African Parks and the Enough Project commend the Senate Foreign Relations Committee for passing the Global Anti-Poaching Act out of committee earlier today. We hope this significant bi-partisan legislation will soon become law and are thankful for the leadership in the House by Chairman Royce (R-CA) and Ranking Member Engel (D-NY) and in the Senate by Chairman Corker (R-TN), Ranking Member Cardin (D-MD), Senator Coons (D-DE) and Senator Flake (R-AZ).
The importance of legislation designed to combat poaching and wildlife trafficking was underscored by this past weekend's horrific attack in Garamba National Park in which three park rangers lost their lives in an armed engagement with elephant poachers. This legislation provides provisions both to assist and supply these rangers on the front lines combating this deadly enterprise, and to work with willing countries to improve their enforcement mechanisms.
Elephant poaching and wildlife trafficking are key sources of funding for armed groups terrorizing and destabilizing communities. These violent, often heavily-armed poaching crews daily imperil the lives of heroic rangers, and threaten the extinction of endangered species like elephants and rhinos. We are thankful to see members of Congress and concerned communities, people with a variety of political views and from so many different places, all coming together to address this urgent issue.
About AFRICAN PARKS
African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in partnership with governments and local communities. African Parks manages 10 national parks and protected areas in seven countries covering six million hectares: Malawi, Zambia, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Chad. To learn more, please visit www.african-parks.org
About THE ENOUGH PROJECT
The Enough Project, an atrocity prevention policy group, seeks to build leverage for peace and justice in Africa by helping to create real consequences for the perpetrators and facilitators of genocide and other mass atrocities. Enough aims to counter rights-abusing armed groups and violent kleptocratic regimes that are fueled by grand corruption, transnational crime and terror, and the pillaging and trafficking of minerals, ivory, diamonds, and other natural resources. Enough conducts field research in conflict zones, develops and advocates for policy recommendations, supports social movements in affected countries, and mobilizes public campaigns. Learn more – and join us – at www.EnoughProject.org
Media contacts:
Andrea Heydlauff, Director of Communications
[email protected]
For more information: african-parks.org