Ivory a ‘symbol of destruction’

UK plan for a near-total ban on ivory sales to tackle elephant poaching.

We at Ivory Belongs To Elephants welcome Secretary Michael Gove’s statement on the continued illegal ivory trade.

In 2016 MTM Awards made contact with Jim Justus Nyamu of Elephants Neighbors Center, Kenya an NGO that has campaigned tirelessly on anti-poaching and the failure of both the African governments, United States of America and Europe to put an end to Ivory trade.

Jim has taken his campaign across Africa and the United States and is finally coming to the United Kingdom to carry his message to the heart of the British government.

In January 2017 it was agreed that the Ivory Belongs To Elephant team will walk from London to Bristol in what is termed The Great London to Bristol Ivory Belongs To Elephants Walk.

The cause was launched at the MTM Awards networking evening on July 20^th at the Bristol Marriott Hotel, city centre. Now in its advanced stages, the organisers of the walk are seeking sponsorship, support and media support to make this Walk a voice of the voiceless-The Elephant.

Jim arrives in the UK on November 30^th and a press conference is scheduled on December 1^st in London. The walk starts on Sunday, December 3^rd and the Ivory team sends an invite to all that believe that Ivory Belongs To Elephants join us at the flagging off at the Natural History Museum, Kensington London on Sunday, December 3^rd.

Secretary Michael Gove’s statement couldn’t have come at a better time. The Statement as reported by Sky News- Environment Secretary Michael Gove, has said the dire situation, made worse by ivory poaching, “shames our generation”.

He added: “The need for radical and robust action to protect one of the world’s most iconic and treasured species is beyond dispute.

“Ivory should never be seen as a commodity for financial gain or a status symbol – so we want to ban its sale.

“These plans will put the UK front and centre of global efforts to end the insidious trade in ivory.” – Environment Secretary Michael Gove’s statement on the 6^th of October.

Current rules allow “worked” or carved items made before 1947 to be sold in the UK while banning raw ivory. But the new ban would also cover sales of the pre-1947 items. It would apply to exports and sales within the UK.

There would be exemptions for items such as pianos with ivory keys, items with historical value and sales to and between museums.

The UK would be following the US, which has already introduced a similar ban, while China and Hong Kong have promised to close their ivory markets.

Critics say that the UK’s legal shipment of antiques to Asia is helping to supply the markets that drive poachers.

WWF chief executive Tanya Steele said stopping the decline in the elephant population was “about a lot more than banning ivory sales in one country”.

She added: “It means working with global leaders and communities around the world, particularly in China and south-east Asia, to implement bans and stop the illegal trade.”