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Brief Report on the Community-Led Removal of Illegal Occupants from Sapo National Park

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Brief Report on the Community-Led Removal of Illegal Occupants from Sapo National Park Brief Report on the Community-Led Removal of Illegal Occupants from Sapo National Park Prepared by Fauna & Flora International-Liberia 31 August 2018 Process leading to the clearing of Camp Afghanistan It is with a deep sense of relief and excitement that we inform you that Camp Afghanistan, the last of the occupied illegal mining camps inside Sapo National Park, has been cleared. This means that for the first time since early 2014, when there was upward of 15 active mining camps in the Park, Sapo is free of illegal mining activities. We see this as a watershed moment in our engagement in the landscape, considering especially that this was achieved with the full involvement and facilitation of the communities that border this site (see Map 1). This journey started more than a year ago with the efforts of several partners, donors, park fringe communities and other national stakeholders, which led to the Multi- Stakeholder Conference held in Greenville in July 2017. The conference itself was arranged in the aftermath of a violent incident between Rangers of the FDA and members of the community which resulted in the death of an FDA ranger and was the first major step toward resolving this conflict. The outcome of the conference was a Resolution which declared an agreement for a workable strategy based on a common interest for effective management of the Park. During the conference, stakeholders agreed that the removal of the illegal miners from the park was the first priority towards progressing and realizing this strategy (see attached Resolution). Building on progress made after the conference, which saw all but one of the mining camps cleared by the communities, the last six months (March – August 2018) saw further rounds of rigorous county and community-level engagement between the communities and the FDA – facilitated by FFI. This culminated in the clearing of the last illegal mining camp in Sapo NP by the 18th of August 2018. Map 1: Communities located adjacent to Camp Afghanistan 2 This process started with several meetings with county authorities, including the superintendents of Sinoe, Grand Gedeh and River Gee Counties in which the park is located, between March and May 2018 (see Map 2). This was followed by a first round of meetings with communities held in Nyennawlicken on the 22nd of June, involving eight communities in the north-eastern part of the park (Seegboken, Sagbaken, Nyennawlicken, Johnsonville, Geeken, Gbarteken, Peluwah, Freetown). Facilitated by the FFI Project Manager, Sapo Landscape, Shadrach Kerwillain and the Chief Park Warden of Sapo National Park, Burton Kawah, this meeting was used to commence engagement with and get buy-in from the communities about the implementation of activities falling under objectives of a syngerising USAID-WA BiCC grant. However, considering the proximity of the communities to Camp Afghanistan and that the audience included members of the traditional council who had previously been engaged to support the FDA in the removal of the miners, it was appropriate to discuss the issue of the illegal mining activities. It was decided that due to the sensitive nature of this discussion, it should be done as a separate meeting after the bigger general stakeholder meeting. It is important to point out that due to its remoteness, the Camp Afghanistan in particular had become a haven for illegal miners, housing those who had been ordered to leave other mining sites by the collaborating communities. The situation was seen as particularly difficult because FDA rangers also suspected that some of those that had moved into the area were armed with single-barrel shotguns – an important issue considering that the Rangers are unarmed. Photo 1: Community engagement in Sapo 3 Photo 2: A community meeting with Sapo Community Watch Team in the background Map 2: Sapo National Park showing Counties and districts Using their experience from engaging in similar discussions with communities around the East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR), the role of the FFI’s local partner, Partners in Development (PADEV) technical team, was invaluable. They were able to share with communities how this had worked in similar circumstances. Working with the FDA Community Engagement Rangers, PADEV’s Community Engagement Officers, who are living in the community, were also important in keeping the community engaged throughout this process. 