Legalising International Trade in Rhino Horn ???

[Penga Ndlovu]

Yep. So it is.

[H. erectus]

Well thought thru and put to paper Chris Mercer!!

[Richprins]

The whole rhino thing is a microcosm of SA at the moment, as I see it.

Firstly, criminals know they can get away with affordable fines or protracted legal procedures and a slim chance of jail time.

Secondly enforcement is chasing the game regarding loopholes in the legal system.

Thirdly enforcement is understaffed and underfunded.

Fourthly there is a lack of accountability from mid to high to ministerial officials.

Fifthly there are all sorts of plans and promises and claims of progress from the powers that be, in reaction to public and media pressure, but a lack of transparency regarding precise details of the situation.

Sixthly there have been numerous cases of those who are meant to be protecting rhino dipping into the financial "gravy train" for their own enrichment.

[H. erectus]

Well thought thru and executed to the airwaves RP only!!??,
I hope you have only 5 fingers on your righthand!!!!, if not
then this simple calculation might result into some sort of
irreparable brain damage!!!! Thanks for the input.

*Post edited due to unsuitable language*

[iNdlovu]

and 7thly RP, corruption, corruption, corruption

[Flutterby]

This is a letter from John Varty to John Hume (SA's biggest rhino breeder) posted on OSCAP's FB page, in support of the legal trade of rhino horn.

Hello John
Why don't you do the following:
Request a meeting with the Minister of Environment and Head of Department of Environment and Tourism.
At the meeting you request permission for a once off auction to sell all your rhino horn and rhino horn from other private individuals.
Point out that the precedent was set in the eighties when South Africa's National Parks had ivory auctions in which Japanese, Taiwanese and Chinese buyers participated in the purchase of ivory from culled elephants in Kruger National Park.
The money from those auctions, went back into the protection and conservation of elephants in South Africa.

If they do not grant you permission for the auction, then you create a global event.
When Richard Leakey got President Moi to burn the ivory in Nairobi, he attracted world attention. You may not have agreed with Leakey's actions in destroying the resource, but he forced the global fraternity to focus attention on the ivory trade.
In your case, you go ahead with the auction, informing the South African Government of your intentions. If you would like me to stand beside you, I will do so.
You invite 100 private individuals who have rhino horn from dead or dehorned rhino to join you in the auction.
You hire the biggest and most efficient Public Relations Company you can find and you create a global event of films, speakers, activists and the auction. Rather like Ian Player's wilderness congress some years ago.
If you were on your own, the Government could arrest you. I doubt if the Government could arrest 100 high profile, private individuals trading openly in rhino horn and advertising the auction globally.

If the Government agrees to the auction, then you have one step in the door for the legal trade of rhino horn.
Good luck and Tread Lightly on the Earth.
Email: info@jvbigcats.co.za Website: www.jvbigcats.co.za

[Flutterby]

I knew that had to be a good reason (besides my gut feeling) why I do not hold Mr Varty in very high regard!!

[iNdlovu]

Hmmmm If brains were explosive, Varty doesn't have enough to blow his nose in my opinion. That is the most nonsensical drivel I've seen in years.
The proponents of legal horn and ivory trade are short sighted in the extreme. With the huge demand for these products in the east, the current stockpile wouldn't make a scratch on the demand. To put it simply, how the hell is less that 20,000 rhino left in the world going to satisfy this demand, even through horn regeneration and all that stuff.

[dup]

This is the result of tiger bit in the Freestate(CHEETA COUNTRY), cat fever (cat griep) is dangerous.

[Richprins]

I like the idea, myself...

Nothing else is working.