E AIMA WEAE ISIUE QUAEY P.O. BOX 3650 WASHINGTON, DC 20007 FAI L/WINTER 1989/90 ,„-) VOL. 38 NOS. 3 & 4 ........ Eeas Wi a CIES SO ESS Sauge i Soue Aica nternational trade in ivory was January 17, 1990 iiU lephants were mown down indis- banned by the 103 member nations criminately by the tearing rattle of of the Convention on International Britain, in a shocking reversal of policy, an- automatic fire from AK-47 rifles and ma- Trade in Endangered Species of Wild nounced today that it is filing a reservation chine-guns. They shot everything, bulls, Fauna and Flora (CITES) when the to allow the 85 million pounds worth of cows and calves, showing no mercy in a delegates meeting at Lausanne, Swit- ivory stockpiled in Hong Kong to be sold on campaign of extermination never seen zerland in October voted to upgrade the the world market for the next six months. At before in Africa. African elephant to Appendix I (endan- the CITES meeting, Britain voted for the "The hundreds of thousands of ele- gered) status. ban on ivory trade and even introduced a phants became thousands, the thousands The 76 to 11 vote was a blow to the resolution calling for the immediate im- became hundreds, and the hundreds, tens." ivory dealers whose ingenuity was plementation of the ivory ban because, as That is how a former South African army sorely taxed as they maneuvered to un- the British representative stated: "the crisis officer described his eyewitness experi- load huge stockpiles of poached ivory facing the African elephant means we can- ences fighting alongside the UNITA rebel before January 18, 1990, the date on not wait for 90 days." But now, Prime Min- forces in Angola. which the CITES decision became ef- ister Thatcher has decided that it should For more than a decade, the rebels have fective and after which any attempted wait another six months, thus rewarding helped finance their guerrilla war by mas- ivory sales across national borders Hong Kong ivory syndicates that the ban sacring the once-great elephant popula- became violations of international law. should put out of business. They will now tion of Angola and exporting the ivory Hong Kong, where more than 670 have the opportunity to launder more out through South Africa on trucks and tons of ivory are stockpiled, tried hard poached ivory through Hong Kong. airplanes operated by the South African to get a special extension of time to dis- Six other countries have also filed reser- army. Thousands of rhinos were also pose of it, but the CITES nations re- vations to the 76-11 CITES vote. They are: killed to feed the highly profitable trade fused to grant it. South Africa, China, Zimbabwe, Botswana, in their horns. Burundi, an African nation with no Malawi and Zambia. The revelations of the ruthless poach- elephants but extensive stockpiles of The fight to save the elephants from the ing have rocked South Africa and raised tusks the Burundi dealers smuggled in ivory trade must be redoubled to prevent the embarrassing questions for the govern- from elephants poached in neighboring development of new routes for smuggling ments of South Africa and the United countries, also tried unsuccessfully for ivory. After a short respite in poaching from States, which have backed the UNITA special treatment at the Lausanne meet- October of 1989 to January 18, 1990, ele- rebels in their fight to overturn the com- ing. phants are again in mortal danger. munist-backed government of Angola. The Appendix I listing was bitterly Boycott Ivory! The U.S., through covert aid supplied by contested by southern Afri- the Central Intelligence can countries who argued ve- Agency, has been spending hemently for a "split listing." tens of millions of dollars an- They wanted to continue to nually to prop up the UNITA sell ivory in international regime headed by Jonas commerce, asserting that they Savimbi. knew how to manage their During the late 1970's and elephants and could control until recently, the South Af- poaching and smuggling. rican army had troops Recent revelations (see col- operating throughout Angola. umn 3, this page) show how Col. Jan Breytenbach, who South Africa has secretly exposed his involvement in a decimated Angola' s elephant November 1989 interview population while posing as a with the Johannesburg Sun- continued on page 15 Biggest ivory haul ever in Africa-980 elephant tusks weighing nearly 7 tons. continued on page 14 V9 AOAOY AIMAS AMA Turns to Image Makers for Help he American Medical Association So much for medical research in the animals and needless repetition of (AMA), has