Recent reports from the WSPA prove conclusively that bear farming is still an ongoing trade in China. The bears are generally locked in a cage no bigger than a telephone box, then have daily incisions into their abdomen to remove the bile from the gall bladder. The bile is then used in medicines as a treatment for chronic stomach disease and other related ailments, particularly gall stones.
Even though it has been medically proven that there are far more practical alternatives to bear bile, there arestill approximately 13,000 bears currently being farmed in Asia. Over the last 2 years the WSPA have managed to secure verbal agreements with both Vietnam and Korea to phase out bear farming, and hope that China will follow suit.
The WSPA are currently in direct discussion with high ranking officials in the Chinese government and lobbying companies to halt this unnecessary practice. Whilst mobilising support within the Chinese communities of the United States, the UK and Australia, the WSPA will demonstrate to China that practical alternatives to bear bile exist.
With the bile extraction procedure being extremely painful and traumatizing for the bear, the sooner this cruel ‘farming’ is halted the better. With Vietnam and Korea leading the way, surely China must realise that this barbaric method of cruelty done for the sake of producing medicinal goods should be consigned to the history books.
The WSPA are fighting hard to stop the dreadful sport of bear baiting, which is still being performed in countries such as Pakistan. The WSPA managed to halt an event in February, saving the lives of two bears, who would almost certainly have been murdered by dogs for the pleasure of a baying crowd.
The WSPA’s first attempt to confiscate the bears was met with fierce resistance from the event organiser, who makes a lucrative wage from staging such events. In reaction to the objection, an appeal was made to the bear owners personally, explaining that they could help them find an alternative livelihood away from this barbaric sport. Thankfully, the owners recanted, and allowed the bears to be taken into the care of the WSPA.
Working alongside the Punjab Wildlife Committee (PBRC), the WSPA have helped dramatically reduce the number of bear baiting events, through working with the Pakistani government to push for the prosecution of illegal bear owners and calling for greater action against bear cub poachers. Also, by creating the Kund Park Sanctuary, the WSPA have created a home and a possilbe future for confiscated bears who would struggle to re-adapt to life in the wild.
Christian Aid Week is a chance for people across the UK to really make a difference. Last year Christian Aid Week raised more than £15 million helping to transform lives across the developing world. With a bit of help and generosity we plan to do even better in 2008.
With only a few weeks left until Christian Aid Week 2008 now is the time to plan your part for the big effort.
This year, rather than simply donating, there are countless unusual and exciting ways you and those around you can get involved. Log onto the Christian Aid website to see what others are already up to. Some wacky fundraising ideas include people shaving their heads, having sponsored silences, 24 hour sing-a-thons or holding fashion parades to support the effort.
Alternatively, there are a number of smaller ways you can get involved such as recycling old mobile phones, selling old goods on Ebay and giving the funds to Christian aid, emailing your MP about Climate Change or getting an Aquaid eco-friendly water cooler. Click here for more examples of different ways you can help this Christian Aid Week.
To see how your money really does help the poor and vulnerable have a look at this video
Oxfam have teamed up with Marks & Spencer in an innovative clothing exchange scheme. M&S have promised to offer a £5 voucher off your next purchase of £35 or more when you donate your unwanted M&S clothing to Oxfam.
All you have to do is show the M&S label in the store on the clothing you are donating, to receive your free money off voucher. This is part of the Marks and Spencer £200million ‘Plan A’ investment, which is a 5 year environmental scheme to help combat climate change, reduce waste and promote a healthier planet. In the last year M&S have cut their CO2 emissions by 55,000 tonnes and reduced customer carrier bag usage. Having increased their sale of organic food by 48%, they have also removed artificial colouring and flavouring from 99% of all M&S food stocked around the country. They also lead the market in lowering stocking densities for chicken, receiving the RSPCA Award for Animal Welfare. Marks & Spencer are also working alongside the World Wildlife Fund on environmental projects, with a particular focus on agriculture and marine life issues.
In the UK alone we currently throw away over 1 million tonnes of clothing every year, with the majority of the items discarded still of the quality to re sell or recycle. With Oxfam and M&S joining forces on this excellent clothing exchange scheme, hopefully more clothing will be donated to help those less fortunate than ourselves.
Environmental issues is one of the modern world’s top priorities, and today (Tuesday 22nd April) the globe becomes the stage for the annual ‘Earth Day’.
Earth Day was founded in 1970 by American Senator Gaylord Nelson, who organised the event as a nationwide demonstration on environmental issues. With thousands of colleges also getting involved in the organisation, more than 20 million people took to the streets and parks of America to show their solidarity against the harmful effect the U.S was having on the environment.
By 1992, Earth Day was being supported by 200 million people in 141 countries, and through this global support, the first ever United Nations Earth Summit was held in South America. Over 100 countries sent their heads of state to attend, and with over 170 governments involved, this was the largest environmental meeting in the history of mankind. From this summit, the Commission for Sustainable Development (CSD) was set up. The CSD now hold annual meetings at U.N. headquarters to discuss the global prevention of pollution and climate change. With the global recognition of Earth Day, their international network now reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, with more than a half billion people participating in the event every year.
