CITES meeting OK's RI's offer on ramin
CITES meeting OK's RI's offer on ramin
Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Bangkok
Participants in the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species (CITES) meeting in Bangkok unanimously agreed
on Friday to Indonesia's proposal to set stiffer controls on
international trade in ramin, a swiftly vanishing tropical
hardwood.
The unanimous support for Indonesia's proposal to raise ramin
from CITES' Appendix III to Appendix II, which requires export
permits for those seeking to trade in the wood, was immediately
hailed by environmental groups as a victory for conservation
efforts in Asia.
"Today's decision is a victory both for ramin and for
Southeast Asia's unique and priceless forests," said Carroll
Muffett, Director of International Programs for Defenders of
Wildlife, a wildlife conservation organization based in
Washington, DC.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and CITES' enforcer TRAFFIC
likewise praised the decision, which must still be approved at
the final session of the CITES' conference, and then await a 90
day period before going into effect.
"After today's vote, the future of ramin and the species who
live in these forests looks brighter," said Susan Lieberman, head
of WWF delegation to CITES.
By placing ramin on Appendix II, exporting nations will have
to conclude that the trade will not prove detrimental to the
species in the wild.
Ramin, which was not a protected species in Malaysia but was
in Indonesia, has been smuggled in huge amounts from Indonesia's
forest reserves to Malaysia and Singapore where it was
"laundered" for exports, largely to Europe.
The magnificent tropical hardwood is used for making pool
queues, picture frames and baby furniture for the European and
U.S. markets.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, smarting from international
criticism for allowing illicit trade in the species, recently
announced the establishment of a tri-national task force to crack
down on the regional smuggling of ramin.
"Today's listing of ramin in Appendix II would give these
governments the appropriate controls, processes, tools and
information that would assist the world of the task force," said
Steve Board, TRAFFIC's executive director.
Appendix II listings are acknowledged by all CITES's members,
whereas Appendix III listings are unique to each country.
The ramin vote was the first major victory for
conservationists attending the 12-day CITES conference in
Bangkok.
CITES, deemed the largest conservation treaties on trade with
166 member states, holds conferences once every two-and-a-half
years to decide on countries' proposals to strengthen or weaken
controls on international trade in endangered and threatened
species.
This year's session has already decided to allow black rhino
trophy hunting in Africa and on Thursday agreed to Thailand's
proposal to relax international trade in the Blue Vanda orchid.