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NGO says illegal traffic of rosewood continues in Madagascar

Xinhua, March 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

The illegal traffic of rosewood continues in Madagascar, a non-government organization on environment protection said on Wednesday.

"Traffic of rosewood decrease in 2015 compared to 2014 but it continues," Ndrato, president of Alliance Voahary Gasy NGO said during a debate organized by the American Center on the occasion of World Wildlife Day.

Alliance Voahary Gasy complained that the court in Madagascar is the first problem which renders difficult or impossible the fight against illegal traffic of rosewood.

Ndrato said that a rosewood trafficker called Bekasy was sued in justice last year, but Bekasy was released by the court and still being able to go outside the country.

The NGO president complained that it was a shame that Singapore denounced that Madagascar's minister of Environment gave permission to export some containers of rosewood in February 2014 and this former minister of environment went to Singapore in December 2014 to explain to Singapore's administration that these containers of rosewood was legal.

The current minister of Environment Ralava Beboarimisa said during the debate that the government already did an effort to install the special court for rosewood.

Madagascar's President Hery Rajaonarimampianina already vowed to fight illegal traffic of rosewood. But Ndranto said the situation is alarming.

Ndrato added that the government should listen to the civil societies if it really wants to fight against it. Endit