It was an extraordinary symposium. The invitation card said it was an "international symposium" on "Sell the Tiger to save it". Before I got the card, I had never imagined that selling tiger can save it. An idea hit my mind - if this theory is gong to work, I will fist sell my motorbike because I want to save it!
I was surprised to see the people in the dais: They were all seven and two among them were Nepali. Generally, when we go to participate in symposiums, we make up our mind to see experts in the dais - who will come up with their ideas and discuss on various aspects. I could not say about the foreigners but the Nepali gentlemen were certainly not tiger experts. To be precise, they, picked up from Tribhuwan University have nothing to do with tigers.
As it was written in the invitation card, there should be presentation by a panel of international experts, including conservationists, economists and wildlife enthusiasts" but I saw only business men there. On the dais were Laxman Khanal, Mohit Satyanand, Hank Jenkins, Kirsten Conrad, Dr Madan Koirala, Rakesh Wadhwa and Jia Quian were al ready tell the people that government should allow people to sell everything which had market.
On the table, beside the VOW and Boss, the magazines, photocopies of articles by Pallavi Aiyar and Barun Mitra were on display, which all said that selling is the solution. And a hand out from Mr Jia Qian states that legalization of the use of farmed tiger bone may meet the market demand and significantly reduce the illegal trade by cutting down its price (You can write to him at jiagin@istic.ac.cn). But, to my surprise, there was not a single-page document which supports that the wild animals should not be traded.
One after another, al the business giants said that the ban should be lifted because there is big demand and by selling the tigers, they can earn money. Even two Nepali gentlemen, said to be brought from concerned departments of Tribhuwan University also did not say that they should be left wild. I'm a fool. I had not though about it.
But being with tiger lovers for some days I had understood that:
1. There is a big gang of tiger tycoons in the world who use money of Chinese tiger farmers and make pressure that the ban should be lifted. Lifting of the ban will help the tiger farmers to sell their product to the world as easily as they sell goats and chickens.2. Keeping the tigers in the farms has become really really expensive for them. The farmers want to sell them off as soon as possible.3. The tigers in the farms have become as lazy as broiler chickens. They have lost all their natural instinct to hunt, to confirm their territory or to be simple, be wild. And the farmers are not sure if the tigers are really good enough to make balm or wine. 4. The tigers from the farm are going to be damn expensive. And if the poached tigers could be bought in chicken's price, why would somebody go and buy tigers from the farm? They just want to make the water troubled so that anybody could fish there.5. If the ban on illegal trade of tiger is lifted, the manufacturers of tiger products will easily buy smuggled tigers from Nepal and other counties and will say they are consuming the tigers from the farms. That would help them evade tax and also make big money.6. The lift of ban will help the poachers in Nepal and other country to come up with their business even directly. That is, it is going to be "catastrophe" for Nepal's tigers, as it was said by ED of TRAFFIC International.7. And, not necessary to say, big bunches of the Chinese money have arrived in pockets of so-called Nepali event mangers, experts for sell and others. That is why they are there to lobby for selling though Nepal is neither a consumer not a supplier (at least in legal eyes).
After the heavily sponsored presentation, the question-answer session was quite interesting. The whole of the audience was found against the selling scheme and they raised hair-raising questions from different angles WWF and Traffic International made a big team. I saw only Ukesh and Mangalman from conservationist's side while none of the government officials appeared at the scene. They asserted that raising the tigers in farm cannot be possible and the product is not going to help the ecology as the bred tigers have certainly lost the "wild" nature. They added that it would be a big threat for the wild tigers living in neighboring countries. It was just like the press conference of the king's minister Kamal Thapa when the journalists hurled burning question and he was compelled smile before answering them.
I could not believe my eyes that Nepali experts are so cheap to buy. And the government officials who remain as silent during the whole chaos of ITS over the issue as they used to be silent in case of rhino poaching and smuggling of red sandalwood. And this is the time where there is none to speak about tiger conservation efforts of Nepal and the harm the selling in China could make on them. Shame, Nepali government official presented seven years old data when they had to tell the panel how many tigers are left in Nepal.
A lavish dinner followed the meeting. I wonder how a magazine could spent that much of money to offer cocktails and dinners to over 50 participatns in a starred hotel of Hotel Shangrila. Anybody can imagine, the money must have come from the Chinese businessmen.
And where have all the noted tiger experts have gone, who visite this or that country in the name of tiger conservation? And where have other NGOs, which come newpaper offices to have their press releases printed on petty issues? Yes, I saw at least four gentlement from an NGO called NEFEJ but they all remained silent till they were standing in front fo the bar in the lawn. I was wondering why I could not see Sujata Koirala, who is reportedly a big wildlife lover?
When I was coming back, a strange idea rode my mind. It is not only tigers of Nepal which has demand in neighboring countries. More than tigers, Nepali girls would be sold out if they are bred in captivity. Despite criticism from the whole world, we have not stopped exporting of Nepali girls to Indian and other brothels. Then, I would like to suggest the businessmen to breed girls in their captivity and start lobbying for lifting ban on human trafficking. I'm sure they will become billionaires in several years.
I was surprised to see the people in the dais: They were all seven and two among them were Nepali. Generally, when we go to participate in symposiums, we make up our mind to see experts in the dais - who will come up with their ideas and discuss on various aspects. I could not say about the foreigners but the Nepali gentlemen were certainly not tiger experts. To be precise, they, picked up from Tribhuwan University have nothing to do with tigers.
