VietNamNet Bridge – Despite the eight-point statement of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) at the International Conference on endangered species trade in Thailand, some international experts still have proposed to impose trade sanctions on Vietnam which they believe a “hot spot” in rhino horn trade.

The 177 members of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) now gather in Bangkok to attend the biggest conference on the planet, discussing the measures to deal with the rhino poaching and rhino horn trade all over the world. In South Africa alone, experts believe that nearly 1,500 rhinos were poached in the last three years.

At the most important conference on wildlife trade which takes place once every three years, the participants would discuss the punishment measures to be imposed on the countries believed to have the most serious situation in wildlife trade.

Tien Phong has quoted Jim Leape, General Director of WWF as saying that the three countries with the highest percentages of elephant tasks are Thailand, Congo and Nigeria. The countries have been accused of being involved in the illegal elephant task trade deals over the last decade. It is estimated that 25,000-30,000 elephant individuals are killed every year.

While Thailand is considered the biggest elephant task consumer market, China is the biggest tiger, elephant tusk and rhino horn consumption center. Vietnam is thought as the place for rhino horn trade.

A report released on March 11, 2013, showed that Vietnam, a member of CITES, has not implemented the measures to protect rhinos stipulated by CITES.

Together with other organizations, EIA has called CITES to apply punishment measures, and called on the US government to apply the trade embargo against Vietnam until the country is recognized as fulfilling all the tasks CITES requests.

The announcement released by the conference’s organizing board on March 15 says that Vietnam would have two months to draw up and submit the plan to ease the smuggling and consumption of rhino horn trade to the CITES’ Secretariat. It also needs to prove the considerable progress it can made in the matter prior to the CITES’ meeting to be held the next summer.

In 2012, nearly 700 rhinos in South Africa were killed. In the first two months of 2013, experts estimated another 150 were killed. Most of the South Africa’s rhino horns are believed to be consumed in Vietnam, mostly used for disease treatment.

Local newspapers reported that in February, Mozambique police arrested Ho Chien, Vietnamese citizen, at the Maputo international airport, for bringing six rhino horns weighing 17 kilos in total.

The police said the horns were believed to belong to the rhinos killed in South Africa. The species is believed to be extinct in the south of Mozambique.

They also said that if Ho Chien had successfully brought the rhino horns to Vietnam, he could have sold the horns at $65,000 per kilo. As such, he would have earned $1.1 million from the 17 kilos of rhino horns.

In early January 2013, another Vietnamese was arrested at the Bangkok port in Thailand with six rhino horns weighing 10.6 kilos.

In 2012, Mozambique police also arrested three Vietnamese citizens in the north city of Pemba, who were trying to bring rhino horns out of the African country.

Tien Phong