Why the SECRECY, Hong Kong? Transparency is needed! #GMFER and our colleagues at 香港護象行動 Hong Kong for Elephants are disappointed that Hong Kongs government decided NOT to make the names of the 447 licensed ivory retailers and carvers in Hong Kong public information. THREE important links in this post. 1) From the South China Morning Posts report on the announcement, here: scmp/news/hong-kong/article/1674066/hongkongers-will-not-be-told-who-owns-ivory WildAid campaigner Alex Hofford says, The problem with the system is that it doesnt work. If you cant police [a trade] effectively then you have to ban it. The decision to block the publication of the list was contradictory given the rule that licences had to be displayed prominently in stores, Hofford said. Many stores flouted the rule, he added, blacking out information such as names and addresses and the quantity of ivory owned. This information is supposed to be in the public domain already, he said. We need this list … so NGOs and the media can investigate licensees and ensure nothing is being done illegally. 2) The Global March for Elephants and Rhinos fails to understand the reasoning of licensed ivory carver Leung Lee-cheong, pictured in both photos here: Leung said he was against poaching but linking the trade in Hong Kong with promoting poaching in Africa was just illogical. The method is cruel and Im against it … but banning the trade here will not have any impact on [poaching] in Africa, he said. The fact is that Hong Kong is a major transit and destination point for illegal ivory; ranking 5th in the world for ivory seizures, and much illegal ivory is certainly for sale throughout Hong Kong. Full article here: scmp/news/hong-kong/article/1673953/ivory-carver-fears-destruction-traditional-chinese-culture-attention 3) The list of 447 ivory licensees can be securely and anonymously leaked here: wildleaks.org (The First Secure Platform for Wildlife Crime Whistleblowers) Photo credit both photos: Bruce Yan #GMFER #BanIvory #LifeNotExtinction
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 07:15:35 +0000
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