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   Three years after downlisting the African elephant from Appendix I to 2 to allow limited and controlled trade in ivory and elephant hides, animal rights groups and African elephant range states with huge elephant populations, are again fighting it out in a sequel to the 1997 Harare lOth Conference of Parties meeting.

    As delegates and observers to the 11 th Conference of Parties (CoP 11) to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) meet in Gigiri, Kenya this April, countries with huge elephant populations, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa, are bidding to be allowed to sell their stockpiled ivory annually.

    CITES is an international treaty drawn up in 1973 to protect wildlife against overexploitation and to prevent international trade in species of fauna and flora threatened with extinction. The main issues are similar to 1997 when the parties met in Harare. Supporters of the downlisting say they have such big elephant populations that the niammals are now a danger to human life and the environment as well as their own survival. They say that elephants should be sustainably utili sed to benefit the con1illunities they share the habitat with.

    The southern African states that were allowed to sell limited stocks of ivory in 1997 say that if allowed to sell more ivory , they will only sell to countries approved by CITES. The buyers are not allowed to re-export the ivory. The grouping has allowed sales to countries that can properly register, control and monitor the importing and use of elephant tusks.

    After being allowed to make experimental sales to approved Japanese buyers last year, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, recently made cash payments to rural communities on whose land the ivory was harvested. Some communities used the money to improve their infrastructure. Omay in Zimbabwe's Zambezi valley, used the money to build a clinic which is set to improve health delivery for the villagers.

    Animal rights activists claim, without substantial evidence, that lifting the ban on selling ivory caused an increase in elephant poaching. They accuse the southern African countries of slack policing of game areas and weak trade regtllations.

    The South African government is set to propose to the CITES in April that South Africa's population of 12000 elephants be downlisted from Appendix 1 to 2, a move which will enable the country to sell about 30 tonnes of ivory stocks, to a single buyer under the supervision of the CITES secretariat. Downlisting the elephant would also allow trade in elephant hides and other leather goods as well as the sale of live elephants to conservation areas outside the country.

    According to the Mail and Guardian, a recent report by the Endangered Species Protection Unit (ESPU) raises serious doubt about South Africa's ability to honour its CITES obligations. The report says "the South African permit system and control at border posts from a practical law enforcement perspective" sounds warning bells about the capability of the authorities to control illegal trade at the country's 91 entry and exit points.

    Environmental Affairs and Tourism, revealed that tlotswana, Nan11bla and 21mbabwe had agreed to support South Africa's bid to sell an experimental quota of stockpiled ivory from the Kruger N ational Park to a single buyer.

    In turn, South Africa will support these countries' bid to sell almual quotas of stockpiled ivory gat11ered fi.orn elephants t11at die from natural causes.

    Botswana has asked to be allowed to sell 12 tonnes a year, Namibia two and Zimbabwe 10 tonnes. The four sout11em African elephant ral1ge states say that they need more economic benefits from expanding populations of the world's largest land manunal.