14 January 2006
NGOs campaign to stop the tiger skin trade
The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), the Khawakarpo Tibet Culture Centre (KTCC), the Fund For The Tiger (FFTT), and the Global Tiger Patrol (GTP) launched a joint awareness campaign among Tibetans which aims at banning garments made of tiger and leopard skins in Tibet. Information is being disseminated through an exhibition of photographs, posters, leaflets and an awareness film in the Khampa dialect. The material is being distributed amongst visitors from Tibet to the Kalachakra ceremony held in south India. The Dalai Lama himself condemned the illegal trade in tiger and leopard skin, and stated on 09 January that he had been very embarrassed to see photographs of people wearing banned animal furs and skins in Tibet. Debbie Banks, EIA's Tiger Campaign Leader, said: "We hope that the shocking images used in the material will encourage Tibetans to abandon the cruel practice of using tiger, leopard and otter skins to decorate costumes".