At the same time, however, there are reliable reports of Zimbabwean army involvement in poaching. Edwin Nleya, an army officer who threatened to expose military poaching, was killed in mysterious circumstances early in 1989. An intelligence official investigating his murder has been forced to flee the country. International conservation bodies appear to endorse Zimbabwe s strong-arm tactics against poachers. African governments main concern is that poaching threatens revenues from tourism.
Little thought is given to why local people resort to poaching.
They are pastoral people and some of their traditional grazing areas have been declared national parks. The economic crisis in the Soviet Union, empty shop counters and falling standards of living, mean that aid is no longer a priority. Its support for Cuba over the years has also been considerable. In addition the Soviets have provided substantial aid to their friends in Africa notably Angola, Mozambique and Ethiopia. They have built more than 340 industrial and agricultural projects in Africa.