Department shines in absence at Oscap Conference
The aim of the conference is to openly debate the risks associated with the government’s proposal to legalise trade in rhino horn, which it will table before the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Parties at COP17 in 2016
PRETORIA – It would be impossible for South Africa to supply the demand of the Asians markets if it were to legally dispose of its stockpile and harvest the horns of living rhino. This was the message from several high profile speakers this week at a conference about legalising trade. More realistically, experts agreed, would be stricter law enforcement, effective prosecution, and harsher penalties for poachers and organised crime syndicates.
International conservation associations, diplomats and NGOs from the United Kingdom, Kenya, the United States, Mexico, Viet Nam and South Africa gathered for the OSCAP (Outraged Citizens Against Poaching) Conference, to assess the risks of rhino horn trade.This comes in anticipation of the government proposal to CITES in 2016 for legalising trade.
The Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) were auspicious in its absence; a point of contention following soon after its recent failure to attend the pivotal London Conference on the illegal Wildlife Trade. Also noticeably absent during the debate, were pro-traders.
A strong focus was on the role of corruption, collusion and the leniency in law enforcement both locally and internationally, with a call made for increased pressure on especially Mozambique to address the lack of arrests and prosecution of poachers and the syndicates that drive this crime. Arrest statistics indicate that 80% of all poachers hail from Mozambique.
Similarly, current lax law enforcement in Vietnam makes it a poor, legal trading partner, said Duong Viet Hong, a Vietnamese conservationist. This comes amid speculation that Vietnam will be presented as the trader partner of SA in its proposal to CITES. She added that great strides had recently been made in her country to combat the illegal trade, including a ban on legal trophy imports and special training of prosecutors, in her view “now is the wrong time to be talking about legalising it.”
Conservation expert in Kenya, Dr Paula Kahumbu stressed that it has been proved that the legal trade only provides an avenue for laundering funds generated through the parallel illicit trade.
A more effective approach would be the total ban on the trade and use of rhino horn in consumer countries, according to many anti-traders like Kahumbu and Peter Knights of the well-known WildAid organization. Knights explained how this approach, coupled with extensive awareness campaigns, had reduced the price of shark fin in Indonesia with up to 80%, making it unviable to kill these animals. Spending 1% of what is currently spent on rhino conservation on the demand side, we might “get out of this problem” said Knights suggesting a combination of clear, enforceable laws with public education.
Visit this site shortly to read more about the measures Kenya is taking to curb poaching of its elephant, rhino and lion, and how this could be a feasible model for South Africa to follow.
