All The Creatures Big and Small
Year of Tiger, Animal Rights and National Security
Brig Gen (Ret) Keshar Bdr Bhandari
The four days long Global Tiger Workshop organized by the Global Tiger Initiative under the World Bank concluded on Friday, Oct 31, 2009 declaring to celebrate 2010 as the Year of Tiger. The workshop was significant in itself in an effort to conserve the depleting population of tiger worldwide. The participants of 13 of the 14 Tiger Range Countries and major donor countries came up with the idea to create global awareness on tiger conservation and several action plans to achieve the same was declared, though with few setbacks including the issues of commercial tiger farming. The tiger farming could be an indirect but effective measure to curve the tiger poaching for commercial value; and a more potent anti-poaching law and strict law to counter illegal trade of tiger parts could complement the effort for tiger conservation. If the punishments and penalty for tiger poaching and illegal trade in tiger parts could be made severe and high, then it will not be cost effective for risk to be taken; which in turn will discourage the poaching and illegal use and trade of tiger parts. Another indirect effort to conserve the wild tiger population is to allow the legal tiger farming for commercial use which even otherwise exist in many countries such as China, Cambodia and America. Thus the conservation of tiger in the wild along with the commercial tiger farming if could be taken together in tandem; the initiative is likely to serve both the purpose of conservation as well as to meet the commercial demand. In this regard the conservationists as well as the donors need to overcome their emotional attachment and show pragmatic approach for conservation of the elegant animal-the wild tigers. The tiger carries special significance and has important place in Hindus, Asian and Oriental culture and religion; thus to preserve the Tiger is also to preserve the cultural value of the region.
It is well justified for the workshop to highlight about the tiger and its conservation issues. In the context of conservation it will be worthwhile to mention about the conservation of some other endangered species as well. As per the IUCN Red List of endangered species some nine are critically endangered species out of the 1065 different animal species found in Nepal. These nine lesser known species mostly birds and the Gharial have high risk of becoming extinct in the wild; but the tiger is not one of them. The Gangetic Dolphin is equally endangered species like tiger; and there are many plants and insects also in the verge of becoming critically endangered species draws due attentions for conservation.
To raise the issue of animal right will also be relevant in the effort to conserve the tiger population as well as the population of other endangered species. But the animal right activists are focused in less important issue rather than more important issues of the day. The western animal right activists are mostly driven emotionally and are guided more by hearts than by the head; and there are name and fame in it. On the other hand the South Asian animal right activist are mostly driven for their personal benefit and are infatuated more by the western way of doing rather than for the perceived cause from the bottom of their heart. Let us take the example of vehement objections raised by the animal right activist in Nepal for raising the rhesus monkey (Rato Baandar) in captivity by the National Bio-medical Research Centre; with an aim to export the second generation monkey bred in captivity to United States of America for genetic medical research purpose to develop a vaccine of HIV and TB. Remaining within the international protocol CITES, the research centre was started with the permission of the Government of Nepal, and Nepal could benefit a lot in medical sector if breakthrough does take place. The magnitude of benefit to humankind after breakthrough to counter the menaces of HIV and TB will be immeasurable. But the National Bio-medical Research Centre could not export the monkeys due to objection and pressure of the animal right activist; regardless of the fact that the researches for developing vaccines are usually based on animal like rats, monkeys and pigs etc. The results could save millions of people; and if Nepal does not do it other countries like Thailand are there to offer the facilities and support, and we will miss the opportunity.
It is amazing why the animal right/aquatic species right activist does not raise the issues of cruelty against the millions and millions of fish and other marine life that goes under suffering everyday of immeasurable magnitude? Why the animal right activist of Nepal does not object strongly or even protest publicly against the cruelty of water buffalos for meat, street dogs, and stray animals like cows? Just the show-case kind of protest and protest to please the donors does not do the just for the real suffering of the animals that are in dire need for care; and this shows nothing but a hypocritical act of the right activist.
One thing we are unaware of the fact that the conservation, protection and promotion of rare and endangered species of all kinds and types - whether that be a human species, animal, bird, aquatic creature, plants, insects, and other species do come under the arena/orbit of National Security Policy - also known as the Comprehensive Security Policy of a nation. To take an example the conservation of Kusunda, Raute etc. in human race, nine critically endangered animal and birds species; many herbs and plants species found in Nepal which are in the verge of extinctions should come under the special attention of national security policy. These kinds of security concern are best placed under the headings of "Security of the Population and Gene Pool"; and "Ecological Security" of a Comprehensive Security Policy of Nepal. Unfortunately Nepal yet do not have a National Security Policy so as to give right direction in various sphere of state management and state functioning including the conservation of rare and endangered animal, plants and other species. So it is a time for Nepal to identify the conservation needs and bring synergy out of the concerted efforts of government, donors and stakeholders.
