Illegal ivory trade: Sudan/China

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Below is an article on Esmond Bradley-Martin's and Care for the Wild

International's latest ivory trade investigation in Sudan, which was

released this morning.

 

For a PDF file of Dr Martin's findings please visit:

http://www.careforthewild.com/generalimages/Sudanivoryfactsheet05.pdf

 

Thanks!

 

Barbara Maas

 

 

 

REVEALED: GROWING DEMAND FOR CENTRAL AFRICAN IVORY THREATENS ELEPHANT

POPULATIONS

 

Undercover investigation highlights illegal poaching and trading racket

driven by Sudanese military Sudan is rapidly becoming one of the world's

major hubs for the illegal trade in elephant ivory, with tusks from

elephants illegally slaughtered in southern Sudan, the Democratic

Republic of Congo and other African countries increasingly arriving in

the capital Khartoum for carving into souvenirs catering for foreign

nationals and tourists. An investigation carried out on behalf of

UK-based charity Care for the Wild International (CFTWI) has revealed

how the Sudanese military is at the centre of a highly organised

poaching and trading racket in illegal ivory, with poachers reportedly

using military firearms and ammunition, and government transport

vehicles being used to transport illegally poached elephant tusks to

Khartoum and the Arabic city of Omdurman. This unregulated trade in

ivory is having a devastating impact on elephant populations in Central

Africa. CAR nationals and Sudanese poachers were responsible for

decimating elephants in the eastern Central African Republic during the

1990s, and increasing evidence suggests that killing has now begun in

the Democratic Republic of Congo. As well as feeding demand for tourist

souvenirs in Khartoum, significant quantities of tusks are believed to

be being exported to Egypt, another major hub in the illegal ivory

trade. Investigations undertaken by wildlife trade specialist Dr Esmond

Martin, funded by CFTWI, in Sudan in early 2005 have established that

the Sudanese military - and a smaller number of private traders - are

selling tusks wholesale to the owners of craft workshops and souvenir

outlets in Khartoum and Omdurman for between US$44 and US$148 per

kilogramme. Ivory craftsmen are working six days a week to meet demand

for wildlife souvenirs, jewellery and figurines. A survey of 50 souvenir

shops in Khartoum, Omdurman and Khartoum North carried out by Dr Martin

in February 2005 revealed more than 11,000 ivory items on sale.

Individual shops carried between 2 and 1,021 ivory objects. Animal

figurines, pendants, rings, bangles, human figurines, earrings and

chopsticks were amongst items observed on sale. Prices are low,

illustrating the widespread availability of ivory and cheap labour. A

ring costs the purchaser a mere US$2, a 4-cm pendant US$3, and a pair of

chopsticks US$13. On-site research by CFTWI has discovered that Chinese

buyers account for about three-quarters of all the ivory items

purchased. South Koreans, Saudis and buyers from several other Arabic

states have also been identified as major players. There are several

thousand expatriate Chinese in Sudan working in the petroleum,

construction and mining sectors. According to vendors, they are

frequently in the souvenir shops, spending their leisure time choosing

souvenirs, mainly ivory, to purchase. Organised Chinese ivory trade

networks are also purchasing tusks in Khartoum and the Central African

Republic for illegal export to the Far East - since the 1990s China has

been the world's largest importing nation of illegal ivory tusks with

many coming from Central African region. Dr Martin's investigations have

also revealed that an increasing number of elephant tusks are moving

through Khartoum and Omdurman into Egypt where there is a flourishing

trade in ivory. Previous research discovered that around 100 craftsmen

in Egypt were processing Central African ivory, brought into Egypt in

trucks or on camel-back through Sudan. The markets in Cairo, Luxor and

Aswan were found to hold over 20,000 ivory objects, one of the largest

in the world, and ivory products are still plentiful in Egyptian cities.

Dr Esmond Martin, who undertook the research for CFTWI, and who is one

of the world's leading experts on the illegal ivory trade, today called

for immediate action to combat the Central African-Sudanese ivory trade

racket: " Sudan's unregulated markets, using new tusks from Sudan and

neighbouring countries, must be controlled to conform with CITES and

protect the elephants from further illicit killings. " He called for a

specific crackdown on the Chinese buyers and traders: " In order to

battle against this illegal trade it is imperative to tackle the

Chinese; both the buyers of trinkets in Sudan, and the traders who

purchase the raw ivory for China's domestic trade in ivory. "

 

Dr Barbara Mass, Chief Executive of Care for the Wild International,

said: " Our investigations have revealed a disturbing new front in the

illegal trade in ivory. Unless there is immediate recognition of this

problem, and appropriate action is taken by all parties concerned, the

region's elephant populations face a bleak and uncertain future. " Dr

Martin's research indicates an increase in the volume of ivory goods

offered for sale in Sudan. In 1997, his surveys revealed 34 craft and

souvenir shops selling ivory in Sudan; the latest figure of 50

represents a significant increase. And further compelling evidence

points towards an increasing level of illegal elephant poaching in the

region during recent years: in 2004, Baggara horseman from Sudan entered

the Democratic Republic of Congo's Garamba National Park, slaughtering

an unknown quantity of elephants and northern white rhinos. For Sudan

itself, there are no reliable figures currently available on elephant

numbers, as war in the south of the country has prevented surveys. But

of a population of around 133,000 in 1976, previous studies found that

numbers had fallen to about 40,000 by 1992. The sale of ivory items in

Sudan is legal if the shopkeeper has a government licence, and if the

ivory items have been carved from old ivory. But no items made from

tusks from recently killed Sudanese elephants are permitted, nor items

from imported tusks that date after the 1990 ivory ban of the Convention

of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

(CITES). Almost all the ivory items recently observed for sale in Sudan

are from new tusks however. Dr Martin was told that government officials

rarely inspect the shops to check whether the ivory is legal or not. As

in the case for the world ivory trade, all ivory, whether tusks or ivory

items (except antiques with official permits) bought by tourists or for

commercial use cannot be exported or imported by countries complying

with CITES. Virtually all the items that have been bought in Sudan since

1990 have therefore been leaving the country illegally. At the 13th

CITES Conference of the Parties held in Bangkok in October 2004, an

action plan to control the trade in African elephant ivory was approved

by all African elephant range states, including Sudan. They are obliged

to report to the CITES Secretariat by 31 March 2005 and comply with

CITES requirements over internal controls for ivory trade.

 

 

Dr Barbara Maas

Chief Executive, Care for the Wild International

The Granary, Tickfold Farm, Kingsfold, West Sussex, RH12 3SE

tel: +44-1306-627 900

fax: +44-1306-627 901

e-mail: bmaas

web: www.careforthewild.com

 

 

 

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