Chinese fund raises thousands for wildlife
A special wildlife conservation fund among Chinese companies and Chinese communities operating locally in Namibia has been established and raised an initial N$110 000 this weekend.
This took place during a Wildlife Trafficking Workshop aimed at raising awareness on wildlife crimes and trafficking with Chinese nationals living in Namibia.
The workshop was jointly organised by China's State Forest Administration, China's CITES Management Authority, TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Chinese embassy in Namibia.
According to TRAFFIC the increasingly closer ties between China and Namibia have created opportunities for illegal exploitation of wildlife species, with products smuggled to meet demand in the Chinese market.
The workshop provided an opportunity for Chinese nationals based in Namibia to be made fully aware of the illegality of such activities and the risks of becoming engaged in them.
Tom Milliken, an expert on elephant ivory and rhino horn trade with TRAFFIC spoke about recent trends in the global illegal wildlife trade, in particular trafficking between southern African countries and China.
He also spoke about the scale of ongoing African elephant and rhino poaching triggered by illegal trade in their products.
TRAFFIC staff also provided tips to Chinese nationals on reducing the risk of wildlife trafficking during their international travel and encouraged Chinese enterprises to adopt socially and environmentally responsible policies for conserving local wildlife - for example through buying sustainable souvenirs.
Tommy Nambahu, the deputy environment minister said that in Namibia, the trafficking of wildlife products mainly involves elephant and rhino products.
According to recent statistics, 135 elephant tusks and pieces and 36 rhino horns were captured by authorities in 2016.
Twenty one elephant tusks and four rhino horns were confiscated by the state this year.
“Moreover, this year alone, Namibia has also been implicated in two seizures of rhino horns, effected in South Africa and Hong Kong.”
Nambahu said that the current levels of illegal trade and wildlife trafficking promote corruption, threaten peace and stability, strengthen illicit trade routes and destabilise economies.
“In addition, wildlife trafficking has devastating impacts as it pushes species to the brink of extinction, threatens security, undermines the rule of law and restricts economic development.”
He said that it also robs local communities of their natural resource base, including the economic benefits they derive from the legal sale of wildlife and hunting revenues.
Nambahu further elaborated on the proposed amendments Namibia has made to the current wildlife protection laws to increase the penalties for wildlife crime.
According to these amendments that are at the advanced stage of being approved, those found in possession of controlled wildlife products, should pay N$15 million instead of the current N$20 000, or spend 15 years in jail unlike now when the incarceration period is just five years.
In addition, fines for people who don't comply with the law regulating the possession and selling of wildlife has also been increased from N$8 000 to N$100 000, while jail time will be increased from two to 10 years.
He said that the current penalties for wildlife trade and possession crimes are not sufficient deterrents, especially taking into account that trade and possession often involve foreign kingpins who are able to easily pay their way out of these fines.
The proposed amendments will therefore empower the home affairs ministry to ban entry into Namibia of foreign nationals involved in crimes related to the possession and dealing in elephant and rhino products after they serve their prison terms.
“This was because the majority of culprits found guilty of illegal wildlife trading are foreign nationals.”
During the workshops, local Chinese company representatives pledged to continue raising their staff's awareness about protecting wildlife.
ELLANIE SMIT
This took place during a Wildlife Trafficking Workshop aimed at raising awareness on wildlife crimes and trafficking with Chinese nationals living in Namibia.
The workshop was jointly organised by China's State Forest Administration, China's CITES Management Authority, TRAFFIC, a wildlife trade monitoring network and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Chinese embassy in Namibia.
According to TRAFFIC the increasingly closer ties between China and Namibia have created opportunities for illegal exploitation of wildlife species, with products smuggled to meet demand in the Chinese market.
The workshop provided an opportunity for Chinese nationals based in Namibia to be made fully aware of the illegality of such activities and the risks of becoming engaged in them.
Tom Milliken, an expert on elephant ivory and rhino horn trade with TRAFFIC spoke about recent trends in the global illegal wildlife trade, in particular trafficking between southern African countries and China.
He also spoke about the scale of ongoing African elephant and rhino poaching triggered by illegal trade in their products.
TRAFFIC staff also provided tips to Chinese nationals on reducing the risk of wildlife trafficking during their international travel and encouraged Chinese enterprises to adopt socially and environmentally responsible policies for conserving local wildlife - for example through buying sustainable souvenirs.
Tommy Nambahu, the deputy environment minister said that in Namibia, the trafficking of wildlife products mainly involves elephant and rhino products.
According to recent statistics, 135 elephant tusks and pieces and 36 rhino horns were captured by authorities in 2016.
Twenty one elephant tusks and four rhino horns were confiscated by the state this year.
“Moreover, this year alone, Namibia has also been implicated in two seizures of rhino horns, effected in South Africa and Hong Kong.”
Nambahu said that the current levels of illegal trade and wildlife trafficking promote corruption, threaten peace and stability, strengthen illicit trade routes and destabilise economies.
“In addition, wildlife trafficking has devastating impacts as it pushes species to the brink of extinction, threatens security, undermines the rule of law and restricts economic development.”
He said that it also robs local communities of their natural resource base, including the economic benefits they derive from the legal sale of wildlife and hunting revenues.
Nambahu further elaborated on the proposed amendments Namibia has made to the current wildlife protection laws to increase the penalties for wildlife crime.
According to these amendments that are at the advanced stage of being approved, those found in possession of controlled wildlife products, should pay N$15 million instead of the current N$20 000, or spend 15 years in jail unlike now when the incarceration period is just five years.
In addition, fines for people who don't comply with the law regulating the possession and selling of wildlife has also been increased from N$8 000 to N$100 000, while jail time will be increased from two to 10 years.
He said that the current penalties for wildlife trade and possession crimes are not sufficient deterrents, especially taking into account that trade and possession often involve foreign kingpins who are able to easily pay their way out of these fines.
The proposed amendments will therefore empower the home affairs ministry to ban entry into Namibia of foreign nationals involved in crimes related to the possession and dealing in elephant and rhino products after they serve their prison terms.
“This was because the majority of culprits found guilty of illegal wildlife trading are foreign nationals.”
During the workshops, local Chinese company representatives pledged to continue raising their staff's awareness about protecting wildlife.
ELLANIE SMIT
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