Villagers want compensation after elephants destroy grave, crops

 

Residents of two Orang Asli villages in Gua Musang are seeking compensation for the loss of livelihoods after their crops were flattened by multiple elephant raids in their village last month.

The elephants have flattened paddy fields and various other crops in Kampung Sedal and Kampung Penad in Pos Simor, said Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Wilayah Pos Simpor secretary Hamdan Ading.

The paddy was meant to sustain the villagers for a year, said Hamdan, who is also a resident of Kampung Sedal.

The elephants also disturbed a grave and destroyed homes during the raid on Feb 20.

Hamdan said the Department of Orang Asli Development (Jakoa) provided the residents with several bags of rice and food baskets after the incident.

“But that is not enough for us to eat for a year. In fact, it is only enough for one or two days. It certainly won’t be enough for those with large families,” he said in a statement.

“We want the Department Of Wildlife And National Parks (Perhlitan) to compensate us in cash or by giving us seedlings of the destroyed crops, like rubber, durian, and lemongrass seedlings.

“We also hope Perhilitan can capture the elephants and place them in a safe area so they will not disturb our plants and our lives in the kampung,” he said in a statement.

Jaringan Kampung Orang Asli Kelantan secretary Hamdan Ading

He said the elephant raids were new occurrences in the villages and had never happened since the 1960s.

“We urge the ministry to take relevant steps to assist us, as we have lost a year’s worth of income because of the wild elephants,” he said.

Uptick in human-elephant conflicts

Human-elephant conflicts are on the rise, largely driven by deforestation.

Forest fragmentation, which happens when parts of the forest are converted into other land uses, forces elephants to change roaming routes, leading them to come into conflict with humans.

---

In January, an Orang Asli teenager was trampled to death by an elephant in Pos Sinderut, Pahang, weeks after an Orang Asli woman was killed in an elephant encounter in a nearby village.

The bull elephant, said to have originated from the Ulu Jelai Forest Reserve, was later captured by Perhilitan.

Cameron Highlands MP Ramli Mohd Nor raised the matter of compensation for villagers affected by human-elephant conflict during a parliamentary debate on March 9.

Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change Minister Nik Nazmi replied that his ministry is discussing the possibility of giving consolation aid to those affected by wild elephants entering their village, rather than full reimbursement.

It is unclear what provisions exist to compensate those suffering economic losses from human-wildlife conflicts.

However, those who suffer injuries can seek compensation of at least RM200 from Tabung Bantuan Mangsa Serangan Binatang Buas, administered by the Welfare Department.

A maximum payment of RM20,000 is payable upon death or permanent disability. 

- Mkini