As it was written in the invitation card, there should be presentation by a panel of international experts, including conservationists, economists and wildlife enthusiasts" but I saw only business men there. On the dais were Laxman Khanal, Mohit Satyanand, Hank Jenkins, Kirsten Conrad, Dr Madan Koirala, Rakesh Wadhwa and Jia Quian were al ready tell the people that government should allow people to sell everything which had market.
On the table, beside the VOW and Boss, the magazines, photocopies of articles by Pallavi Aiyar and Barun Mitra were on display, which all said that selling is the solution. And a hand out from Mr Jia Qian states that legalization of the use of farmed tiger bone may meet the market demand and significantly reduce the illegal trade by cutting down its price (You can write to him at jiagin@istic.ac.cn). But, to my surprise, there was not a single-page document which supports that the wild animals should not be traded.
One after another, al the business giants said that the ban should be lifted because there is big demand and by selling the tigers, they can earn money. Even two Nepali gentlemen, said to be brought from concerned departments of Tribhuwan University also did not say that they should be left wild. I'm a fool. I had not though about it.
But being with tiger lovers for some days I had understood that:
1. There is a big gang of tiger tycoons in the world who use money of Chinese tiger farmers and make pressure that the ban should be lifted. Lifting of the ban will help the tiger farmers to sell their product to the world as easily as they sell goats and chickens.2. Keeping the tigers in the farms has become really really expensive for them. The farmers want to sell them off as soon as possible.3. The tigers in the farms have become as lazy as broiler chickens. They have lost all their natural instinct to hunt, to confirm their territory or to be simple, be wild. And the farmers are not sure if the tigers are really good enough to make balm or wine. 4. The tigers from the farm are going to be damn expensive. And if the poached tigers could be bought in chicken's price, why would somebody go and buy tigers from the farm? They just want to make the water troubled so that anybody could fish there.5. If the ban on illegal trade of tiger is lifted, the manufacturers of tiger products will easily buy smuggled tigers from Nepal and other counties and will say they are consuming the tigers from the farms. That would help them evade tax and also make big money.6. The lift of ban will help the poachers in Nepal and other country to come up with their business even directly. That is, it is going to be "catastrophe" for Nepal's tigers, as it was said by ED of TRAFFIC International.7. And, not necessary to say, big bunches of the Chinese money have arrived in pockets of so-called Nepali event mangers, experts for sell and others. That is why they are there to lobby for selling though Nepal is neither a consumer not a supplier (at least in legal eyes).
After the heavily sponsored presentation, the question-answer session was quite interesting. The whole of the audience was found against the selling scheme and they raised hair-raising questions from different angles WWF and Traffic International made a big team. I saw only Ukesh and Mangalman from conservationist's side while none of the government officials appeared at the scene. They asserted that raising the tigers in farm cannot be possible and the product is not going to help the ecology as the bred tigers have certainly lost the "wild" nature. They added that it would be a big threat for the wild tigers living in neighboring countries. It was just like the press conference of the king's minister Kamal Thapa when the journalists hurled burning question and he was compelled smile before answering them.
I could not believe my eyes that Nepali experts are so cheap to buy. And the government officials who remain as silent during the whole chaos of ITS over the issue as they used to be silent in case of rhino poaching and smuggling of red sandalwood. And this is the time where there is none to speak about tiger conservation efforts of Nepal and the harm the selling in China could make on them. Shame, Nepali government official presented seven years old data when they had to tell the panel how many tigers are left in Nepal.
A lavish dinner followed the meeting. I wonder how a magazine could spent that much of money to offer cocktails and dinners to over 50 participatns in a starred hotel of Hotel Shangrila. Anybody can imagine, the money must have come from the Chinese businessmen.
And where have all the noted tiger experts have gone, who visite this or that country in the name of tiger conservation? And where have other NGOs, which come newpaper offices to have their press releases printed on petty issues? Yes, I saw at least four gentlement from an NGO called NEFEJ but they all remained silent till they were standing in front fo the bar in the lawn. I was wondering why I could not see Sujata Koirala, who is reportedly a big wildlife lover?
When I was coming back, a strange idea rode my mind. It is not only tigers of Nepal which has demand in neighboring countries. More than tigers, Nepali girls would be sold out if they are bred in captivity. Despite criticism from the whole world, we have not stopped exporting of Nepali girls to Indian and other brothels. Then, I would like to suggest the businessmen to breed girls in their captivity and start lobbying for lifting ban on human trafficking. I'm sure they will become billionaires in several years.
2 comments:
I am happy atleast somebody wrote about it. I was also in the programme, but I was ashmed to have attended that programme. All these Rakesh Wadhwa (isn't he the guy who runs casino?) and so-called experts are market-oriented, you suggested to sell Nepali girls, which they have already been doing for long. They can sell their wives and daughters also, if they get handsome payment, they are born businessman, common. They eat business, sleep business, drink business, talk business and organise such business-oriented, meaning market-oriented discussions.
Rakesh Wadhwa, according to one of my friends in Kathmandu Post, is Dawood Ibhrahim in the making. Nepal should feel lucky that it has such qualified and dignified businessman.
Ravi Dangol
...yes i do agree with razen, i am also thinking to sell my motorbike to save it...some day i should sell me to save myself...yakchhen
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