Endangered Rhino

Kumar paudel

Rhino, an endangered wildlife species is on the verge of extinction because of illegal trade of rhino horn. This has caused the world’s Rhino population to decline by more than 90 percent over the past 40 years. The main factor leading the poaching of the rhino is its huge international demand and market assuming that rhino horn could be a medicine.

There is massive growth in the international trade of rhino horn for the past one decade. Nepal has become the tranzit point for the trade because of being Tibet and China as a neighbouring country which is known as the world’s most reknowned market of rhino horns and other wildlife products Five.The major trade route for rhino rhhorns is from Assam to Kathmandu in Nepal, via Silguri and then to Tibet. The ultimate destination for these horns is believed to be in China. The emerging another market is the gulf countries.

More than five dozen rhinos died at Chitwan National Park (CNP), Nepal during last three years. Most of the rhinos have been killed by poachers. Interestingly, the smugglers have even not spared the museum to get the rhino horn and steal antique rhino horns. Last month, two people entered the museum of Central Marins district of Paris on the daytime, used a paralyzing gas against museum guards, and ran away with rhino horns. There have been several thefts of rhino horn from museum in Europe.

In 2011, South Africa lost their 335 rhinos due to the poaching. The poachers killed them for their horns. The case is similar for Greater Asian one horned rhino too. If we analyze the data of rhino in South Asia in the recent 50 years, it clearly shows that the rate of poaching is increasing massively.

The increasing prosperity in the East Asia is also one of the prime factors of illegal rhino horn trade. Now, people have become financially capable to pay higher prices worth more than $ 60,000.00 per kilogram thinking that Rhinos horns are traditional medicine. According to the traditional Chinese, rhino horn cures snakebites, typhoid, headaches, and food poisoning. Modern practice uses it in shaving or powder from combined with other ingredients to treat fever and rheumatism.

It seems that China is largely responsible for the illicit ivory trade. More than 85 percent smugglers arrested in Africa are Chinese. In last July, 33 rhino horns seized in Hong Kong destined for Guangzhou. China also seems to be working to control poaching and trade. Since 1993, it has banned to buy sell trade or transport any products made from rhino horn.

Nepal, China, India, and others 172 countries have signed on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered species (CITES). China has very strict law enforcement related to poaching. In China, killing a panda can result in 20 years in jail. Until 1997, there was a system of death penalty. In the Africa and in South Asia, there is very poor law enforcement and governance system related to wildlife protection.

It is also assumed that high luxurious and rich Sultan of gulf countries use rhino horn to increase the sex power. Scientific studies have proved that the use of rhino horn has no linkage at all with medicinal benefit. Studies also reveal that rhino horn is composed of Karatin, the same material as fingernail. It is the same as chewing the nails so rhino horn as a medicine is nothing more than a myth, still millions of people persist in believing that rhino horn is a remedy.

Rhino is an important part of our ecosystem and bio-heritage. It is extremely vital that the international community especially those countries where the demand for rhino horn is huge should enforce strict laws and treaties to protect the species. The Rhino is equally important for local and national economy. NRs. 83.1 million was collected by Chitwan National Park alone on fiscal year 2067/68 primarily due to wildlife tourism. This will be possible unless and until we have one horned rhino and other endangered species. Therefore, the importance of such endangered wildlife species should not be ignored.


This was  also published on Greenkhabar.com (nepal's first environmental online media)

Youth Employment and Peace

Kumar Paudel
The Nepali Civil War (labeled People's War by the Maoists) was a conflict between government forces and Maoist rebels in Nepal, which lasted from 1996 until 2006. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) started the war on 13 February 1996. During the war, the Maoist used a large number of unemployed youth as fighters or combatants to fight with the governmental security forces. 
The Maoist became able to physically win most of the wars with the help of such young combatants. Later, the Maoist came to mainstream politics by signing a Comprehensive Peace Accord on 21 November 2006 with seven political parties. This agreement overthrew the Nepalese monarchy and established the Democratic People's Republic of Nepal. The Moist led the government. Still they are leading the government. However, they have been unable to secure the economic status of the young people. This has increased the number of unemployed young people in the country day by day.

Now the number of unemployed youth has crossed 2.5 Million. The country is facing Problem related to youth unemployment which will become more acute in the next decade as the labor force in the region is also expected to grow by around 2.1 percent a year, warns the International Labor Organization (ILO). According to the statistics, at least 0.4 million youth enter the labor market every year. According to the recent study carried out by National Planning Commission, at least 0.3 million youth go to abroad in search of job, at least 25 thousand out of remaining 0.1million youth are found to have jobbed hardly. 

As the state fails to chalk out proper strategies to provide jobs, the problem is gaining urgency day by day. The increasing rate of unemployment has turned the youths into a frustrated lot and caused severe mental illness. Most of the youth who visit doctors are found to have stated unemployment as the main cause behind tension and frustration. This may even encourage them to engage in destructive activities like terrorism. They suffer low self-esteem, exclusion from mainstream society and impoverishment. The doctors have given a warning to the government that there would be grave consequences if the youth unemployment were not addressed.

Approximately 700 young migrant workers from Nepal leave for various labor-receiving countries everyday or gulf countries with dreams of making money with loans taken at high interest rates or by selling family property for loans. Around 200 Nepali laborers die each month, and ferrying those bodies back to Nepal for proper funeral rites takes more than a year without any kind of compensation.  Most workers return home with nothing but their debts and mental illness like depression and schizophrenia. Mental illness has also resulted in suicide of young migrants. Suicidal tendencies and actual attempts are common in depressed migrant workers/returnees. According to a recent report published by the Parliamentary committee on Women, Children and Social Welfare, nine Nepali housemaids committed suicide in Lebanon alone in the past three years.