Press Release
SOUTH AFRICA’S CONTROVERSIAL SALE OF IVORY TO CHINA SPELLS TOTAL DISASTER FOR AFRICA’S ELEPHANTS
16 July 2008 Animal Rights Africa (ARA) is shocked at yesterday’s CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) Standing Committee decision to allow China – one of the world’s biggest (and ever burgeoning) consumers of elephant ivory - to import 51 tons of ivory from South Africa. In real terms this represents the death of an estimated 7,699 South African elephants (1.8 tusks per elephant and 3.68kg per tusk).
This sale has literally given the green light to the international poaching syndicates and Organised Crime and will present a nightmare to poorly resourced wildlife enforcement agencies in Africa. The international wildlife trade is worth billions of US dollars annually and has been responsible for the decline of wild populations of a number of species of animals. Annually more than 20,000 elephants are killed for the illegal ivory trade and Chinese nationals have already been implicated in illegal ivory seizures by law enforcement agencies in 20 African countries.
It is shameful that the South African government is one of the main proponents for the continuation of the immoral ivory trade. In spite of the irrefutable ethical and scientific evidence to the contrary it appears to be solely driven by commercial interests and trade that gives no consideration for the rights and welfare of elephants and which are killing elephants and transforming these intelligent and sentient beings into mere commodities. According to ARA spokesperson, Michele Pickover, “ARA is fundamentally opposed to the export of elephant ivory from South Africa (and the other southern African countries involved in this arrangement: Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe) at a time when many thousands of elephants are still being poached and tons of ivory are traded illegally. What is even more abhorrent is that the South African government is already licking its lips at the prospect of this dishonourable and blood-soaked deal. We are also horrified that Britain and the EU supported this sale. This reinforces our view that CITES is merely a pro-trade organisation and does not have the interests of elephants at heart. CITES has failed wild animals because it remains silent on the basic ethical question of whether it is even appropriate to engage in international trade. It appears to be concerned not so much with protecting species as with allowing trade in endangered ones, which makes it almost Orwellian in character.”
China’s lack of human rights, its support of repressive regimes and extreme oppression and exploitation of animals are well known and should be cause enough for other countries not to trade with it, but there are other significant grounds too which relate specifically to elephants and the ivory trade. Of immense concern is that China remains the major destination for illegal ivory from poached African elephants. This indicates lack of control of domestic ivory trade. Permitting the legal import of ivory to China is likely to facilitate laundering of illegal ivory into the Chinese market, and will likely increase the poaching of elephants. There are serious doubts that China has control over the domestic manufacturing and trade of ivory – one of the CITES stipulations for approval of an “ivory trading partner”. There is also no conclusive evidence that implementation and enforcement are adequate in China. Investigative research and market surveys in China confirm that:
- Vast amounts of illegal ivory are on sale despite the existence of a registration system which appears to be widely abused and manipulated by traders.
- The Chinese government has legalised ivory trade by dozens of companies thought to be implicated in illicit trade.
- Registered traders buy ivory from and sell to illegal dealers, as well as to illegally export ivory.
- The Chinese government has auctioned off confiscated ivory from poached elephants.
- Most of China’s 20 largest cities have not been surveyed for availability of ivory and the effectiveness of government-enacted controls.
- Over a period of a decade China lost track of 121 tons of ivory.
South Africa should not be considered by CITES as a legitimate trading partner either. Over the years South Africa has been given permission at CITES to sell ivory on condition that the proceeds of the trade are used exclusively for elephant conservation and community conservation and development programmes within or adjacent to the elephant range. This has not happened in the past and is not likely to happen now. Moreover, there is no monitoring mechanism in place – either locally, regionally or within CITES - to oversee that this takes place. ARA, in discussions with a senior DEAT officials in June last year, was told unequivocally that proceeds from these sales do not go back into conservation but straight into general State coffers. What this implies is that our government is not being honest. CITES has identified the unregulated domestic ivory markets as THE most significant source of illicit international trade in ivory but South Africa does not appear to have control over the domestic manufacturing and trade of ivory, yet the reply by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism to a Democratic Alliance parliamentary question in the National Assembly in June 2008 clearly shows that provinces and SANParks with “ivory stockpiles” are allowed to sell ivory within South Africa and the quantity is entirely unknown or unregulated.
“The sale of ivory to China has once again divided Africans and this means that sensible, humane continent-wide conservation programmes that will benefit REAL conservation remain elusive”, said Pickover.
Ends.
ARA Spokepersons:
Steve Smit – 082 659 4711
Michele Pickover – 082 253 2124
ARA email - info@animalrightsafrica.org
Steve Smit - steve@animalrightsafrica.org
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