PRESS FOR PEACE (PFP)ENVIRONEMNT SECTION

MUSK DEER GURASE NATIONAL

PARK(MDGNP)
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION CHALLANGES

PRESS FOR PEACE(PFP) INITIAL ASSESSMENT REPORT

June 2010

Location: Neelum Valley, District Neelum Azad Kashmir

This Report Prepared by Jalal Uddin Mughal PFP Field Director District Neelum Azad
Kashmir and Ejaz Ur-Rehman Director PFP UK.
 ENVIRONMENT SECTION

PRESS FOR PEACE(PFP)

BANK ROAD

MUZAFFARABAD JAMMU AND KASHMIR (PAK)

PAK)

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info@pressforpeace.org.uk
CONTENTS

1. Objectives of the Project

2. Introduction of the Musk Deer National Park (MDGNP)
3. Map of the District Neelum Azad Kashmir
4. Socio Economic conditions of the area
5. Implementation Challenges
6. Community Concerns and Versions
7. View point of Local politicians ,Bureaucrats and Environmental
Professionals
8. Demands of the community
9. Role of Government (MDGNP)
10. Concerns and the role of Press For Peace(PFP)
11. Proposed interventions
OBJSCTIVES OF THE REPORT

• To facilitate stakeholders in the protection of biodiversity and the

environment of the Neelum Valley though conflict resolution in
project implementation.
• To highlight the challenges and issues in the project implementation
• To highlight the community s` point of view point and their concerns
about the project
• To priorities the demands of the indigenous community
• To identify the Press For Peace s` role in project implementation and
management.

INTRODUCTION OF THE MUSK DEER GURASE NATIONAL PARK

(MDGNP)

One of the core strategies for protecting biodiversity is the establishment of

national parks and other protected areas. Management Planning is an
essential step towards ensuring the proper management of protected
areas. This is particularly so as we move forward to the 21st century and
face increasing complexities in the management of our parks and reserves.
Species of a Bird in MDGNP

Gurase Valley in District Neelum Azad Kashmir is the most captivating but
remote and backward area of the Neelum valley situated in the north-east
of the Muzaffarbad, the capital city of Azad Kashmir. It is stippled in many
sub-valleys from the Kail to Taubutt. The area is situated at line of
control(LOC) between India and Pakistan. The area is full of marvelous
flora and fauna and enriched with natural resources like rivers, natural
springs, forest and minerals. A local biologist Baseer ud din Quershi is of
opinion that tremendously there is a number of rare species in Gurase
Valley which are now at the last breath due to illegal hunting, deforestation
and habitat degradation. Govt. of Azad Kashmir has declared the valley as
a national park through a government Notification No SJ-F-O-7(14)/47-
4238/2007 dated September.24, 2007 to protect and wise use of Natural
resources for the conservation and income generation of local community.
The area harbor a number of endangered species like Himalayan Musk
Deer ,Marmot , Brown Bear and black bear including a number of birds and
plants species. Similarly the endangered plant Bermi (Taxus baccata) the
source of cancer medicine, Taxol, and a number of medicinal plants like
Kuth(Sassuria lappa) are found in the area.

Fig: Himalayan Musk Deer

MAP OF THE DISTRICT NEELUM AZAD KASHMIR

Map of the District Neelum, “projected area circled in red” (Source Planning and
Development Department Govt.AJK)
GEOGRAPHY

Neelum River divides the park into two parts while the human
population resides on both side of Neelum River in the park area. The
park is surrounded by Line of Control in the east , peaks of Qammary
heights in the north Astor, Northern areas in the (Map 1). The Park
is located in district Neelum, covering an area of 52,817 ha, lying
between 2,017m to 4,345m elevation. The park falls under the Sharda
division and Guraze Range of AJK Forest Department. Each of the Range
is further divided into Blocks. Entire Sonar Block from Compartment
No. 1 to Compartment No. 31 and Compartment No. 16 to Compartment
No.42 of Janwai Block are included in the park via Notification No
SJ-F-O-7(14)/47-4238/2007 dated September.24, 2007.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC CONDTIONS OF THE AREA

The communities residing in the Park area are mostly depending upon
agriculture for their livelihood. But due to heavy snow in winter they could
grow the crops only in summer and often they have to found other source
of income for them. They depend upon livestock to fulfill the requirement
of meat and milk. After agriculture and livestock, timber logging is the
Major industry for local people. Sometime they use to hunt different wild
animals and birds to earn their livelihood.
Education:

Majority of the people above then 30% is uneducated as there not have
been sufficient educational facilities in Gurase Valley in past whereas
Government have provided primary, middle and high schools in the valley,
while the students have to go outside the valley for college and university
education.

