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| Sourced from Change.org |
In
ancient days, when Persian Kings would travel across their vast kingdom, one of
the most important social activities was the giving of gifts. Royal gifts
created an essential link between the receiver and the giver. Loyalty was
committed to the King and he in turn received the submission of his subjects.
When it came to governors and leaders of vanquished territories, they were
expected to lavish the king with exquisite gifts including jade, silk and
ivory. The main purpose for this was to pay respect, pledge allegiance and show
submission to the monarch. Refusal to present such gifts was taken as proof of
insubordination.
Ivory has always been highly regarded and prized.
As we look at history and retrace the ascent and descent of
empires that ruled the world across Europe and Asia before the 6th
BC, it is exactly because of the wealth of these empires that the populations
of elephants in North Africa, China and Mesopotamia were decimated.
By the middle ages ivory had
became extremely rare and was exported through the silk routes making it even
more expensive and exotic; a reserve for the aristocracy Since then the allure
and prestige of ivory has not waned with time.
Ivory and religion
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| ivory trinkets and amulets |
In an investigative piece done by Bryan Christy, termed Blood Ivory for
The National Geographic, Bryan traces the use of Ivory in Philippines, Thailand
and China in carving Santo Niños, Buddha and other religious
artifacts and how corruption fuels this insatiable appetite.
For the Buddhists and the Catholics, ivory represents the
most precious element that one can use in honoring one’s god, even more
precious than gold.
With increased economic success in China more people are
able to acquire products that they consider glamorous and exotic. For most,
ivory artifacts also bring blessings and success to the owner.
This in many ways explains why despite the ban on poaching
and restricted selling of ivory in China there is still an unbridled market that
is bustling and maturing.
The biggest problem being faced more than anything else is
ignorance. When people don’t have any cognitive association between the
beautiful ivory artifacts they own and the elephants that are being slaughtered
in Africa.
Awareness is key and there are various routes that can be
taken to create awareness.
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| African elephant on the road - Jane Goodall |
Religious leaders have to show their support and voice their
concerns about the fact that elephants need to be preserved and protected .
This needs to be voiced consistently and across all forums, without being
defensive or offering rhetoric. The Catholic stance on the matter following the
National Geographic piece Blood Ivory can be read here and the actions that were taken including excommunicating some of the priests involved.
For Buddhist leaders, a different approach
that requires diplomacy is essential, given that China, where you find most Buddhists,
is not a democracy and neither is it open to influence from religious leaders. But
if you follow the media you will find instances of Thai Buddhist leaders calling for the end of Ivory trade.
Also the fact that there was wide spread controversy when it was mentioned that
a top religious leader remains would be placed in an ivory urn, tells of a
shift in the public perceptions of the use of ivory in Thailand.
Changing
public perceptions
Retired NBA star Yao Ming over a very
short period of time with the help of a coalition of Chinese business leaders,
students, celebrities and a government campaign against extravagance was able
to change the perception of China on the consumption of shark fin soup, an
affair decked with opulence.
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| Yao Ming in Kenya |
Yao Ming believes that working with
WildAid, African Wildlife Foundation, and Save the Elephants and raising the awareness across the world
and markedly in the Chinese society will help change the perception on ivory
and the Rhino horn. The work the coalition has done is extensive and the
publicity impressive as seen here. But the truth is that
it will require patience, consistency, continual education and psychological
desensitization of the masses to change the perception that is deep seated.
Governments will need
to instead attack the root of the issue as opposed to passing draconian
legislation that becomes difficult to implement and enforce to combat against
illegal trade of ivory.
The Demands of wealth
Extreme poverty could
be one of the reasons why despite the ban on poaching, the practice still
continues unabated in many African countries. But having said that, poaching is
not driven by poverty, but by the demands of wealthier communities.
As we speak the demand
of tusks in China has risen to a point that they cost more than 10 times the
annual income in many African countries.
This offers a predicament
for many where immediate need to satisfy ravishing hunger contend with the
future benefits that come from conservation of wildlife.
I believe if we
tackle the poverty question across Africa, through development projects geared
at the bulk of our citizenry, then they may have the benefit to contemplate actively
preserving our wildlife communally.
Allowing the tourism
sector to flourish can alleviate poverty but there is need to allow the
indigenous communities to be actively involved in the creation of such poverty
alleviation strategies.
Well informed
community based Investment in the tourism areas can bring about employment
creation, higher wages, access to newly provided infrastructure and community
services.
It is important to
stimulate production and availability of quality handiwork and artisan products
and give small agriculture connectivity to markets.
But even with this
there is still need to measure and monitor the inflow of tourism expenditure to
the communities living with wildlife.
Community tourism if effectively used can be used to create a sense
of responsibility in local communities so that they manage and support the
wildlife proactively, knowing that there is a benefit that accrues to them.
Standing as one on conflict
The immense windfall profits
that come from elephant and rhino poaching have continued to fuel conflict in
the Congo, Northern Uganda, Central African Republic and Somalia. Armed groups
like the Lord’s Resistance Army, Al-Shabaab and
Darfur’s Janjaweed use the proceeds from selling tusks to buy weapons and
sustain their mayhem.
