Guilty Until Proven Innocent

Screw giving people the benefit of the doubt. Nine out of ten times the person is guilty of what they are accused!

(Note: this is an observation, not a statistic. Also, in political circumstances it more like five to five because half the time they're just trying to get rid of the opposition.)

We were walking through Bangkok airport and at the baggage claim the tv has a slide with a slow loris saying 'Stop Wildlife Trafficking' or something along those lines. And it made me think. (No seriously, I do that.)

I mean, how often do you think someone who traffics wildlife actually gets caught? Looking around, even in the middle of the night, I could see several people who looked suspicious. Of course, you can't just go all Homeland Security on them without warrant in a foreign country. So that day, through that airport, I bet hundreds of animals were tortured in bags everywhere.

And I mean, they threaten you, they really do. 'You will be caught.' 'Fines of up to -insert number here-!' 'Jail time.' Yeah right. They made a big deal out of it when Wong served 6 months. That's it! Of course I wonder why after all these years and all this awareness, we still can't control the Illegal Wildlife Trade. But then I remember we can't even get our economies or governments in order because we're all so in love with buying cheap low quality goods of China and these ghostly investors who have priority over everyone else.

After that, I just think about how screwed all the normal people and animals are.

Under the Spotlight

Most people probably don’t know this, but Malaysia actually lies at the center of the wildlife trade. Between a corrupt, un-enforced law against wildlife trade and an abundance of untouched rainforest, Malaysia is seemingly the perfect place to set up shop.

            With quickly disappearing rainforests, devoted to palm plantations and development, no one will really notice that all the animals that are left in the forests are going. Dozens of animals are killed every night just from crossing highways that cut through sections of forests called ‘corridors’. These corridors connect fragments of forest together and keep the gene pool diverse. These highways have been established with ‘underpasses’ for the animals to use – I don’t understand how they came up with that. Because the tapir that’s wandering through the forest is going to be all: ‘Oh look! It’s an underpass! I should use it so I don’t have to cross the highway and get squished’. Not to question an animal’s intelligence, but that is just not how they were made.

            On top of this, the government has only just started to show it has any sign of a spine, however small it may be. They convicted Anson Wong and have sent him to jail, which is to be applauded even though it was only for six months, with a fine of RM190,000. The Malaysian government is known for it’s corruption and nepotism, and it is feared that these wildlife traders are paying off any law enforcement officers that get their hands on them; on top of this, these traders must have some inside deals going on! Somebody within the government is in on this, and is maintaining Malaysia’s position as an easy place to do dirty business.

            Just imagine how booming the economy would be if the wildlife trade counted as a legal form of business? The illegal wildlife trade is currently the third most lucrative business there is – with prices being higher than they have ever been. A single tiger skin can fetch up to US$20,000, a tooth US$700.

            China, I continue to show you my gratitude for maintaining demand for such wonderful things. Really, thank you so much. (NOT.)