Health:

Health and hygienic condition of the valley is even much worse then other
any part of Azad Kashmir. There are just two BHUs (Basic Health Units) in
the whole valley to provide medical aid to the population of the valley. In
winter season when the whole valley is ice-covered and temperature falls
down from the freezing point, people could not reach to these BHUs and
they have to use local herbs for treatment. And many people especially
women and children die during winter because of absence of medical
facilities. Lady Doctor and gynecologist are still not appointed by the
government even in the whole district so a number of the women have to
die during pregnancy complications.

Cast and Creed System:

Population of the Gurase is Muslim and is cluster of different tribes and

ethnic groups like Kashmiries, Parmas, Pashtoons and Dardies. Pashtu,
Kashmiri, Dardi and Hindko are the major language spoken in the area.
Living a simple life, people of Gurase Valley are still attached with their
culture and history like nomads.
Tourism:

This area is the heart of sustainable tourism in Azad Kashmir because of its
lush green natural beauty.

Polo Festival in Neelum (Photo By Asif Raza Mir)

IMPLEMENTATION CHALLANGES

Though the Government of AJK has declared and notified the area as
MDGNP in 2001 but its implementation is still a challenge for Wildlife
Department and conservation organizations deputed to promote,
implement and management of this declared Park Area. Indigenous people
have some critical and basic objections on the implementation of the park
and these have been amplified by the recent act of the wildlife department
and police.

Local women bringing dry fodder for their cattle.(Photo by Asif Raza Mir)
COMMUNITY CONCERNS AND VERSIONS:

Though the conflict among communities, authorities and conservations

activists is a universal phenomenon and it is not something infrequent but
the case of Musk Deer National Park Gurase is totally different from the
other conflicts. From the day first the indigenous communities have some
basic concerns upon position of park but they never have been against the
park like the day. It was a failure of implementing organizations and
negligence , mishandling and maltreatment of wildlife department of Azad
Jammu and Kashmir to untimely involve the law enforcement agencies to
deal with communities for killing of a tiger in park area. Reportedly a tiger
was killed by local people in Hanthi village of the park area some month
before and wildlife department filed a case to trial against 22 residents of
Hanthi and most of them were finally arrested by the police which inflamed
the communities against authorities.

Local Police alert during Protest (Photo by Jalal Uddin Mughal)

This action of wildlife department of Azad Jammu and Kashmir police have
given birth to a new thought among communities that they are being
considered even a low creature then wild animals and could not kill the
animals even to save their life. During this protest due to premature
involvement of police, blushed people and they broken some government
vehicles and later one deputy commissioner Neelum along with
superintendent police and other officials called upon the demonstrators.

Figs.(A) Government vehicle smashed by protestors (Fig)B. Local Protestors (Photos

by Jalal Uddin Mughal

VIEW POINT OF LOCAL POLITICIANS, BUREAUCRATES and

ENVIRONMENTAL PROFESSIONALS

Mian Abdulal Waheed a local politician is of opinion to de-notify the

park because it is against the will of indigenous people. During a protest
against national park Mian Whaeed said that people of Neelum Valley have
been directly target of Indian shelling for 14 years. Now the Government of
AJK instead of rehabilitation of IDPs is going to displace them again.

Another political leader from Neelum Valley Sardar Gul e Khundan is

also holding the same opinion. According to him people of the Gurase
Valley are dependent upon forests and wild life and without providing them
alternate source of income conservation of the area will create a huge
conflict among communities and authorities which could be resulting even
civil violence in the area.

Global Environment Facility GEF have deputed a contravention organization

Hamlyn Wildlife Foundation (HWF) which have already created many
controversies during implementation of Ghamote National Park which is
located just a few kilometers before Gurase.

Mr. Shahid Ayoob Deputy Commissioner of District Neelum is personally

interested to resolve the conflict as he has commitment with demonstrators
while he was negotiating with them in Kail during a protest staged against
MDGNP.

Mr. Khurram Shahid a locale environment activist said that HWF have
wasted a huge amount of funds in Ghamote National Park Area and the
never went to communities for interaction. The NGO have reported to
donors the completion of hundreds of projects regarding livelihood
development and sustainability of the communities casting millions of
dollars in Gamhote National Park Area whereas there is no even single
project on ground in conserved area of Ghamote. Khurram is afraid that
HWF will repeat the same with Gurase National Park.

