Deconstructing the Trafficking of Tiger Parts from the Satkhira Range of Bangladesh Sundarbans
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Deconstructing the Trafficking of Tiger Parts from the Satkhira Range of Bangladesh Sundarbans Source: FB page: Sundarbans the mysterious mangroves Facebook page: Sundarbans the mysterious mangroves Deconstructing the Trafficking of Tiger Parts from the Satkhira Range of Bangladesh Sundarbans Wageningen University and Research FNP MSc. Thesis Abrar Ahmad (860906007130) Supervisor: dr. Koen Arts 22nd March, 2019 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to thank my thesis supervisor Koen Arts for guiding me and providing me support throughout the research process. Next, I would like to thank WildTeam, for helping and supporting me to carry out my research in the Sundarbans. I would like to thank Mahbubul Alam for helping me during the initial stages in the field. Specifically, I would like to thank my research assistant and Montu bhai, for their incredible hospitality during my time in the field. I would also like to show my gratitude to my father and mother for the love and opportunities that they have provided me with, and my wife for her support and encouragement. Finally yet importantly, I am always grateful for the blessings and opportunities in my life from Almighty Allah. ii ABSTRACT This research was carried out to understand the roles of different types of intermediaries in the trafficking process of tiger parts from the Satkhira range of Bangladesh, and suggest opportunity-reducing measures to reduce trafficking activities. Attention was also given to the organization of such a group and the interest and influence that each actor has in the trafficking process. The nature of this research was purely qualitative and data collection was carried out using semi-structured interview guides with three different groups of interviewees. In order to carry out the research, a conceptual framework was developed based on typologies of intermediaries and criminal groups, theories from criminology (situational action theory) and crime science (crime scripts, situational crime prevention). After identifying the types of intermediaries in the trafficking process and the organization of their groups, the context in which local people become involved with trafficking activities was explained in light of opportunities created by specific intermediaries in the trafficking process. Following this, crime scripts were developed to show the sequential activities that key intermediaries carry out during their activities in the trafficking process. Afterwards, the results were used to discuss the roles of intermediaries in light of relevant literature and theories from the conceptual framework. Based on the findings of this research, four key intermediaries, namely non-local logistician, local logistician, processors and smugglers were found to be directly involved in the trafficking process of tiger parts from the Bangladesh Sundarbans. Other types of actors who play a facilitating role in the trafficking process are government colluders and third parties. Though the actors in the trafficking process exhibit signs of organization, they are likely to operate as a criminal group with a horizontal structure rather than an organized criminal group with hierarchical structure. Actors with the highest interest and influence in the trafficking process are the non-local logisticians and local logisticians as they are likely to gain the most from the trade. Various measures were suggested to deter intermediaries from the trafficking process based on the opportunity reducing strategies from the Situational Crime Prevention framework. Some of these measures can affect particular intermediaries, while others are likely to affect all the intermediaries. Also some of the preventive measures are complimentary, which points to the fact that the suggested measures need to be implemented in tandem or in parallel to achieve greatest benefits. Keywords: Illegal wildlife trade, Tigers, Intermediaries, Sundarbans, Situational Crime Prevention. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement ........................................................................................................................................ ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ iii Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Chapter 2: Context of Study ......................................................................................................................... 3 Chapter 3: Literature Review ........................................................................................................................ 5 3.1. Organized Criminal Networks and Tiger Poaching ........................................................................... 5 3.2. Tigers and Local Communities .......................................................................................................... 6 3.3. The Sundarbans and Tiger Killers ..................................................................................................... 7 Chapter 4: Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................. 10 4.1. Typology of Intermediaries and Organization of Criminal Groups ................................................. 10 4.2. Situational Action Theory ................................................................................................................ 12 4.3. Crime Science: Crime Scripts and Situational Crime Prevention .................................................... 15 4.3.1. Crime Scripts ............................................................................................................................ 16 4.3.2. Situational Crime Prevention Framework ................................................................................. 17 4.4. The Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................................. 18 Chapter 5: Methodology ............................................................................................................................. 21 5.1. Research design: Case Study ........................................................................................................... 21 5.2. Site Selection ................................................................................................................................... 21 5.3. Sampling Strategy and Selecting Interviewees ................................................................................ 22 5.4. Gaining Access to Interviewees ....................................................................................................... 24 5.5. Data Collection and Triangulation ................................................................................................... 25 5.6. Methods of Analysis ........................................................................................................................ 27 5.7. Ethical Considerations ..................................................................................................................... 27 5.8. Anticipated Limitations ................................................................................................................... 28 Chapter 6: Findings and Analysis .............................................................................................................. 29 6.1. Type of Intermediaries ..................................................................................................................... 29 6.1.1. Logisticians ............................................................................................................................... 30 6.1.2. Processors ................................................................................................................................. 30 6.1.3. Smugglers ................................................................................................................................. 31 6.1.4. Third Party ................................................................................................................................ 32 6.1.5. Government Colluders .............................................................................................................. 33 iv 6.2. Intermediary Relationships and Group Organization ...................................................................... 34 6.2.1. Stakeholder Mapping and Intermediary Relationships ............................................................. 34 6.2.2. Understanding the Criminal Groups Involved in Trafficking Tiger Parts ................................ 38 6.3. Crime Script Analysis - Intermediary Activities .............................................................................. 38 6.3.1. Non-local Logistician ................................................................................................................ 39 6.3.2. Local Logistician....................................................................................................................... 40 6.3.3. Processors ................................................................................................................................. 41 6.3.4. Smugglers ................................................................................................................................. 42 6.4.