Along with Earth Day is Wednesday 29th March’s ‘Earth Hour’ supported by the World Wildlife Fund. Over a 250,000 people and 20,000 businesses worldwide have signed up to turn their lights off for one hour during the working day, with power companies set up to monitor the current change. Last year in Bangkok alone, the one hour electricity shut down caused the decrease of 73.34 Megawatts, or the equivalent to 41.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
It’s good to see so many people across the world getting involved with the enviromental problems the Earth is enduring. The more people who become aware of these issues the closer we get to save guarding the future, not just our families, but the world around us.
Former Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been chosen to be the spokesperson for the latest World Vision Child Sponsorship Appeal later this month. The 79 year olds constant work for international human rights and peace across the globe make him the ideal candidate to raise the bar for the awareness in the plight of third world children.
The campaign is appealing to people in the UK to consider becoming a child sponsor in some of the world’s most poverty stricken countries. Each child sponsored will be provided with better opportunities to help themselves, and the resources needed for a better standard of living. Archbishop Tutu will appeal in adverts on television, radio and posters on the London Underground from 21 April to 2 May, calling for aid in the desperate struggle to provide a future for less privileged children across the globe.
Almost 30,000 children die each day due to poverty, with ten million dying every year. That’s the same as 1 child dying every 3 seconds. World Vision work tirelessly to make an impact on poverty and try to make a change to these harrowing statistics. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said -
‘Inside us all is something strong enough to change the world. To refresh those without water, to care for the sick, to give a child joy – one small act of goodwill. It’s inside us all’
From as little as 60p a day you too can offer support to a child who desperately needs your help.
Through sponsorship you can personally connect with a child and their family, whilst following their progress as they begin to build, with your help, towards a brighter future.
A brand new environmentally friendly service has just been announced by ASDA furniture. Not only will they deliver your furniture for free, they will actually assemble it for you!
This means no more headaches about the whole thing collapsing after 10 minutes, or trying to work out where the bits that are always left over are supposed to go. All ASDA Furniture is created from sustainable wood supplies, and not only will the delivery team put together your furnishings; they’ll even take away all the excess packaging to be recycled.
All in all an excellent service, not just for the customer, but also for the environment.
A new report from the World Wildlife Fund is claiming that Alaskan Pollock, the species being promoted in the UK as an alternative to Cod, is now also under threat from illegal fishing.
Even though progress is being made in the fight to save the North Atlantic Cod from extinction, huge numbers of illegal Pollock catches are making their way onto international markets. The WWF is concerned that illegal fishing will add to both species’ dwindling numbers and their inability to cope with climate change.
Due to depleted cod stocks in Europe, the UK is importing the majority of its Cod and Pollock from the Arctic, with nearly 70% of the world’s white fish supply already coming from these waters. Over 100,000 tonnes of illegal cod is caught a year in the Barents Sea, the world’s largest cod stock just North of Norway. Illegal cod landings have been cut in half by the tireless efforts of environmental groups, but now the illegal fishing of Alaskan Pollock in Russian waters has become the problem. Barents Sea is mainly fished by Norwegian and EU fishermen, whilst the bulk of the Alaskan Pollock is caught by Russian fleets, who then sell their catch on to the Chinese market.
To help the World Wildlife Funds effort to stop illegal fishing, it’s up to us, the consumer, to find out the source of the fish we buy. Nearly all supermarkets stock seafood that comes from a certified, sustainable source, solook for the stamp of approval from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) when purchasing.
The Marine Connection recently launched its Lone Rangers Report which focuses on solitary dolphins and whales and includes recommendations for their welfare and protection. In recent years there has been an increase in their occurrence within the UK and as a step towards increased protection, the charity is calling for better legislation to make sure that these individuals are given the protection they need.
We do not as yet fully understand their solitary lifestyle, whether it is by choice or through a variety of environmental or man-made pressures but we do know that whether temporary or permanent there have been over 91 cases to date, worldwide.
The most frequently occurring species of the solitary cetacean is the bottlenose dolphin –other solitaries have included orca, beluga whales, common dolphins, Risso’s dolphins, spotted dolphins, dusky dolphins, tucuxi and even a narwhal. There does not appear to be any trend in the proportion of male or female individuals which become solitary just as there is no pattern to their occurrence, with individuals being found the world over, in every ocean and in many seas.
The report examines the phenomenon of the solitary cetacean – the lone rangers of the sea, in detail. It examines some of the theories behind their existence, considers the process of habituation and the threats to both the cetacean and humans. By reviewing all known cases to date and the current protective legislation the report makes recommendations for their protection in both the short and long term.
