By EFSCRJ
Today, Tuesday, July 28, marks 13 days since Malagen published its damning report about the situation of the Tanji Bird Reserve (Tanji Bird Reserve Carved Up? Inside Deals to Turn Protected Land into Profit).
Since the publication, no institution or official in the Barrow administration has officially responded to the story. The ministries of Lands, Tourism, and Environment, as well as departments and agencies such as the Department of Parks and Wildlife, GTBoard, and NEA, have all remained silent. Yet, the story raised pertinent issues and concerns that border on the Government’s domestic and international obligations regarding the preservation and protection of the environment. The story highlights how the Tanji Bird Reserve has continued to face threats since 2012, when Dictator Yaya Jammeh first occupied 25 hectares of it and subsequently sold parts of it to both domestic and foreign interests and individuals.
Considering the precarious situation surrounding this precious reserve, EFSCRJ hereby calls on the President. Barrow and the relevant ministers, including Hamat Bah of Lands, Rohey John Manjang of Environment, and Abdou Jobe of Tourism, are to respond by clarifying the state of the Tanji Bird Reserve. The Gambian Government owes its citizens the truth about how it is managing public resources. It is clear from the Malagen story that Tanji Bird Reserve continues to face threats for which silence is not an option.
The Tanji Bird Reserve has been a protected area since 1993. In 1995, the Department of Parks and Wildlife attempted to demarcate the area properly, but without success. Only in 2012 did Dictator Jammeh invade it. Following the fall of the dictatorship, the Janneh Commission declared the actions of Jammeh unlawful and recommended that the bird reserve be restored to the Department of Parks and Wildlife. Instead, the Gambia Tourism Board proceeded to allocate plots to businesses and individuals, thereby constituting the illegal carving up of a protected conservation area for private gain, as highlighted in the Malagen story. The situation at the Tanji Bird Reserve exemplifies how protected natural lands can become vulnerable to corruption, patronage, and a total disregard for environmental laws and concerns.
EFSCRJ holds that the Tanji Bird Reserve should be protected in line with the proposed demarcations of 1995, which we demand the Government approve immediately. The National Land Policy 2025 has categorically provided that the Government will uphold environmental management principles and take measures to,
“Encourage the development of wildlife sanctuaries and nature reserves and involve local communities and individuals neighbouring parks and protected areas in the co-management of protected areas.”
It is disheartening to note that GTBoard, along with the ministries responsible for the Environment, Lands, and Tourism, are notorious for allowing encroachments on protected lands, forests, wetlands, and cultural sites, which constitute our collective heritage. We demand an immediate and total halt to these malpractices and call on the Government to ensure the full enforcement of environmental laws and policies.
