CHINA AND VIETNAM SHOULD STATE ITS OPPOSITION TO RHINO POACHING

The FF Plus today urgently urged both the ambassadors of China and Vietnam to South Africa , Messrs. Zhong Jianhua and Nguyen, in which they appealed for their governments to clearly state their position and drastically take action in the struggle against rhino poaching in South Africa .

"Rhino's are increasingly being poached and therefore faces extinction while it is generally well-known that rhino horns are in great demand in especially China , Vietnam and other Asian markets for the so-called medicinal value thereof," Mr. Jaco Mulder, FF Plus spokesman on Environmental Affairs said.

While the focus in the media has in recent times been on especially the arrests of the suspects and brains behind the rhino poaching, urgent investigations should be instituted into the market for rhino horns which is the original cause of the problem.

Countries where large amounts of rhino horns are being traded on the black market, should take up a position which indicates which measures they had instituted in their countries to stop the illegal trade in rhino horns.

Both China and Vietnam are member states of CITES (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of wild fauna and flora) and are therefore legally bound to implement and enforce the convention. CITES had already in 1963 been established and came into force in 1973 with 80 member states which had ratified it. It serves as a framework for member states to put their own legislation in place to prevent the trade in endangered species.

Mulder also called on the Minister of Water and Environment Affairs to, in conjunction with the South African Police and the Department of Foreign Affairs take immediate measures against countries which allow illegal trade in rhino horns.

"Rhino horns contains keratin, a substance similar to that which one finds in horse and cattle hoofs or human finger nails and do not possess any medicinal qualities. The buyers of rhino horns could just as well chew their own nails," Mulder said.

The Freedom Front Plus welcomes the arrests which have been made to date but want more drastic action t be taken.

Statement issued by Jaco Mulder, FF Plus Spokesperson: Environmental Affairs, October 4 2010

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