The Governments of
southern African has voiced their disappointment in China and Vietnam for not
doing enough to stop poaching in the region.
They registered this
protest in a workshop organized by the Southern Africa Wildlife Conservation
which was attended by quite a number of countries in the region.
Southern Africa is
noted for its vibrant wildlife and natural conservation of animals such as
elephants.
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or
animals which include local and international wildlife conservation.
Kenya and
the Republic of South Africa accused the two countries (China and Vietnam) of
being reluctant to enact strict laws to stop their citizens from purchasing
elephant tusks and rhino horns from Africa.
Poaching
of elephant tusk is common in southern Africa countries where they have a quite
significant number of the species.
But Kenya
and RSA believes that the two countries are helping in these illegal activities
by buying the tusk from individuals.
Kenya Wildlife Service senior assistant
director Patrick Omondi disclosed that efforts to engage the Chinese and
Vietnamese Government to enact strict laws to prevent the purchase is not
successful.
"There are always
delays in prosecution. The justice system is too low and there is no
consistency in law," added Hector Magome, the executive managing member of
Conservation Services in South Africa. "Some poachers are fined very
little in certain regions of the country and others fined highly in other
regions."
The participants also
pushed for tougher sanctions against those who are found in engaging in this
activity and encouraged more public education in their respective countries.
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