Mr Tha the Bear, Tiger Om Deth, Buffalo Sam Ol, and Chantha the Elephant reveal their inner selves.
A
s Prach Chan, the provincial governor of Battambang, makes his way to the boxing
ring across the muddy field just off National Route 5, representatives of four species
of endangered wildlife rush to welcome him.
Children running around among kickboxers warming up and the animal welcoming committee
approaching the governor don't seem to mind that the buffalo, bear, tiger and elephant
are motodups in furry costumes. Today, animals are the center of attention.
The Battambang kickboxing match on October 12 was the first in a series of five free
matches to be staged around Cambodia by conservation NGO WildAid. Cooperating with
local authorities and using fighters, movie stars and pop singers to give voice to
the campaign, the Active Conservation Awareness Programme (ACAP), targets the younger
generation.
And according to the "tiger," 21-year-old Battambang resident Om Deth,
raising awareness on the consequences of consuming wildlife is crucial - especially
with young people.
"My generation doesn't know so much about this problem. People still kill wildlife
and eat it, and soon there will be nothing left," says Deth. "If that happens
I will be very sad, because the Cambodian people are very proud of their forest animals."
In the next six months, WildAid will arrange kickboxing matches in Siem Reap, Sihanoukville,
Kratie and Stung Treng - all regions where WildAid field reporters have deemed selling
of wildlife to be a serious problem.
Another local, "buffalo" Sam Ol, 26, says only a few restaurants in Battambang
city still have forest wildlife on the menu.
"But in the countryside you can get anything you want if you know the right
people," he says.
On a platform facing the boxing ring, WildAid country director Giada Raimondo and
Governor Chan deliver speeches, urging the audience to call WildAid's hotline if
they see forest animals for sale anywhere.
Raimondo gestures to a 3-meter-high placard facing the boxing ring with the hotline
number written on the bottom. Above that, the drawing of a chained bear bleeding
from its amputated limbs crystallizes the issue.
Bear claw soup and bear gall bladder are still considered to have life-prolonging
abilities, and are the kind of traditional dishes targeted by the ACAP campaign.
When preparing bear claw soup, the claws are cut off while the bear is still alive,
sometimes leaving the animal to suffer for hours or days.
Sam Ol says he had bear paw soup several years ago in a Battambang restaurant. The
soup was very tasty, he says - but too expensive. Today, he says he wouldn't eat
the soup even if it was offered for free. Not that there is much chance of that:
it goes for $300 a bowl these days.
In 2001, WildAid conducted a similar awareness project in Phnom Penh, with mobile
units visiting and revisiting all the restaurants, medical shops and market stalls
in the capital. They put up stickers warning customers and vendors against contributing
to the killing of forest wildlife. After a few months, over-the-counter wildlife
game had vanished from Phnom Penh.
Raimondo believes the same thing could happen in the provinces. She is convinced
WildAid's persistent mobile units will have an impact. As will the kickboxing matches,
she hopes. "It's really important to raise people's awareness on this issue.
Many don't realize that you need to stop the buying before you can stop the killing,"
Raimondo says.
When the bell sounds marking the end of a match, a video projector next to the boxing
ring beams testimonials from role models such as pop singer Preap Sovath, movie star
Tep Rindaro, and kickboxing champion Eh Phu Thong - all repeating WildAid's slogan:
"Stop the buying; stop the killing."
Darkness falls, and the first WildAid kick boxing match in Battambang has drawn a
crowd of more than 1,500 to the muddy field on the outskirts of the city.
Everyone cheers As Eh Phu Thong makes his way to the ring. He has agreed with WildAid
officials to hold back and make the fight last a full five rounds, giving the audience
a good show. But a few seconds into the second round, his opponent launches a furious
attack, forcing him to fight back and eventually send the man crashing to the mat
with a perfect right jab to the chin. The fight is over.
As his opponent scrambles to his feet, Phu Thong is handed three stacks of tee-shirts
which he sends flying into the crowd.
Hundreds of hands reach out for them. A young boy pulls a tee-shirt over his head
that reaches all the way down to his knees. On the back is another graphic picture
of an injured bear. The front reads: "Do not turn your back on us."
Contact PhnomPenh Post for full article
Post Media Co LtdThe Elements Condominium, Level 7
Hun Sen Boulevard
Phum Tuol Roka III
Sangkat Chak Angre Krom, Khan Meanchey
12353 Phnom Penh
Cambodia
Telegram: 092 555 741
Email: [email protected]