Bangkok--2 Mar--ASEAN-WEN LEEO
Mr.Vatanarak Suranartyuth, Director of ASEAN-WEN LEEO courtesy call with Hon.P.O.Ram, the Secretary General of the ASEAN Inter Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), Jakarta, Indonesia end of January 2016 to create closer relationship between two organizations and better cooperation to stop the wildlife Crime. Each year, billions of dollars in illegally harvested or taken wild fauna and flora (including timber) move across borders, often through the activities of international crime networks. This global trafficking problem is also often associated with the spread of zoonotic infectious disease. Rich in biodiversity, but also known for its porous borders, weak laws and patchy enforcement, Southeast Asia is a global hotspot for the poaching, trafficking and consumption of illegal wildlife and their parts.
While recent programmes led by the ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network (ASEAN-WEN) have helped increase enforcement action on the ground by as much as eleven-fold, prosecutions and convictions are not occurring at the level and frequency necessary to dismantle and stop the criminal syndicates profiting from illegal trade in wildlife.
Despite the need, strengthening wildlife laws is not currently a political priority in the region, and remains side-lined on the legislative agenda. Other laws that are applied to organized crime in drug, human and arms trafficking are often also appropriate to organized wildlife crime, but are not being applied as such.
By elevating the issue of wildlife crime and wildlife law reform, partners can assist champion from the ASEAN Inter Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Association of Chiefs of Police (ASEANAPOL) and Association of Southeast Asian Nations – Wildlife Enforcement Network Law Enforcement Extension Office (ASEAN-WEN LEEO) to gain a solid legal foundation to fully enforce wildlife laws that will help catalyze a significant shift in the regional trade context. Strengthening relevant laws and their enforcement remains the biggest challenge ahead, but represents a crucial strategy to create effective deterrents for illegal wildlife trade, and dismantle the criminal syndicates behind it. Legislators and policy makers are vital in the fight against wildlife crime, specifically through their support in strengthening regional cooperation, and the development of region-wide regulations. Legislators also decide on budget prioritization for line agencies combatting wildlife crimes, and elevating this issue to a higher level could result in additional funding being allocated across the region to more effectively combat wildlife crime.
Hon.P.O.Ram, Secretary General of AIPA said: "ASEAN-WEN in the promotion of a "green legislative agenda" for AIPA Member Parliaments and other ASEAN partners. The resolution also stipulated that wildlife issue will be integrated into the Agenda of the AIPA Caucus, a group of core parliamentarians which is mandated to monitor the implementation status of the AIPA adopted resolutions, to formulate legal framework as far as to seek efforts for harmonization of laws among ASEAN member states."
Mr.Vatanarak Suranartyuth, Director of ASEAN-WEN LEEO said: "Government officials cannotact effectively to protect wildlife and ecosystems without the backing of strong laws or the proper application of existing laws (including wildlife laws and the full spectrum of other laws than can be used toprosecute wildlife crime) to acts of organized crime. The review and analysis of national legislation is necessary to better understand CITES/wildlife protection-legislation and to identify major weaknesses, loopholes, jurisdictional overlaps, and provide a basis forrecommendations on how to rectify or improve them." .