Amnesty International has called for an independent UN investigation into the recent unrest in Tibet, with the Chinese government sealing off the region to the world’s press. Due to the reported deaths in Tibet the Olympic torches global procession has now turned into an embarrassing showcase for the 2008 Beijing Games.
The Olympic torch relay started on May 2nd, and is planned to be arriving in Beijing on August 6th. In that time the torch will have travelled 137,000 miles around the globe, stopping in 21 nations in 6 continents. But what should be a symbol of worldwide unity has descended into a subject of mass protest against the Chinese Governments abuse of human rights in Tibet. The “Get China out of Tibet” campaign has been around for many years but few people know what is actually about.
The History of China’s Rule of Tibet
The unrest between China and Tibet has been ongoing for over half a century. In 1949, Tibet was seen as a peaceful land and an independent state from China. In the same year, the newly formed Communist Party, the ‘Peoples Republic of China’ (PRC) held talks with Tibetan officials in Indian to discuss China’s plans to control Tibet’s national defence. Also, the PRC demanded that Tibet be officially acknowledged as a part of China. The Tibetan Government refused to comply with these sanctions and the neutral ground discussions were terminated.
On October 7 in 1950, China’s Red Army sent 40,000 soldiers to attack the Tibetan frontier in six places simultaneously. They easily overwhelmed the small Tibetan territorial army of 8,000 in two days, killing half of Tibet’s troops. With China’s devastation of Tibet’s inadequate army, the once peaceful country had no other choice but to negotiate with the PRC. During these meetings Tibetan officials were intimidated with violent threats and taken captive. The Tibetan officials signed the “Agreement of the Central People’s Government for the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” However, their agreement was unofficial and did not bind either the Dalai Lama or Tibet’s government. Even though the PRC knew this, they still carried out a ceremonial signing and revealed to the world that the “Peaceful Liberation of Tibet” was successful. The Chinese military forces were then allowed to occupy Tibet and also to control their foreign dealings. This agreement also allowed Tibet’s own government to remain, and the country would still be religiously independent. On September 9, 1951, 3,000 Chinese soldiers entered the Tibetan capital of Lhasa, with another 20,000 troops being prepared for occupation. Though assurances of religious freedom remained, 9 months after the treaty was signed the Tibetan people started their first resistance against the Chinese.
In the last 60 years over 1 million Tibetans have been killedin battles, with over 6,000 religious buildings being destroyed.
On March 10th 2008, what began as a peaceful protest by orange robed monks to commemorate a failed uprising in 1959, turned into chaos. Over 4,000 Tibetans gathered to call for the Dalai Lama to be returned to power from his exile in India. China have since accused the Dalai of organising the demonstration (the largest and most sustained for 20 years) to press for Tibetan independence ahead of the Olympics, though the Dalai Lama himself claims not to be seeking full independence at all.
On the 4th day of the demonstration the Chinese government ordered a crackdown on the demonstrators, with vicious fighting spreading across the Tibetan capital city of Lhasa. Hugely differing reports of the number killed during the fighting have been released, with China claiming a mere 19 people to Tibet’s 140. Chinese police have claimed to have caught more than 800 people involved in the Lhasa violence, with another 280 people allegedly turning themselves in. 15 Tibetan monks have also been detained, though their current whereabouts is unknown. All national information received from Tibet is being censored by Chinese authorities, with all foreign journalists barred from the country since the unrest.
The violence in Lhasa has created a political time bomb for the Chinese government as Beijing prepares to play host to the Olympic Games in August. Global outrage at China’s reaction and use of lethal force to quell the Tibetan demonstrations has seen huge condemnation of their staging of the Olympics. The traditional running of the torch has come under heavy disruption from protestors across the globe, with a number of previously organised participants dropping out due to safety fears, and also in rejection to the Chinese government’s handling of Tibet and other human rights issues.
During protests in London, ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq had the torch ripped from her grasp by a protestor.
The 17-mile torch relay in Paris finally dissolved into cancellation, with the torch being extinguished 4 times by human rights demonstrators. 3 human rights activists climbed part of the Eiffel Tower to hang anti Communist banners, whilst 3 activists raised flags from the cables of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in protest. With similar action planned for all the stops on the torch’s world tour, the Chinese government must now be regretting their decision to stage the longest torch relay in Olympic history.
How can you help?
In China expressing your opinion can result in a jail sentence. Amnesty International fight for the non censoring of the media in China, and against the use of torture and the death penalty. Amnesty International Australia actively campaigns for freedom of expression and human rights in China. They are the world’s largest human rights organisation, and were founded in 1961. They currently have nearly 2 million members across 150 countries.
By donating to Amnesty International you can help their fight against the continued denial of expression and information, as they seek the publication of the truth from the government about practices not just in Tibet, but also in all parts of China.
Donation4Charity.org and Charity-gifts.org are web sites privately owned by Venturian Media Litd and are in no way a part of or associated with any of the charities featured on the sites.
Christian Aid Week
