Major
ivory seizures forced rethink
December 2012. The London-based Environmental
Investigation Agency (EIA) has learnt from well-placed, reliable and
confidential sources in Tanzania that the Government of that country is to
withdraw its controversial proposal to the next full meeting of CITES, which
will take place in Bangkok in March 2013, to reduce protection for its elephant
population and sell-off 101 tonnes of stockpiled ivory.
According
to the EIA, "This move, as yet not confirmed officially, is the only
logical course for Tanzania to take - recent major seizures
of ivory apparently originating in Tanzania show clearly how little
control the country has over the illegal trade in ivory and how vulnerable its
elephants really are. Tanzania's withdrawal of its ill-conceived proposal is
very good news, and this development is a wonderful early Christmas gift to
elephants everywhere."
EIA
was the first NGO to reveal Tanzania's plans in October, and the first to
formally announce its opposition to the proposed downlisting and ivory.
An
EIA spokesman added "At that time we branded the proposal as ‘ludicrous',
coming as it did when ivory poaching is escalating and the CITES ivory-trading
mechanism itself is increasingly being called into question. EIA firmly
believes that such CITES-approved stockpile auctions serve only to stimulate
the market for ivory, confusing consumers as to whether ivory is legitimate and
spurring further poaching as demand in consumer countries such as China grows.
"We
have previously called for China to be stripped of its 'Approved Buyer' status
because its domestic market it flooded with poached ivory which is effectively
laundered behind the screen of a legal supply.
"EIA
works to seek the return of a total global ban on all trade in ivory and an
absolute end to all CITES-approved stockpile sales."
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