News Tuesday, March 21, 2000

Monkeys, humans fight over water

By NATION Correspondent

There was drama yesterday at the Takaba trading centre, Mandera District of Kenya, when monkeys and villagers clashed over a relief water delivery.

Ten villagers were hurt and eight monkeys killed in the two-hour duel between man and beast.

Trouble started when three water tankers bringing in water from neighbouring Elwak town to the drought-stricken area arrived at the trading centre.

The monkeys then attacked villagers who were drawing water.

The clawing, biting and stone-throwing creatures are said to have sent the villagers fleeing, as they took to quenching their thirst with the villagers' water.

Darwaj Ward Councillor Ibrahim Mohammed Alike, who witnessed the encounter, said the villagers later re-grouped and armed themselves with axes and machetes and counter-attacked the monkeys.

Councillor Alike said the monkeys stood their ground and fought back.

The human injured were treated at the Takaba dispensary.

Mr Alike said an acute shortage of water in the district had forced the wild animals out of the bush.

Gazelles, hares and monkeys were now roaming the villages, he added.

The civic leader pointed out that there was fear among the people that dangerous animals such as elephants, lions and leopards would soon attack them in search of water.

He said that both the Takaba primary and secondary school were closed last Friday for lack of water and food.

The leader said that relief efforts were nowhere near enough.

http://www.nationaudio.com/News/DailyNation/Today/News/News60.html

-- - (x@xxx.com), March 20, 2000

Answers

machetes and axes? whaaaa =o(

gruesome

-- cin (cinlooo@aol.com), March 21, 2000.

This is not surprising. Drought is predicted in many places in the future with more than average flooding in others. Most of our water is already contaminated. Why do you think everyone walks around with a bottle of water??? Hog, cow, chicken and turkey shit is contaminating much of the nations water supply, but very few are willing to give up cheap meat for clean water. Drink up folks.

-- gilda (jess@listbot.com), March 21, 2000.

Why didn't they just spank the monkeys?

-- Uncle Deedah (unkeed@yahoo.com), March 21, 2000.