of medical attention during his time in prison.
“All of Venezuela admires you and respects your bravery and your commitment,” Machado said on X. “You, better than anyone, know that there will be justice in Venezuela. Freedom for all political prisoners.”
Venezuela’s government denies it jails members of the opposition and accuses them of conspiring to bring it down.
