By: Lloyd M’bwana
President Peter Mutharika has Thursday, April 14 strongly warned the perpetrators behind the illegal wildlife trade especially on ivory in Malawi that his government has put measures to arrest the vice and that the law will take its course.
President Mutharika sent the warning when he launched the “Stop Wildlife Crime” film as a strong resolution to combat illegal wildlife trade in Malawi.
In the film, Mutharika leads fifteen foreign Ambassadors, High Commissioners and Honorary Consuls to tell citizens, residents and visitors to Malawi that ivory trafficking in any form will not be tolerated. And the film is expected to be shown on national TV and on screens at the international airports and will be distributed online through social media channels.
While launching the Film at the state house in the capital Lilongwe, the Malawi leader appealed the general public to report any criminality on wildlife as still vital in tourism attraction hence
need to be natured.
“Malawi is known as the Warm Heart of Africa and a peaceful nation, and it is not acceptable for criminals such as those involved in illegal wildlife trade to operate within our borders. Our natural resources will not be plundered for the profit of the few. Therefore, I call on all citizens to say no to illegal ivory trade and report any suspicious activity”, urges Mutharika.
The Maravi Post caught up with Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Lilongwe Wildlife Trust after the launch, the Organisation which has partnered with Malawi Government for the Stop Wildlife Crime campaign who observed that Malawi has been targeted as a transit route by criminal
gangs moving large amounts of illegal ivory consolidated from neighboring countries like Mozambique and Tanzania.
Vaughan noted further that there have also been over 90 cases of individuals found with small amounts of worked ivory like chop sticks, statues and jewelry since 2010 whose estimated interception rate at 10% that true figures will be significantly higher.
“In the case of criminals who are well aware of the impacts and laws regarding ivory trade and simply do not care, it is not what is being said but who is speaking. Here is a message from the very top that wildlife crime is serious and times are changing. With all the work being done, ignorance can certainly no longer be an excuse”, observes Vaughan.
Two versions of the film have been made available – one in English and one in which the mother tongue of each country featured is spoken. Missions backing the initiative are Brazil, China, Egypt, Germany, Great Britain, India, Ireland, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Spain, Tanzania, the United States of America and Zambia. Belgium, Mozambique, and Italy have also pledged their support. Both films can be viewed online at www.malawiwildlife.org.
The magnitude of the situation became clear in May 2015 when the government published their Illegal Wildlife Trade Review. Since then both authorities and supporting NGO’s have been working to implement the report’s recommendations.
Just last month, $500,000 of British funding was provided for a specialized Wildlife Crime Investigations Unit. The National Parks and Wildlife Act Amendment Bill draft was also submitted and is expected to be passed at the next Parliament sitting, which will mean
stiffer sentences for wildlife criminals.