4 At the end of the discussion with the Traditional Leaders and Elders, it was agreed that the communities would work towards clearing out the miners, after which a joint verification visit with the FDA, would be carried out, followed by immediate posting of FDA Law Enforcement Rangers close to the area to consolidate security. The posting of the FDA Rangers was seen as particularly important since the communities claimed that they had previously evicted the miners but the absence of FDA enabled the miners to come back. The participants to this meeting, Upper Jeadepo Communities (i.e. all of the communities at the meeting aside from Seegboken), promised to work with their colleagues in Central Jeadepo (Woladken, Rock Town, Jarpuken, Ducor Free, Saybliah, Truken, Kayjliken, Gbowolo, Freetown, Sayworken ) to move this process forward (see maps above). To make this happen, FFI was asked to facilitate their visit to the forest, through the provision of food items. Community Efforts to clear Camp Afghanistan Following the meeting with the Traditional Leaders and Elders, the communities sent word to the miners that they should leave the forest by the 4th of July, with a planned visit by the Traditional High Priest1 prior to this deadline. The visit was to be used to drive home the message that they were indeed serious about the notice period for the illegal miners to leave the Park voluntarily. The visit of the High Priest had the desired effect, with many persons leaving the camp prior to the community mission to Afghanistan. By the 15th of July, the communities informed the FDA Rangers posted in Nyennawlicken that they have removed the miners from the Park, but needed a joint verification visit with the FDA to clear out any remaining miners. Verification Mission In discussion with the traditional leaders and elders of Central Jeadepo during community mobilization on the 29th of July, they reaffirmed their willingness to support the removal of the miners. Discussions during this meeting, involving the leaders of more than 10 communities meant that all of the communities through which miners could access Afghanistan had now given their full support to the removal of the miners. To coordinate the joint patrol by the communities and the FDA to ascertain the status of the camp, the Chief Park Warden temporarily relocated his office to Nyennawlicken, enabling him to personally lead this mission. The mission, which commenced on the 11th of August was facilitated by FFI and consisted of the FDA, FFI, Sapo Community Watch Teams (formed after the Sapo Conference as part of the Resolution) and community members. The mission lasted one week. Seven persons were arrested and the last remaining structures at the campsite were destroyed. Those arrested were taken to Zwedru, where they were turned over to the Liberia National Police. The case has now been handed over to the County Attorney’s Office, and they will be contacting the FDA Office when they are ready for prosecution. 1 The High Priest is seen as the chief custodian of traditional values, institutions and authority – being the head of the sacred society and the council of elders. He is the point of last resort by whom contentious community decisions must be vetted. He is believed to hold supernatural powers, with any community members disobeying his orders, which is normally taken in council, doing so at their own risk. 5 Photo 3: Destruction of Camp Afghanistan It is important to point out that during this process, the support of the community was the most important element in ensuring that Afghanistan was cleared peacefully, something that is at the heart of FFI’s strategy to support the effective management of Sapo, and that was - at times - highly contested. Working with/through the local governance institutions have also shown that it is indeed possible to use traditional institutions to support the management of the Park. Conclusion and Next steps Finally, the participation of the Chief Park Warden during our engagement with the communities communicated to the communities that they are now seen as important partners with the FDA in protecting the park. For the first time since early 2014, Sapo National Park is free of illegal mining activities, and to keep it this way, we must continue our engagement with the communities, supporting local governance structures that can help us sustain this process – the central idea underpinning our work through the ARCUS Foundation - funded grants to develop and implement a participatory management plan – and which is expanded and continued through the USAID-WABiCC funded TGKS Project focusing on multi-stakeholder management of the Tai-Grebo-Krahn-Sapo Landscape While we are extremely delighted that Sapo is finally free of miners, the relics of the illicit activities still remain as the activities of the mining camps, some of which have been on and off for the last 20 years, has taken a toll on important species, ecosystems and ecosystem processes within the park. The restoration of the forest 6 destroyed by these mining activities was highlighted as a priority in the pre- and post- removal plans agreed by partners in 2017. FFI will conduct an assessment of all of the former mining sites, to understand what needs to be done to restore the landscape. This will be incorporated into our ongoing fund raising and landscape strategy, in particular, widening our considerations to include an analysis of sustainable artisanal mining activities within our livelihood sustainability strategy.
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