Ban on Elephant Poaching Remains

Group Rejects Tanzanian Bid for One-Off Ivory Sale

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/world/africa/23ivory.html?ref=world

Conservationist organizations such as the International Fund for Animal Welfare gained a victory this week when it was decided to uphold the ban on elephant poaching in Tanzania and Zambia. This 21 year law has been excellent for conservationist preventing the extinction for these wild animals. Now, not only have the number of elephants living increased, but so has the price demanded for the ivory from elephants. Though it seems cruel to conservationists to allow the poaching of elephants and defies their principle, upholding the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora may become detrimental to the people.

There are huge economic gains to be made for African nations through the sales of valuable ivory. Nation states such as Tanzania and Zambia should be able to utilize these natural resources to promote the sustainability of their people...in moderation of course. It is unethical to promote the welfare of the animals before the welfare of the people. With a sevenfold raise in the price for ivory, Zambians and Tanzanians could have an extremely large economic increase.

Money in this case equals power. Many African states have valuable natural resources that they are unable to exploit and profit from for one reason or another. These restrictions prevent African states from gaining economic and thus political power. In this scenario an organization, or a group of conservationist organizations is preventing Zambia and Tanzania from gaining this power. This is an immense power that these international organizations are holding over the Zambian and Tanzanian governments. Clearly if organizations can implement vast restrictions on resources which prevent power and economic growth, they hold a large influence in world power politics.