''''You tell us stories''''
While Chinese business leaders in Namibia have condemned poaching and wildlife crime, police chief Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga has said that the Chinese, along with Namibians, are plundering our wildlife.
With the recent increase in arrests of Chinese nationals for wildlife crimes the inspector-general of the Namibian police, Sebastian Ndeitunga, yesterday addressed the Chinese business community in Windhoek on matters pertaining to wildlife crime.
Seated to his right was well-known Chinese businessman and philanthropist Jack Huang from Sun Investments.
Huang recently came under the spotlight when a link was made between his company and Welwitschia Aquatic and Wildlife Scientific Research (Pty) Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Sun Investments and managed by Jeff Huang, his son. It had applied to export wild-caught dolphins, whales, orcas and penguins to Beijing Ruier Animal Breeding & Promoting Co., in China.
Interestingly Huang told Ndeitunga, “We strongly maintain that it is not only the police’s responsibility to crack down on criminals, but it is also the duty of the entire society including the Chinese business community. Neither of us shall participate in their malefaction nor provide them any convenience, in addition we shall closely cooperate with the police authority providing any valuable clues in order to avoid similar issues to happen again.”
Ndeitunga told the Chinese businessmen that poaching was being organised by international groups committing transnational criminal activities and this was affecting China, Namibia and the world community.
“It is affecting the peace-loving nations of the world and poachers are coming from all countries. They work in solidarity to destabilise the economies of a country.”
According to him this is a crime that is affecting the fauna and flora of Namibia and threatens the extinction of wildlife, especially rhino and elephant.
He also made reference to “some people” that are playing down the problem of poaching.
“Poaching is extremely serious and it is costing the police force a fortune to deploy resources.”
He said there were hundreds of police deployed in Etosha and Bwabwata national parks and this was costing thousands, if not millions, of dollars per day.
“I was not supposed to have them there on a daily basis and it is costing the country millions to protect the wildlife because they are under threat from humans.”
He pointed out that Namibian and Chinese nationals alike are involved in committing these crimes.
“We should work together to expose them,” he urged. According to him it is only a small fraction of Chinese nationals who are involved in this illegal activity. “They come to Namibia and go and they are working together with Namibians.”
He revealed that the Chinese national who was recently arrested at OR Tambo International Airport with 18 rhino horns after departing from Hosea Kutako International Airport was actually invited by members of the Chinese business community to visit Namibia.
“When we asked why, you want to tell us stories that even the devil cannot agree with. You claim that you do not know him. Tell the truth. How many others have been invited to get the product and then leave the country,” said Ndeitunga.
Ndeitunga also said the fact that officials only detected the contraband in South Africa and not at the airport in Windhoek might be because they are not “suffering from cataracts”.
He further said he is ashamed of the fact that Namibians are not protecting their resources.
“You should see how many Namibians have been arrested in comparison to Chinese nationals.”
Ndeitunga added that he will not hesitate to ask government for the assistance of the Chinese police to combat poaching. He said that he will also not hesitate to give a list the Chinese police of suspected poachers to be brought to book.
The deputy head of the Chinese embassy in Namibia, Wu Wei condemned poaching involving Chinese nationals and said that these offenders are tarnishing the good name of the Chinese community in Namibia.
He said that offenders are only a few and that the embassy as well as the Chinese community at large will not allow them to tarnish the image of Chinese nationals.
“The Chinese embassy will as it always does, never condone any illegal or criminal acts by any Chinese national and supports righteous law enforcement efforts carried out by Namibian authorities.”
Also speaking at the event was the Chairman of the China-Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lin Jindan who said that due to a lack of knowledge about the local laws and a language gap some people make mistakes leading to some becoming “black sheep” in Namibia.
“We want these black sheep to be punished by the law,” he said.
ELLANIE SMIT
Seated to his right was well-known Chinese businessman and philanthropist Jack Huang from Sun Investments.
Huang recently came under the spotlight when a link was made between his company and Welwitschia Aquatic and Wildlife Scientific Research (Pty) Ltd, which is a subsidiary of Sun Investments and managed by Jeff Huang, his son. It had applied to export wild-caught dolphins, whales, orcas and penguins to Beijing Ruier Animal Breeding & Promoting Co., in China.
Interestingly Huang told Ndeitunga, “We strongly maintain that it is not only the police’s responsibility to crack down on criminals, but it is also the duty of the entire society including the Chinese business community. Neither of us shall participate in their malefaction nor provide them any convenience, in addition we shall closely cooperate with the police authority providing any valuable clues in order to avoid similar issues to happen again.”
Ndeitunga told the Chinese businessmen that poaching was being organised by international groups committing transnational criminal activities and this was affecting China, Namibia and the world community.
“It is affecting the peace-loving nations of the world and poachers are coming from all countries. They work in solidarity to destabilise the economies of a country.”
According to him this is a crime that is affecting the fauna and flora of Namibia and threatens the extinction of wildlife, especially rhino and elephant.
He also made reference to “some people” that are playing down the problem of poaching.
“Poaching is extremely serious and it is costing the police force a fortune to deploy resources.”
He said there were hundreds of police deployed in Etosha and Bwabwata national parks and this was costing thousands, if not millions, of dollars per day.
“I was not supposed to have them there on a daily basis and it is costing the country millions to protect the wildlife because they are under threat from humans.”
He pointed out that Namibian and Chinese nationals alike are involved in committing these crimes.
“We should work together to expose them,” he urged. According to him it is only a small fraction of Chinese nationals who are involved in this illegal activity. “They come to Namibia and go and they are working together with Namibians.”
He revealed that the Chinese national who was recently arrested at OR Tambo International Airport with 18 rhino horns after departing from Hosea Kutako International Airport was actually invited by members of the Chinese business community to visit Namibia.
“When we asked why, you want to tell us stories that even the devil cannot agree with. You claim that you do not know him. Tell the truth. How many others have been invited to get the product and then leave the country,” said Ndeitunga.
Ndeitunga also said the fact that officials only detected the contraband in South Africa and not at the airport in Windhoek might be because they are not “suffering from cataracts”.
He further said he is ashamed of the fact that Namibians are not protecting their resources.
“You should see how many Namibians have been arrested in comparison to Chinese nationals.”
Ndeitunga added that he will not hesitate to ask government for the assistance of the Chinese police to combat poaching. He said that he will also not hesitate to give a list the Chinese police of suspected poachers to be brought to book.
The deputy head of the Chinese embassy in Namibia, Wu Wei condemned poaching involving Chinese nationals and said that these offenders are tarnishing the good name of the Chinese community in Namibia.
He said that offenders are only a few and that the embassy as well as the Chinese community at large will not allow them to tarnish the image of Chinese nationals.
“The Chinese embassy will as it always does, never condone any illegal or criminal acts by any Chinese national and supports righteous law enforcement efforts carried out by Namibian authorities.”
Also speaking at the event was the Chairman of the China-Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lin Jindan who said that due to a lack of knowledge about the local laws and a language gap some people make mistakes leading to some becoming “black sheep” in Namibia.
“We want these black sheep to be punished by the law,” he said.
ELLANIE SMIT
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article