Mr Alistair Darling MP
House of Commons
London
25B Dundas Street Edinburgh
EH3 6QQ
12 July 1990
Dear Sir,
I write in connection with the stocks of ivory still held Hong Kong.
by
Firstly, I wrote to you some time ago regarding the issue of ivory and urged a total ban on sales. Hong Kong was given six months to dispose of it's stocks which I believe amounted to some 670 tonns. I assume that my action and the thousands of others who protested had some small effect on this decision. Thank you for the part you played.
Judging by the information I have gleaned in the national press, it appears that Hong Kong are finding it difficult to dispose of all of it's stock in the time given. It is hardly surprising as most people now are aware of the suffering di- rectly caused by wearing or using ivory and refuse to have anything to do with it. As I understand it the price given to poachers was $50 to $60 per kilo a year ago and has now dropped to around $3. Wonderful, and let's keep it that way.
My guess is that an appeal will be made for an extension of the time allowed. It is imperative that this should not hap-
pen.
If Kenya, by no means a rich country, can destroy it's stocks, then why not a far more prosperous Hong Kong?
I would ask that you pass this letter to wherever it will have the most effect.
Yours faithfully,
Brain Back
Brian G Black