engaged public relations laboratory! Getting the show on the road experiments using animals. T experts and pollsters to help them with media-trained scientists, preferably "Inform the public about existing regula- fight "antivivisectionists" and improve the lovable types to "compete effectively in the tions concerning animal research." image of medical research and the health contest for public support," is the focus of industry. As a result, in June 1989, an this exercise. f the AMA would put its powerful influ- "Animal Research Action Plan" was issued. ence in the biomedical community be- Just how this expensive promotion will MA's advisors tell their patrons what I hind a few common sense humane poli- strike the public remains to be seen. It's to avoid, too. For example: cies, it could probably succeed with the entertaining to read some of the advice the A "'Scientists vs. Animals'—Animals first recommendation. All of the following AMA has paid for. First among "General win this contest. Animals are perceived as would go a long way to address pressing Suggestions" for the "Public Awareness being cuddly, cute and helpless; scientists public concerns and should be adopted by Campaign" is the following: "Attempt to (as a rule) are not." That's putting it mildly the AMA: `warm up' the image of biomedical research, in view of the fact that when the pollsters ► condemnation of unnecessarily painful not so much to compete with the warmth asked people, "Are animals tortured by procedures; associated with kindness to animals (which scientists?" only 5% replied, "Never," ► condemnation of use of more animals would be impossible), as to provide the whereas 45% said, "Sometimes," and 28% than are strictly necessary; openness that would quell suspicions about thought, "Often." ► thorough checking of the literature to researchers . ." It's clear, the AMA has a problem. But avoid needless duplication; On the next page, the AMA is told they they seem to want to address it by ► sharing of data by academic, should "Take scientists out of the closet. mainipulating public opinion rather than government and commercial There are many types of people in by making substantive changes. institutions to prevent the same biomedical research. Some may have the The AMA's public relations team experiments and tests from being done potential for being dressed up (figuratively, recommends two key actions: because there is no record available; through media training) and sent on the "Address the public's most pressing ► provision of comfortable quarters for road." concerns of inhumane treatment of lab Recent Developments in the Fran Trutt Case The American Medical Association "Ani- Hirsch, (a full report appeared in the AWI is way io us coiece a eeuay mal Research Action Plan" of June 1989 Quaey, Vol. 38, No 1). oie e (a e om wi a ie om states: "The extreme goals and tactics of However, recent developments in the Fran e Quees ome o Sugicas eaquaes. the hardcore activists must be exposed Trutt case are disturbing. Here's how e u, a someime eace a og oe, was fully for the public to see". This is a Aocae (Norwalk, CT) describes the current osesse wi Sugicas use o ie ogs i "Prime goal of the AMA action plan . situation: emosaios o is meica saes. e The activists will not alter their view. They comay as ee e age o aima igs are dedicated. The sympathizers, how- osecuo uce uocks case agais oess sice 8. ever, are soft and the general public is up a Seaie u, e woue aima Mea isaeae ae e o. , 88 igs ome o owaks U.S. Sugica omig icie, suacig oy o gie for grabs. These people can be scared Cooaio, is i ig oue. is ee skecy esios o is acios o e Weso away if they come to see the violent tactics wee eeae a sesaioa eaks ews. u ow, e Aocae as eae, of the movement as dangerous and oiig o Sugicas ow comiciy i Mea is a a eea iso cam i Aewoo, counter-productive. This is an important e omig icie ow ees e A (auoiies say e oese is aoe part of the AMA's strategy." eeaio a wo o e osecuos ioaio, aig om a 84 mai au The U.S. Surgical/Fran Trutt case ap- oeia wiesses agais u ae ee Conviction). Mea is sceue o e eease pears to be an example of lull exposure aese oe is i eea iso. i euay o . for the public to see" of a "hardcore activ- Macus Mea is a 0yeao ome Mea as a isoy o aess. e was ake ist". The New York tabloids ran six inch wiow wase a woue moe wi io cusoy y Weso oice a. 2 o headlines such as "Bow Wow Bomber" moie io ooks. Wie aegey wokig assig a $24 a ceck i Se., 86. e when Trutt was arrested last year while o a Saoase comay cae aso as seea oe a ceck aess.