Nghe An implements urgent measures to protect wildlife.

(Baonghean.vn) - The People's Committee of Nghe An province issued Official Document No. 7802/UBND-NN dated October 17, 2016, requesting localities and units to implement urgent measures to prevent and combat acts of harming wild animals.

In implementation of Directive No. 28/CT-TTg dated September 17, 2016, of the Prime Minister on some urgent solutions to prevent and combat illegal acts of harming wild animals; based on the proposal of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development in Official Letter No. 2479/SNN-KL dated October 5, 2016; the Provincial People's Committee requests relevant departments, agencies, and the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns to focus on effectively implementing the following contents:

Illustration photo: Internet

1. The People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns shall direct relevant departments and the People's Committees of communes, wards, and townships within their jurisdiction to review, inspect, and strictly handle, in accordance with the law, illegal trading of endangered and rare animal species such as tigers, leopards, ivory, rhinoceros horns, etc.; in cases where violations occur, the heads of local Party committees and governments at all levels shall be held responsible before the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for allowing such violations to occur in their areas of management.

2. The Provincial Police Department, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Finance, the Forest Protection Department, the Customs Department, and the Provincial Border Guard, will dismantle transnational organized crime rings involved in the illegal buying, storing, transporting, exporting, importing, and temporarily re-exporting of specimens of wild animals and plants, especially ivory and rhinoceros horns; and strengthen inspections and strictly handle activities involving the illegal display, sale, advertising, and use of rhinoceros horn, ivory, and specimens of other endangered and rare wild animals on the market.

3. Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: Direct the Forest Protection Sub-Department to advise Party committees and authorities at the district, city, and town levels on controlling the breeding and trading of endangered and rare animals; strengthen information gathering, investigation, arrest, and handling of acts of encroachment, advertising, and illegal consumption of endangered and rare wildlife specimens, especially ivory and rhinoceros horns; preside over and coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications, Nghe An Newspaper, Nghe An Radio and Television Station, etc., to implement campaigns to disseminate and educate the public on laws protecting endangered and rare animal species to all organizations and individuals.

4. The Department of Industry and Trade directs the Market Management Sub-department to coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to focus on inspecting handicraft villages, processing facilities, and souvenir shops producing goods from ivory, rhinoceros horns, specimens, and endangered and rare animals illegally at locations such as Cua Lo Beach, Vinh Airport, ports, and traditional medicine trading and processing establishments in the province... and to publicly announce the results of the handling through mass media.

5. The Department of Finance, in coordination with relevant agencies, shall handle seized wildlife and specimens in accordance with the law.

6. We request that the Provincial Customs Department direct customs forces at border gates within the province to coordinate with border guard posts and other relevant agencies to strengthen efforts in preventing, combating, and dismantling transnational organized crime rings involved in the export, import, and temporary import/re-export of... especially rhinoceros horns and elephant tusks from other countries into the province.

7. We request that the People's Procuracy and People's Court of Nghe An province direct the People's Procuracies and People's Courts of districts, cities, and towns to closely coordinate with relevant agencies to strengthen the investigation, prosecution, and trial of individuals who commit criminal offenses in the buying, selling, and transportation of rhinoceros horns, elephant tusks, and specimens of other endangered, rare, and precious wild animals.

8. Agencies: The provincial radio and television station and Nghe An Newspaper, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and relevant agencies and localities, shall strengthen the dissemination of information on good examples of conservation and control of wildlife trade; actively detect and strongly condemn acts and actions that violate Vietnamese law and the International Convention on the Conservation of Endangered and Rare Wildlife Species.

9. The above-mentioned departments, agencies, and relevant organizations, as well as the People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns, shall report on the organization, implementation, and results of Directive No. 28/CT-TTg dated September 17, 2016, and Directive No. 03/CT-TTg dated February 20, 2014, of the Prime Minister to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (via the Forest Protection Sub-Department) before December 30, 2016, and annually for compilation and reporting to the Provincial People's Committee and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development as prescribed.

LoadOfficial dispatch No. 7802 UBND-NN

Provincial People's Committee