Re: NANFA-- "Ugliest fish in North America"

anutej_at_loxinfo.co.th
Thu, 08 Jan 2004 00:49:39 +0700

Words are that in Thailand older hunters and fishers in the old time
seemed not to try to wiped everything out like later generations
[latter part of 20th century]. Also there are lots of taboos to keep
things in check [like not shooting male hornbills]. From old books it
seemed that things here get bad after WW II when fast population
increased coupled with avaliability of leftover more modern
guns/introduction of large scale fishing gears that the bad times
began [hornbills for target practice for young adults...]. Seems like
younger generations since that old time has less regards to life.
This is not to say old times people are good. Maybe they might donne
some terrible things in the past but at least learn from it.

Tony

Steffen Hellner wrote:
>
> I have a different and possibly very singular opportunity on this. I doubt
> ancient societies to have been or still are more responsible than modern
> societies. They simply didn4t have the tools they have today. Neither
> Indians nor African have ever been "honorable wilds" more than there were
> "honorable" europeans. Look how people in Africa destroy their fundament. I
> spent three weeks in a family in Sierra Leone. In a flat with tin roof. The
> people were absolutely nice, friendly and caring for us visitors. But they
> didn4t pay respect to nature or animals. There are two categories in Africa:
> 1st everything one can eat or trade with. 2nd everything else. First
> category is being relendlessly exploited. Category 2 is killed or destroyed
> whenever encountered because it is worthless. The entire land is digged for
> gems and the rainforest was cut to 95% in 1989 already. They kill every
> snake, every bug, every lizzard ... they can get a hand on. In Gaboon they
> kill the schimpansees and gorillas because they are easier to get than
> antilopes or other game. OK, they pay the bill in part with Ebola, but the
> primates will be gone way before AIDS, Ebola, and war will repell the
> continent into stoneage. I could tell you some nice stories about how they
> treat their girls and women. Think you don4t want to hear that over a public
> server. I don4t think I4ll ever go back to Africa. The cuccoo flies
> everywhere there.
>
> What people do in Borneo is possibly worse than what happens to the
> rainforest in South America. The islands forests are about to be
> systematically eradicated. Ok, I admit that much of this process is
> initialized by the profit maximization of industrial countries. But only as
> a trigger or catalysator. The Congo rainforest has one sole but strong
> companion: war. As long as there is war and rebellation there won4t be any
> form of organization and consequently no economic "progress". And it keeps
> population down. That4s why there is this wide and untouched forests,
> swamps, and savannas. I know this sounds cynical and don4t wish people to
> live in war but to me it is obvious that this is the mechanism working for
> nature there. Same with Angola, and Uganda.
>
> Of course there are people in all countries who are aware of what is going
> on and try to do what they can to fight it. But ignorance and profit
> thinking will always be stronger. Or at least for a long time ahead.
>
> Want a Mountain-Gorilla? You will get it from Ruanda! The only problem is to
> get it into your country. CITES is to control the countries of origin
> mainly. Look at madagascar. The new government cut all exports of animals to
> protect nature (official version). Now, that the bakshish is organized and
> split there are thousands and thousands of animals being exported again.
> Look how penny-priced Mantella are sold in the USA. And in what masses. It4s
> a shame. And its more or less everywhere the same. Brazil too is
> predominatly protecting its home animal-mafia rather than nature. Keeps the
> profit inside. And who the fu.. was Chico Mendez? Did they even search for
> his murder? No.
>
> Steffen
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/ reflect the beliefs or goals of the North American Native Fishes
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/ nanfa_at_aquaria.net. To subscribe, unsubscribe, or get help, send the word
/ subscribe, unsubscribe, or help in the body (not subject) of an email to
/ nanfa-request_at_aquaria.net. For a digest version, send the command to
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/ For more information about NANFA, visit our web page, http://www.nanfa.org