Delegates
from around the world met at a UN sponsored Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) forum in Doha, Qatar to discuss
measures for further protection of endangered species such as the polar
bear, bluefin tuna, tiger, rhinoceros and shark.
The meeting
came as conservationists warn of a wider biodiversity that is rapidly on
the decline. Dr. Stuart Simon of the International Union for the
Conservation of Nature stated that species are currently vanishing
faster than they can evolve.
In England alone, nearly 500
species have died out, almost all in the last two centuries. Another
topic discussed was the illegal trafficking of exotic animals such as
lions, leopards and primates, with cruel practices that include drugging
or even removing their teeth for placement in unnatural conditions such
as
the extreme confinement required for public entertainment or display.
CITES
Secretary-General Willem Wijnstekers urged for governments to pass more
stringent laws to curb practices as these. We thank Dr. Stuart, CITES
Secretary-General Wijnstekers and all conference participants for your
factual observations as we join your concern and pray that humans of
every nation act now in choosing more harmonious lifestyles to protect
the cherished species of our planet.
As during an October 2009
videoconference in Indonesia, Supreme Master Ching Hai has often
addressed the need for action to halt the tragic suffering and loss of
our animal co-inhabitants.
Supreme Master Ching Hai: In
our society, the law only punishes someone who has done something wrong
to the society. The animals, they have never done us any wrong. They
live their life quietly, they’re eating whatever God provides them, they
don’t harm us in any way. Even if in some cases they do, it’s because
we destroy their habitats, because they have nowhere to live, they have
no more food in nature for them to eat.
Now we are at the point
where we must change while there is still time, otherwise we will face
disastrous consequences and we might lose the whole world, our lives
altogether.
So please, everyone, plant veg, be veg and we can go green later when we’ve already saved the planet.
http://www.theage.com.au/world/experts-warn-species-loss-is-unnatural-20100308-psre.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/mar/15/common-english-species-driven-towards-extinctionhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/georgemonbiothttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/paula-crossfield/cites-biodiversity-loss-a_b_502180.htmlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cif-green/2010/mar/15/common-english-species-driven-towards-extinctionhttp://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jevDJg208yKfWqIXsudEh0psa3RgD9EG7MG81 http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=1&article_id=112824