TUHIN RAHMAN

By all accounts, rhinoceros poaching in southern Africa has reached alarming levels. During this past weekend alone, four rhinos were poached in South Africa, one being shot from a helicopter registered with false license plates. A total of 220 were killed for their horns in 2009 and, after this weekend’s slaughter, the 2010 tally is approaching 80. For anyone looking at trends, this year’s figure is already higher than the totals for 2005, 2006 and 2007 combined, when fewer than 70 animals were killed.

But there has also been some good news: the syndicate comprising a group of professional hunters that were featured in my article ‘The Tip of the Horn’ (Africa Geographic September 2008) has been hit hard by the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU). Under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act, the North Gauteng High Court recently granted the AFU a restraint order entitling them to seize R45-million of assets from the accused.

Clayton Fletcher, Gert Saaiman and Andries van Deventer, the hunters, and Kumaran Moodaley, the person fingered as the ‘mule’ in the syndicate, are still regarded by police as the major players. Since the article, five other respondents have been added to the charge sheet, and all are set to go on trial suspected of operating a large-scale illegal rhino hunting and horn smuggling ring. The accused will also face a variety of other charges, including racketeering, money laundering, theft and contraventions of various conservation and aviation acts.

Assets seized include all residential properties and numerous farms, including seven outside Tosca in the North West Province that comprise Sandhurst Safaris. The Fletchers and Sandhurst have over the years become associated with the breeding and trading in large predators as well as canned hunting. A helicopter and light aircraft, apparently used in the operations, and various other business interests of the accused also fall under the order.

This is a significant victory in the fight against organised crime, and those involved – various provincial branches of South African Police Service, the Hawks, the National Prosecuting Authority and the AFU – need to be congratulated on their successes and the excellent police work that has gone into fighting this group. The next step is for them to get a successful conviction at the criminal trial that is set for mid October 2010.

But back to the situation on the ground – the present rate of killing represents a serious threat to the future of the region’s rhino populations. This is not only because of the numbers killed, but also the manner in which the syndicates are operating: extremely efficiently and effectively. While it is encouraging that the South African authorities have responded by setting up a new specialised team, the National Wildlife Reaction Unit, to tackle the problem, I believe it is going to require more than this. It is my suspicion that there are insiders at work here and that all involved in dealing with rhino at whatever level need to start carefully reviewing their staff. These syndicates have influential people assisting them who may include rangers, senior managers and private veterinarians. [/FONT][/FONT][/FONT]

This is not a joke. My grandmother's grandfather was the great muslim warrior of India, Tipu Sultan, the only active Indian anti British fighter and a freedom fighter of India.I do not need to tell anything about Tipu Sultan. He is known to every people around the world who has a little knowledge about history. Sultan Fateh Ali Tipu (Kannada:) November 1750, Devanahalli – 4 May 1799, Srirangapattana), also known as the Tiger of Mysore, was the de facto ruler of the Islamic Kingdom of Mysore from 1782 (the time of his father's death) until his own demise in 1799.Tippu Sultan was born at Devanahalli, in present-day Bangalore District, some 33 km east of Bangalore city.
I knew, from my grandmother,Tipu Sultan had seven sons. One of whom was Prince Anwar Shah.Tipu Sultan had four wives. Prince Munwar Sultan was the father of my grandmother and the son of Prince Anwar Shah. To search out the grave of Prince Munwar Sultan I went to Kolkata and got video and pictures of the graveyard and the grave. I found the veracity.
Tipu Sultan's family was sent to Calcutta by the British.
They were directly sent to Taligonj, Kolkata. My grandmother was born there. Her name was Nurunnissa Begum. But she was called Begum. Begum was the title of the women in royal families of India. She was a begum and whatever I learned about the royal family and Tipu Sultan from her was real and experienced.My grandmother was the only daughter of Prince Munwar Sultan. In Taligonj they had a palace. My grandmother lived in the palace. Prince Munwar Sultan was very fond of classical Indian songs. Though he was a prince he lived a simple life. In the palace he had many servants and maid servants but later they did not complained anything about this prince.
Prince Munwar Sultan liked songs very much.He had lots of musical instrument in his hall room (Boithok khana). I have heard many true story about this prince from my grandmother one of which I can put down here for the reader.
In the palace, there were many chandeliers hung from the ceiling. One day a maid servant,while cleaning a chandelier, dropped one from the ceiling. And then the maid servant was terrorised about what was going to happen to her when the prince would know. But the prince Munwar Sultan smiled at her and said "AWOR FIKO (drop another one). The maid servant was more terrorised and she wanted to get excuse. But the prince still ordered her to drop another chandelier. Becoming helpless, the maid servant went up and loosen another one and it had been dropped on the floor and shattered. Prince Munwar Sultan smiled and went away.
This good prince did not die, he had committed suicide. His nephew was his enemy. He had several cases against the prince. Only for his enemity this royal prince was exiled to Behala, a southern part of Kolkata. There he rented a house just to take care of my young grandmother. Still he was in trouble. One day this prince was coming back home from a programme, he noticed that police were taking all his musical instruments on a truck. He asked them why. The police replied the prince was unable to pay taxes so by the order of the court they were taking the items. Prince begged them for an instrument,he said, "you take all just give me one tanpura."
But the police replied that they cant give him back, he can go and argued at the court for one. The prince was humiliated and he decided instantly to kill himself. He got back home. Fed my grandmother with his own hand and put her to sleep. Then he went into his room. He locked the door from inside. The prince brought down the big double barrelled gun from the wall. He put only one bullet in the breech. Then he laid down on the bed, put the barrel inside his mouth and pulled the trigger by his toe. The high velocitity of the bullet crashed his skull and all the yellow matters hugely scattered around the room.
After his death the neighbours was thinking about the welfare of the only descendant of the prince. They knew this young aged child would never survive but for a direct help of a man who would take care of this child. And it was not possible without marrying a man. And then came the part of my grandfather. At that time my grandfather was a hunter and he saw the distress of the helpless Begum and stretched a hand to her. Here was the end of the royal touch in her life becoming the wife of a hunter and nature-lover.
My grandfather had a big nursery in Calcutta. It was the famous THE EVERGREEN NURSERY. I have made an album in the picture section and there is a picture of the nursery you can find in it. You can also see my grandmother in the picture album named MEMORY ALBUM.

A certificate was given to Munwar Sultan in 1916 by the Indian government as an appriciation of his music talent. He was awarded as "Proffersor of Music" in the certificate.



News of death of the prince

Tipu Sultan


My grandmother in her prime taking my younger aunt in her lap.


My grandmother is taking me on her lap.

Munwar Sultan was the last prince of India.

My grandmother's nature truely reflected the royal characteristic of the daughter of an Indian prince.