Summary
The WJC Public Hearing reconvened today at the Peace Palace in The Hague.
Participants first heard “a story from the field,” with Lawrence Munro, field operation manager of African Parks, sharing his experiences with what he called the “rhino war” in Kruger National Park, South Africa. He explained how, with 800 rhinos killed in the park each year, the field is an area of continuous conflict and violence, which is taking its toll on rangers and their families.
Participants then engaged in a discussion involving NGOs, IGOs and academic experts on various options to address illegal wildlife trade. Issues discussed included demand reduction, involving local communities, and innovative strategies to tackle the entire trade network. Speakers highlighted the need to enhance law enforcement through increased international collaboration and capacity building, including to combat corruption.
During a public discussion, participants addressed, among many other things: engagement with existing online action networks; tourism as a mechanism to effectuate change; diplomatic dialogue; ways to change mindsets throughout the trade chain; and future priorities for the WJC.
After some time of deliberation, the Accountability Panel presented its findings. Justice Philippe Kirsch, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, said the Panel had unanimously concluded that the WJC Public Hearing constituted a “fair and neutral description of the facts.” Edgardo Buscaglia, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, then presented several recommendations addressed to the Vietnamese government, international legal frameworks, civil society organizations and other stakeholders.
In closing the meeting, WJC Executive Director Olivia Swaak-Goldman said these recommendations are not the end of the process, noting there is still a long way to go to support the Vietnamese government to take the appropriate law enforcement action. She announced the WJC will continue its work to stimulate the international community to offer such support, and closed the meeting at 5:00 pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided digital coverage and a summary report from the WJC Public Hearing: Viet Nam Investigation, which is available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Angeles Estrada Vigil
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Presentation of Accountability Panel Findings and Recommendations
Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico
Justice Philippe Kirsch, Canada, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; and Diego García-Sayán, Peru, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director, WJC
Discussion with NGOs, IGOs and academic experts
Participants during the Public Hearing
Rikkert Reijnen, Senior Project Lead Wildlife Trade and Elephants, IFAW; Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town and senior research advisor Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime; and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Debbie Banks, Environmental Investigation Agency; and Steve Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC International
Sarath Kotagama, Ecologist and Special Advisor, Ministry of Sustainable Development & Wildlife, Sri Lanka (video statement)
Annette Hübschle, University of Cape Town and senior research advisor, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime
Lawrence Munro, African Parks Field Operations Manager, and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Mary Rice, Executive Director, Environmental Investigation Agency, and Leif Gӧrts, National Member for Sweden, Eurojust
Philip Muruthi, Chief Scientist, African Wildlife Foundation (video statement)
Samuel Wasser, Center for Conservation Biology, University of Washington (video statement)
Vivek Menon, Head, Wildlife Trust of India
Justice Philippe Kirsch, Canada, Former President of the International Criminal Court in The Hague; Diego García-Sayán, Peru, Former President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights; Justice Isaac Lenaola, Kenya, Presiding Judge of the Constitution and Human Rights Division of the High Court, and Deputy Judge of the East Africa Court of Justice; Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico; and Misha Glenny, United Kingdom, award-winning journalist and historian
Rob Parry-Jones, Species Manager, WWF International
Gillian Dell, Head of Conventions, Transparency International
Misha Glenny, United Kingdom,
award-winning journalist and historian
Edgardo Buscaglia, Argentina/United States, Senior Scholar in Law and Economics at Columbia University, and President of the “Instituto de Acción Ciudadana para la Justicia y Democracia,” Mexico
Polly Higgins, Barrister, Earth Community Trust
Daniel Turner, Associate Director, Born Free Foundation
Public Discussion – moderated by the Director of Proceedings
Marcus Asner, Partner at Arnold & Porter LLPs and Member of the WJC Advisory Council; Olivia Swaak-Goldman, Executive Director, WJC; and Director of Proceedings Ghida Fakhry
Around the Venue