DEMANDS OF THE COMMUNITIES:

Communities residing in the Musk Deer National Park Gurase area have
critical concerns and worries about the implementation on the government
notification of the national park and they consider the notification as an
obstruction on their movement even in their own fields. Surely it is only
because of poor social mobilization policy of the Organizations deputed to
implement different awareness and development projects in Gurase Valley.
Still communities consider the whole process a step to violate their basic
rights. Still the communities are not aware about the benefits of the park
and have to sense of ownership at the park which needs to be created
through advocacy and awareness campaign. Indigenous people have made
following basic concerns upon the implementation of this Project.

• Internally displaced people in 1992 flood which are residing in Gagai,

should be provided with a suitable accommodation in any other part
of Azad Kashmir or Pakistan and should be provided with agricultural
land are any other permanent source of income better then they
have.

• As local communities depend upon the forest for their basic needs
like food, vegetables, fuel, construction and their cattle’s need. They
should be allowed to continue their activities in forest or may be
provided with some other source of livelihood, energy and
construction. Without providing alternate construction martial and
source of energy authorities have ordered the communities to keep
away themselves from forest.

• Wild animals like Bears, tigers and wolves many time thrust villagers
and their livestock which is a hazard not only for livestock but also for
 human beings. It have been reportedly happened that a numbers of
livestock have been teared by them and many peoples has also been
injured or even killed by the wild animals.

• During summer wild animals like bear, monkeys and jackals plunge
into the fields and destroy the cereal crops badly and local people
have no right even to keep a dog for the protection of their crops.
So, the government should provide the protection from such game
animals.

• As the majority of the indigenous people depends upon logging and

mining to earn money and they could not do anything rather then it.
So, they should be equipped with skills to eliminate the issue after
the ban on logging and mining in park areas.

• To retrieve the people of Hanthi village from the case trailed in local
court for the killing of a tiger and resolve the issue need to be resolve
through bilateral negotiation.
Fig: Types of the houses in the area and misery of the peoples in harsh climate (Source
AJK Tourism Department).

ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT IN MDGNP:

Corruption becomes the base for development programs, especially in

developing countries. Development funds allocated does not reach or
reaches only part. Corruption poses a serious development challenge. In
the political realm it undermines democracy and good governance by
flouting or even subverting formal processes. Corruption facilitates
environmental destruction. Corrupt countries may formally have legislation
to protect the environment; it cannot be enforced if officials can easily be
bribed.

Universally, the government of the state posses the most effective role in
implementation process of national parks through awareness about
importance of conservation by defining species and minerals of the
conserved areas. But in Azad Jammu and Kashmir the case is different.
Shortage of funds, Untrained an irrelevant staff and indolent behavior of
the officials of AJK Wildlife and Forest Departments is the major obstacle in
conservation process in Azad Kashmir.

Government has to collect information about species and minerals through

research and studies in conserved areas to identify and declare the status
of Species in classification i.e. common, endangered and rear after every
four years. But in Azad Kashmir since the wildlife department works, never
even a single research has been conducted to identify or classify the
species of Azad Kashmir.

Wildlife Department of AJK has appointed irrelevant and unqualified staff in

offices and field without any particular training of research and to handle
with community related sensitive issues. So, currently the department has
no basic information about wildlife species to the environmental activists’
even basic figures and maps about conserved areas of AJK.

Governments have frequently to deal with conflicts among indigenous

people and conservation activists. It is internationally recommended
through International Convention on Biodiversity (ICB) to resolve the issues
through dialogues and no actions should be taken in conserved areas
against the will of communities and involvement of law enforcement should
be the last tool to deal with communities while in Guraiz, game guards of
wildlife department tortured the people of Hanthi village and secondly the
involved the police to arrest the 22 villagers at initial phase conflict. This
action of the government has created an environment of revelation among
people.

ICB have accepted the local traditions of conserved area as right of the
indigenous people and internationally, violation of traditions is being
considered as a violation of rights. But in Guraiz the NGOs and Government
departments many times violate the traditions of communities badly.

Government is responsible to control illegal hunting and killing of wild

animals and arrange trophy hunting in conserved areas. AJK Government is
internationally allowed to arrange annual trophy hunting of Himalayan ibex
in Shounther Game Reserve near MDGNP which could give 160 million
dollars to AJK Government annually according to international rates. But
the bidding for trophy hunting has never been arranged in AJK according
to official record.

