Campaigners for the protection of Forest 27 have started the process of petitioning the International Criminal Court in the Hague and The Global Environmental Crimes Tribunal seeking sanctions against individuals that have obtained plots in the Forest Reserve.
It is believed that some influential figures such a Vice President Inonge Wina, Speaker Patrick Matibini, Lands Minister Jean Kapata and several others have shared plots in the Forest Reserve.
If the petition is successful, the perpetrators could face sanctions such as travel bans, seizure of ill gotten wealth and cash stashed away in foreign banks as is applicable under EU, UK, US Laws and Statutes in such cases.
According to the campaigners, the “Impunity, frenzy and massive Destruction, Degradation and Deforestation going on in Protected Lusaka East Local Forest Reserve No. 27, the source of the Chalimbana River, coupled with the discharge of raw sewage into the River itself by the illegal ZAF TwinPalm Housing Project, which is now negatively affecting the health and livelihoods in the Busoli Local Communities in the Lower Chalimbana River Basin-is an Inter-generational injustice that has now reached intolerable proportions.”
“The Destruction of Forest Reserve no 27 is now an Environmental and Human Rights Crime and qualifies to be reported as such to The Global Environmental Crimes Tribunal and International Criminal Court in the Hague for punitive action against the perpetrators.”
“We are now calling on all concerned Parties like Transparency International (TI), and Cooperating Partners to help us save this critical forest reserve. “Environmental Crime committed anywhere is an Environmental crime committed Everywhere. All things are Connected,” they said in a petition.
They said they will conduct and audit and compile a list of all individual and corporate beneficiaries who have illegally shared Plots in the Forest Reserve.
They said the list will be passed on to The ICC and some Cooperating Countries, so that sanctions are imposed on these “Miscreants.”
The campaigners have also demanded that The Commander of the Zambia National Service (ZNS) immediately Order the Withdrawal of ALL ZNS road construction equipment and Personnel now deployed in Forest Reserve 27 illegally being used in the destruction of the Reserve through building and road construction now under way there.
“ZNS is big doing “National Service” but serving private and not national interstate of the Forest Reserve.”
Very misleading headline!
I support the petition but I’ll abandon my support if it ends up like Milupi’s fake war crimes report which is still at 95% complete after 7 months.
Akainde was hiding in the bush for 8 hours like a coward. The International Criminal Court said he is a useless joker.
Farming appears easy and doable whn u drive to the farm in a govt-owned vehicle and live on income from your govt salary. If both these are unavailable and u hv to make do with income from farm cashflows to run the vehicle, pay farmhands and also earn a living, it becomes a different kettle of fish. Trust me, I know that most farmers are up to their necks in debt and thesevl are some of Zambia’s biggest and most experienced farmers. Why this sudden interest in farming on getting top govt jobs?
It just too much big issues for PF.
The presidential Gulf Stream jet has dissappeard, is under DEC investigations?
Knowing how things are done in Zambia this case is non starter….it will just be blah blah blah blah blah as usual just like the drug smuggling Findlay and Lungu case……it will just end up in the dustbin of History….nothing will be done because the people entrusted to uphold the law are all corrupt….Chief Justice also acquired land illegally……in Zambia and most parts of Africa poor people often celebrate and love corrupt leaders and criminals….criminals are held in high esteem and hero worshipped just like the thieving so called Prophets…..watch how poor congregants give their hard earned money to their thieving Pastors….TD Jakes,Imakando,Crefflo Dollar,Bushiri,Lukaku etc
This is nothing short of MADNESS. You have adults believing this can happen or they are just being naughty
More cases to follow the characters who are only in government to eat, as they don’t care about the plight of the many millions of Lusaka dwellers who are bound to be affected in a negative way if they continue destroying the environment. I support this move, If successful it will send a strong message to these plunderers. Zambians are too docile to do anything it’s high time the international community gets involved.
From a health perspective, the climate crisis is making people sicker – worsening illnesses ranging from seasonal allergies to heart and lung disease.
Children, pregnant people and the elderly are the most at risk from extreme weather and rising heat. But the impact of the climate crisis – for patients, doctors and researchers – is already being felt across every specialty of medicine, with worse feared to come.
Do you need any more evidence that Patrick Matibini is compromised?
Fake
Unidentified “campaigners” going to the Hague as who? Scarecrow, you idyots fake news. Please don’t make a joke of such a serious matter.
And I have not heard of HH and his usual daily rantings in the last week, is he tired and disappointed that no one is responding favourably? Take a rest and enjoy your money U5.
And I have not heard of HH and his usual daily ran.tings in the last week, is he tired and disappointed that no one is responding favourably? Take a rest and enjoy your money U5.
Now that the president is around, he will be quiet. As soon as the president leaves the country he will start his usual drama and begin to behave like the acting president. I wonder if we have credible opposition leaders in Zambia. It’s a pitty that all political leaders are power hungry and this is not taking us anywhere.
Faka Pressure!!
THIS STEALING, & STATE CAPTURE MUST STOP!
Just watching the drama in Zambia!
Who are the campaigners?? The forgot to include Jack Mwimbu, Cornelius Mweetwa and other opposition figures who got land from this forest…
WHAT IS THIS FUSS ABOUT FOREST RESERVE 27? WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT IT ANYWAY? AREN’T MINISTERS AND OTHER SENIOR GOVT OFFICIALS ZAMBIANS WHO DESERVE TO OWN LAND? WHERE DO YOU WANT THEM TO LIVE AFTER THEY LEAVE OFFICE? COMMON GUYS GET A LIFE REWIND YOUR DAMN STUCK BRAINS. EVEN THE PRESIDENT IS ALSO A ZAMBIAN WHO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO OWN LAND.
Rapacious behaviour at the top. Don’t concrete the country – we need forests.
That is lungus GRZ for you…..everything in Zambia is up for looting….
Next expect the national parks.
These are the only spaces left.
We expect lungu and his gang to start selling, mining and looting national parks soon.
Interesting. So how come Jack Mwimbu, Cornelius Mweetwa and other opposition figures also have plots in forest 27??
That is lungu and pf trying to bribe everyone.
Very soon lungu will be trying to legalise corruption and wanton looting.
At statehouse they call looting
” social mobility”
The next govt should carry an audit of forests coz these guys have looted big time,almost all important forest reserves affecting catchment areas for some rivers.The other day we read about Ministers having shared forest reserve in Mumbwa,in a catchment area for Tributaries of the Kafue river and we are wondering why our rivers are drying!!
Why are Saudis developing a hunting camp and soya farm in the Kasanka National Park?