Published: The Kathmandu Post” daily; Thursday, November 5, 2009
E-mail: Kesharbh@gmail.com
Year of Tiger, Animal Rights and National Security
Brig Gen (Ret) Keshar Bdr Bhandari
The four days long Global Tiger Workshop organized by the Global Tiger Initiative under the World Bank concluded on Friday, Oct 31, 2009 declaring to celebrate 2010 as the Year of Tiger. The workshop was significant in itself in an effort to conserve the depleting population of tiger worldwide. The participants of 13 of the 14 Tiger Range Countries and major donor countries came up with the idea to create global awareness on tiger conservation and several action plans to achieve the same was declared, though with few setbacks including the issues of commercial tiger farming. The tiger farming could be an indirect but effective measure to curve the tiger poaching for commercial value; and a more potent anti-poaching law and strict law to counter illegal trade of tiger parts could complement the effort for tiger conservation. If the punishments and penalty for tiger poaching and illegal trade in tiger parts could be made severe and high, then it will not be cost effective for risk to be taken; which in turn will discourage the poaching and illegal use and trade of tiger parts. Another indirect effort to conserve the wild tiger population is to allow the legal tiger farming for commercial use which even otherwise exist in many countries such as China, Cambodia and America. Thus the conservation of tiger in the wild along with the commercial tiger farming if could be taken together in tandem; the initiative is likely to serve both the purpose of conservation as well as to meet the commercial demand. In this regard the conservationists as well as the donors need to overcome their emotional attachment and show pragmatic approach for conservation of the elegant animal-the wild tigers. The tiger carries special significance and has important place in Hindus, Asian and Oriental culture and religion; thus to preserve the Tiger is also to preserve the cultural value of the region.
It is well justified for the workshop to highlight about the tiger and its conservation issues. In the context of conservation it will be worthwhile to mention about the conservation of some other endangered species as well. As per the IUCN Red List of endangered species some nine are critically endangered species out of the 1065 different animal species found in Nepal. These nine lesser known species mostly birds and the Gharial have high risk of becoming extinct in the wild; but the tiger is not one of them. The Gangetic Dolphin is equally endangered species like tiger; and there are many plants and insects also in the verge of becoming critically endangered species draws due attentions for conservation.
To raise the issue of animal right will also be relevant in the effort to conserve the tiger population as well as the population of other endangered species. But the animal right activists are focused in less important issue rather than more important issues of the day. The western animal right activists are mostly driven emotionally and are guided more by hearts than by the head; and there are name and fame in it. On the other hand the South Asian animal right activist are mostly driven for their personal benefit and are infatuated more by the western way of doing rather than for the perceived cause from the bottom of their heart. Let us take the example of vehement objections raised by the animal right activist in Nepal for raising the rhesus monkey (Rato Baandar) in captivity by the National Bio-medical Research Centre; with an aim to export the second generation monkey bred in captivity to United States of America for genetic medical research purpose to develop a vaccine of HIV and TB. Remaining within the international protocol CITES, the research centre was started with the permission of the Government of Nepal, and Nepal could benefit a lot in medical sector if breakthrough does take place. The magnitude of benefit to humankind after breakthrough to counter the menaces of HIV and TB will be immeasurable. But the National Bio-medical Research Centre could not export the monkeys due to objection and pressure of the animal right activist; regardless of the fact that the researches for developing vaccines are usually based on animal like rats, monkeys and pigs etc. The results could save millions of people; and if Nepal does not do it other countries like Thailand are there to offer the facilities and support, and we will miss the opportunity.
It is amazing why the animal right/aquatic species right activist does not raise the issues of cruelty against the millions and millions of fish and other marine life that goes under suffering everyday of immeasurable magnitude? Why the animal right activist of Nepal does not object strongly or even protest publicly against the cruelty of water buffalos for meat, street dogs, and stray animals like cows? Just the show-case kind of protest and protest to please the donors does not do the just for the real suffering of the animals that are in dire need for care; and this shows nothing but a hypocritical act of the right activist.
One thing we are unaware of the fact that the conservation, protection and promotion of rare and endangered species of all kinds and types - whether that be a human species, animal, bird, aquatic creature, plants, insects, and other species do come under the arena/orbit of National Security Policy - also known as the Comprehensive Security Policy of a nation. To take an example the conservation of Kusunda, Raute etc. in human race, nine critically endangered animal and birds species; many herbs and plants species found in Nepal which are in the verge of extinctions should come under the special attention of national security policy. These kinds of security concern are best placed under the headings of "Security of the Population and Gene Pool"; and "Ecological Security" of a Comprehensive Security Policy of Nepal. Unfortunately Nepal yet do not have a National Security Policy so as to give right direction in various sphere of state management and state functioning including the conservation of rare and endangered animal, plants and other species. So it is a time for Nepal to identify the conservation needs and bring synergy out of the concerted efforts of government, donors and stakeholders.
Published: The Kathmandu Post” daily; Thursday, November 5, 2009
E-mail: Kesharbh@gmail.com
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