VIPs from Pakistan and Azad Kashmir reportedly have been frequently
involved in illegal hunting and killing of wild animals like ibex, musk dear
and tiger in Game Reserves, Game Sanctuaries and National Parks of Azad
Kashmir. Last year Mr Bilal Mustfa Kharr, the son of Mustafa Kharr (former
chief minister Punjab and the son-in-law of Raja Farooq Haider (AJK Prime
Minister) was found involved in killing of a tiger in Machiara National Park
in Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir. No case was filed against him according
to official record while it was internationally reported in media.

This double standard of the Government is also a reason of community

hostility in MDGNP issue.
CONCERNS AND THE ROLE OF PRESS FOR PEACE (PFP) :

World Park Congress in Caracas 1993, described that the scientific

community has known and has recognized that the mostly poor local
populations bear major costs of conservation, while the main benefits occur
globally.

In turn, the convention on biological diversity (CBD,2004) has called for the
recognition of ‘‘the economic and socio-cultural costs and impacts arising
from the establishment and maintenance of protected areas, particularly
for indigenous and local communities, and (an adjustment of) policies to
ensure that such costs and impacts—including the cost of livelihood
opportunities forgone—are equitably compensated’’.

Problems encountered during the implementation of this plan may stem

from weaknesses in the plan itself. How the plan was prepared (who was
involved, at what stage etc.) will often have an impact on whether the plan
is later successfully implemented.

Community involvement in protected area management has been

recognised as a key component in management plans to achieve
conservation goals. But in the situation of this project, there is still lack of
effective participation and strong links between the communities and
external conservation agencies.
Due to poor mobilization policy of concerned authorities deputed to
mobilize and organize resources in Grace National Park areas have no basic
concept of national park management.

However, protected areas are often created without any form of public
involvement or agreement. There is often a situation where mistrust on the
part of community members. Thus, in order to get the communities
involvement, the first steps is establishing relationships and trust, as well
as building capacity within the communities to be able to make informed
decisions.

PFP has great concerns that unless protected area values are understood,
there is a risk that management actions, either deliberately or
inadvertently, will affect not only the natural resources but also the social
and economic situation, especially that of local people. Park managers have
to recognize that the traditional “fence and fines” management regime is
not effective anymore and a new regime of protected area management
must be upheld. The procedure must include cooperative, collaborative
relationships with local stakeholders who share the responsibility of
management.

PFP can provide a mechanism for communication and could play an

evocative role to resolve the issue and to eliminate the hurdles in the
implementation of the project (MDGNP) through consultation, linkages and
coordination among concerned authorities and indigenous communities. To
raise awareness among the communities about concept and benefits of the
national park .PFP could arrange different workshops, meetings and group
discussions among environmental communities, concerned authorities,
activists, community organizations, and youth. It is also a need of time to
buildup the capacity of the field staff appointed in protected area to liaison
with communities. Majority of the staff is untrained and don’t know to
handle the sensitive issues.

PFP will get greater support for the protection of the area. The success of
a plan will depend on public and political support. It is essential to maintain
regular communication with the public on decisions that affect them, and
on the protection and use of the protected area.

PFP has strong linkages with folk communities and implementation

authorities .PFP can play an important role to bring the different schools of
thought closer to resolve the issue. The proposed projected area is still
unexplored and still hidden from the human eyes. Through media
campaign issues could be highlighted across the country and world to
divert the attention of the international conservation organizations toward
this area about the misery of local communities, the plight of the
endangered flora and fauna and the lack of sufficient knowledge about the
management of the protected areas like Gurase national park.
POPOSED INTERVENTIONS:

Intervention should be considered prioritized in ascending order)

S.no Intervention Stake Holder

1 Field visit, coordination and Wildlife Department, Himalayan
linkages development meetings Wildlife Foundation (HWF)
Program for Mountain Areas
Conservation (PMAC), indigenous
communities and Local CO’s
2 Networking Communities, Co’s working in park
area
3 Preparation and publication of Communities, environmental
stickers, posters and reports activists, local nature clubs, CO,s
containing information about Wildlife Department
the park, endangered wildlife
and minerals
4 Awareness and capacity Communities, students of high
building events (about school and colleges, implementing
importance of the park and role staff of Gurase National Park, and
of the communities) political leaders.
5 Focus Group Discussions (FDGs) Communities, environmental
activists, local nature clubs, CO,s
Wildlife Department
6 Seminars Communities, environmental
activists, NGO’s Political Leader
 and Law enforcement agencies.
7 Preparation of comprehensive Communities, NGO, s Wildlife
research report of issue and Department and environmental
compile recommendation for activists.
the resolution of the conflict
through community
participation