It does not help that the borders of the nations that these armed groups
operate around are porous.
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| Slaughter of elephants |
For instance, Al-Shabaab actively buys
and sells ivory from Kenya to fund its militant operations. It is mentioned in
an investigative report “ivory trade could be supplying up to
40% of the funds needed to keep them in business.’’
Al-Shabaab’s sway over the fighting population
is mainly because of their financial acumen and access to the black markets. For
instance Al-Shabaab’s soldiers are paid $300 monthly and their needs met, while
an opposing government soldier earns far less and finds it hard to survive.
Thus they find themselves gravitating towards Al-Shabaab’s tentacles.
Established armies in these regions
also take part in this plunder. It is well noted that the Congolese, Ugandan
and South Sudanese are implicated in poaching and dealing in Ivory. Mainly due
to the huge windfalls associated, and the lack of transparency.
The answer to this problem
is not singular, finding a way to break down the well-established global
poaching network that is very lucrative will need to start from the people who
have an insatiable appetite for ivory products, the people fueling the demand.
A call for good governance
also has its part in this equation. A progressive East and Central Africa that
is better governed and its population empowered economically, could also create
foresight in managing the dwindling numbers of elephants in East and Central
Africa.
Corruption
Unfortunately one of
the main reasons why these armed groups find it easy to filter ivory from the DRC,
Tanzania and Kenya is precisely because there is no one with the moral
authority to stop them. From the border patrol teams, to wildlife services and
senior government officials, there is either a sense of ineptitude or self-preservation
and thus a focus on amassing wealth by any means possible, which tends to
create a very shortsighted view of society as a whole. What this negates is any
effort to fight the streamlined poaching networks that exist.
Government officials
are paid off to look the other way. How
else can you explain ivory going through our ports and airports?
I believe there are
two possible solutions.
The first has been
witnessed in countries like Singapore, Botswana and Rwanda. And it starts when
a visionary leader takes up a position in government and has the emotional
audacity to fight all the prevalent corrupt systems. He then appoints people of
integrity and commitment in key positions. With time the culture of corruption
is trampled and slowly different sectors of the economy begin to flourish away
from this vice.
The other is more
revolutionary in nature and is driven by the population. Citizens who simply
had enough of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and his corrupt ways
precipitated the Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia.
With better access to
information and a growing middle class across Africa change is in the offing
and it is the reality that government officials are now constantly required to
account for their actions.
China and America the
two main markets
Policies and rules geared towards banning illegal poaching
and trafficking of ivory in Africa have for the last few years been largely
toothless and ineffective. Especially
when America and China the two largest ivory markets had not taken any
concerted effort to put in place proper measures. But that is changing; America
took the steps last February in enacting a National Strategy to combat against wildlife trafficking and the trade in elephant ivory. The steps and controls proposed are
bold and hopefully their implementation will curtail the market in America to a
trickle. But then again will it? Read here a counter thought. But event with such
divergent views New Jersey and New York States have signed it into state law.
China, on the other hand which is the largest market of ivory has been petitioned by Yao Ming, the former Basketball star, to ban ivory sales in China, but his is not the only attempt, a WildAid survey noted that 94 percent of the Chinese public support a total government ban on the ivory trade.
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| impounded ivory in China |
Greed, indifference and ignorance are the three factors that have to be fought in China to drive down the demand for ivory. The government has given its support to this cause, which is evidenced by the wide coverage that Yao Ming’s campaign has received in the censured media.
The hope is that eventually the elephant will be heavily
protected like the giant panda.
Ban the sale
There are two divergent views; one says sell ivory on legal
channels and the other categorically calls for the total ban of ivory sales.
Both seem to stem from statistics that come from the global ivory ban by CITES
in 1990 and the authorized ‘experimental sales’ by Zimbabwe, Botswana
and Namibia to Japan in 1999.
I believe if a system is not monitored
effectively then there is no way of capturing the illegal elements in it and
thus illegal ivory will continue to pass as legal ivory and there is strong evidence
to support this fact given the increased killing of elephants.
As the system stands most African
countries lack a coordinated strategy that will effectively police the legal
culling of elephants and stem illegal poaching. For that simple reason, an all
out ban is the most effective means of stopping the poaching of elephants. Because
it will effectively shed light on the illegal poaching networks that are in
place.
Eminent Death as a
deterrent
Desperate times call for desperate measures and while the
shoot to kill policy is a last result measure, there have been marked signs
that it is effective in Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Tanzania. This policy effectively reduced the deaths of
Rhinos drastically. But this stance tends to be met with a lot
of disapproval from the surrounding communities, since in certain instances it
can be abused by game warders and human rights tend to be trampled upon in the
name of animal safety.
Part of the solution involves integrating the local communities
in curbing the poaching menace.
It is interesting while all this is the scenario in Africa;
one faces the death penalty in China if found poaching endangered species.
In conclusion, I believe it will take a collaborative effort
and the will of various nations around the world to stem the poaching epidemic
of elephants and rhinos. And hopefully our children will not have to see extinct
elephants in 3D computer renditions.
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