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An update on the Kenya situation

 

08/02/2008

FFI would like to keep our supporters informed on the recent violence in Kenya and its impact on our Kenyan partner, the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. Below is a letter from the CEO of the Conservancy.

 

Dear Friends,

Since I last wrote, the situation in Kenya has continued to be somewhat fraught; whilst the vast majority of the country (including the coast and all safari circuits) remains calm and operating as normal, the security situation in the west has been extremely poor and more innocent people have suffered unnecessarily.

All of us in Kenya hope that the violence will stop quickly and that the trouble areas will return to peace. With the continued mediation efforts of Kofi Annan, recent moves to seek a political solution do at last appear to be bearing fruit. However, it is likely that a lasting political solution will take some time to develop.

In the meantime, many of us in Kenya have been shocked by the sensationalist and irresponsible reporting of some of the international media. Some have indeed suggested that a case for encouraging genocide could be made at the International Court of Human Rights against one or two reporters. We feel that the true peace loving nature and public spiritedness of most Kenyan people - who have swung behind the massive efforts to assist displaced people across the country, irrespective of their tribe or ethnic origin - is simply never being reported. The truth of the matter is that the vast majority of Kenyans abhor the recent violence, much of it perpetrated by the minority criminal element taking advantage of an unfortunate political situation.

Financially, all wildlife areas in the country, which depend upon tourism for their income and ongoing conservation activities, are now struggling. Tourism has dropped to unprecedented levels and will take some time to recover. In the meantime, whilst hotels and camps can be temporarily closed, the security that surrounds Kenya’s wildlife cannot simply be turned off and must be maintained. Consequently, on Ol Pejeta, we will be seeking ways to raise emergency funding for our rhino conservation programmes through approaches to foundations and individual donors.

Ultimately, however, Kenya’s wildlife needs the support of the international traveling public – our product remains the best, we believe our country will survive this crisis and the traditional sense of Kenyan hospitality and friendliness remains very much intact.

I will continue to keep you updated and please feel free to contact me should you need any further information.
With kind regards,

Richard Vigne
CEO
Ol Pejeta Conservancy
richard@olpejetaconservancy.org
http://www.olpejetaconservancy.org/

 

FFI Communications team:

Rebecca Foges
Communications Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1223 579 491
rebecca.foges@fauna-flora.org

Sarah Chancel
Communications Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1223 579 332
sarah.chancel@fauna-flora.org