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Africa sends fiery warning to poachers
President Mwai Kibaki sets ablaze an illegal ivory stockpile on July 20, 2011 at the Tsavo National Park.
By MARK AGUTU magutu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Wednesday, July 20 2011 at 22:30
Africa sent a strong message to poachers of its elephants by setting ablaze nearly five tonnes of contraband ivory worth millions of shillings on Wednesday.
President Kibaki led representatives of regional governments in lighting the ivory pier at the Kenya Wildlife Service Training School in Manyani in Taita Taveta county.
"Through the burning of this contraband ivory, we are sending a clear message to poachers and illegal traders in wildlife about our collective resolve to fight this crime in our region and beyond,'' the President said before lighting the fire.
Poachers and illegal traders in ivory, he added, must know that their days were numbered and severe punishment would be meted to those engaging in the decimation of wildlife.
"We cannot afford to sit back and allow criminal networks destroy our common future," he added.
The large crowd that turned up to witness the rare event cheered as the President lit the ivory shortly after 2pm.
The tusks, which made a seven-foot pier were piled on a fire grid bar built by Dynamic Green Technologies.
It was doused with kerosene, donated by Total Kenya, and pumped from several gallons situated 500 metres away.
But even as the world witnessed yet another burning of the tusks captured from poachers and dealers across the globe, wildlife conservationists demanded tougher laws to stamp out the illicit trade.
They cited light sentences handed to poachers and dealers in game trophy as the main reason the illicit trade continued to thrive.
This is the third time an ivory stockpile is being destroyed in Africa. Retired president Daniel arap Moi first lit fire to an ivory stockpile in 1989 at the Nairobi National Park. The Zambian government burned another pile in 1992.
The event was the highlight of the first ever African Elephant Law Enforcement Day celebrations observed by Kenya and seven African states that have come together under the Lusaka Agreement on Cooperation Enforcement Operation Directed at Illegal Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora.
http://www.nation.co.ke/News/Africa...achers+/-/1056/1204988/-/gf52wpz/-/index.html