The Guardian view on China, Africa and disappearing donkeys: an unexpected crisis offers a clue to perils ahead | Editorial

WHAT can help protect women’s health, enhance the income of poor families and thus allow girls to avoid early marriage? What – when Disappear Can children re -teach children, damage mental well -being, push the conflict within societies and become a trend for racist hatred?

The humble donkeys were rarely in the spotlight. However, the Chinese demand for his skin has proven to destabilize so that African governments agreed to Prohibition On slaughtering the animal to hide it last year. This week, officials on Ivory Coast meet to discuss implementation.

accident paper Written by Dr. Lauren Johnston of Sydney University determines the extraordinary height and the fall of China -Africa trade in donkeys, and his essences. Ejiao – Donkey Hide Gelatine – for the first time in about 3000 years was used in traditional Chinese medicine, and recently in cosmetics. The demand has been shipped long ago through the increasing prosperity and media influence, which was increased after personalities in a famous drama in Chinese television, the empress in the palace, took it. But while the production of EJIAO was industrial, a problem emerged soon: it is difficult to generate donkeys. Ejiao consumption is equal to 4 meters to 5 meters per year, equivalent to nearly ten population of the global donkeys. Animal stocks in China decreased from 11 million in the early 1990s to only 2 million – and attention turned into African leather.

The continent is home to nearly two -thirds of the 53 million donkeys in the world. Its use is due to the burden monsters there beyond the invention of Ejiao; Malcon describes them Precious. Despite governments attempts to regulate trade in leather, there were no frequent complaints not only for inhumane treatment but also the crime; On one estimate, up to a third of the exported leather was stolen. Families woke up to find that their animals have disappeared, or were slaughtered and slaughtered immediately.

Many were unable to replace them, because the price of new animals has risen. Without creatures, women are often forced to carry a lot of firewood or water; Children may remain at home to help homework; Families can no longer rent donkeys to neighbors, which reduces their income. The former owners have reported lower welfare and increased tension. Some suspect their neighbors steal donkeys, and in South Africa, online leaflets about Chinese gangs participating in the illegal trade that attracted the comments Incitement of racist hatred. The African Union’s ban may address some of these problems. But it may also be their transformation. In Pakistan, the price of animals Missiles.

The case of the lost donkeys may look like a specialized concern, but it is actually a special form of an urgent global issue. Oil and minerals may receive attention, but the increasing competition for resources – driven by increasing prosperity in economies such as China, India and the speed of consumer culture – can appear in unexpected areas, reach their most difficult poorer and create new diplomatic, social and economic tensions. The treatment of such cases will not only take the design, but the creativity and the desire to work with unlimited allies: the African ban was driven by a coalition of farmers, animal rights, economists, gender activists, religious leaders and others. It should also be done quickly. Donkey shock is not one time, but a warning of other possible flash points.

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