Department of Wildlife Conservation Role in Wildlife Law
Enforcement
Progress and Way foward Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement
NetworkM.S.L.R.P. Marasinghe1, P.F.U.
Padmasiri2,R.S.Gunasekara31.Deputy Director/Department of Wildlife
Conservation, 2 Assistant director/Department of Wildlife
Conservation, 3. Superintendent of Customs/ Sri Lanka Customs
Sri Lanka So small yet so diverseSri Lanka is considered to be
the high biodiversity country in Asia per unit area, and is part of
a global biodiversity hot spot.
The ecosystem of Sri Lanka sustain important irrigation and
hydropower facilities, against floods, landslides, soil erosion and
siltation.
She harbors abundant biodiversity resources that provide
numerous use values and as well as option, bequest and existence
values.
Protected Area system comprises 143 units totaling 88 % of
Protected Forests of the country.
About Half of the Native Species are Endemic to Sri Lanka
97% water crabs90 % of amphibians 25-75 % of reptiles and
invertebrates44 % of fresh water fishes26 % of flowering
plants14.5% of mammals,
are endemic
Wildlife Law EnforcementDepartment of Wildlife
ConservationDetectionsInvestigationsProsecutionPolice Department
Have the powers to enforceBut focus more onCriminalCivilMotor
trafficTerrorismDrugsSri Lankan ParticipantsDepartment of Wildlife
ConservationThe Wildlife Enforcement Authority of Sri LankaCITES
Management Authority
Sri Lanka Customs Biodiversity, Cultural & National Heritage
Protection UnitRevenue CollectionLaw EnforcementEnvironmental &
Social ProtectionFacilitation of Trade &TravelSri Lanka -
ProgressImplementation of Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement Network
(2010)National Consultation on Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement
Network Linking with South Asia (17th 18th Jan 2011)
What we agreed in Katmandu
The ability to liaise with:Other law enforcement agencies,
nationally and internationallyLinks from national level to field
level, and vice versaWith international organizations, the media
and civil society
National Core GroupNational Policy(High-Level Political
Will)CITESCustomsPoliceJudiciaryLiaisonInformation Exchange
Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement Network (SLaWEN) - Foundation
How We did itDepartment of Wildlife Conservation took the
leadershipProposal on Sri Lanka Wildlife Enforcement Network and
submitted for DWC Management committee approvalCreated a Budgetary
allocation for SLaWEN ActivitiesInvited representatives from Member
OrganizationsInitiated the SLaWEN and need assessment was done.
Law Enforcement Division Elephants, Tusks/Tushes, SLaWEN
ManagementResearch and Training Division CITES, Imp.Exp. Permits,
Filming PermitsNatural Resource Management Division EIA
clearanceSLaWENDWC - SLaWEN managementSLaWEN Users/Contributors
NationalPolice DepartmentSri Lanka CustomsForest DepartmentCentral
Environment AuthoritySLaWEN Users/Contributors - InternationalCost
Conservation DepartmentDepartment of ArcheologicalDepartment of
Zoological GardensDepartment of Botanical GardensNational
MuseumGSMBSAWENASIANWENWCOInterpolCustomsImmigration &
EmigrationSLaWEN Steering CommitteeWildlife Conservation Director
General ChairpersonDeputy Director (Law Enforcement Division)
SecretaryDirector (Operation) Deputy ChairpersonDirector (Natural
Resource) - MemberDD (NRM) - MemberDD (EC) MemberDD (R&T)
MemberDD (Eco-tourism) MemberPolice Department MemberForest
Department MemberSri Lanka Customs Member Central Environment
Authority MemberCost Conservation Department Member
Wildlife Health DivisionElephant ConservationNGOs and IGOS as
Observers Determined by the Management Committee
CITESNeed assemement by SLaWEN Steering CommitteeGroup 1
Capacity BuildingCapacity BuildingGeneral Training for StaffLegal
FrameworkLaw enforcement Scope & AuthorityGeneral subject
matterTraining of TrainersIdentification of Specialized
trainingImplementation MechanismSteering Committee for
implementation of the CB programmeReview the contents of the
existing training programmesCB programme to share knowledgeLocal /
Foreign training on WL Forensic scienceDevelop manuals / hand
books/field guidesDevelopment of a long term CB programmeFeedback
Mechanism to monitor all the processes in law enforcement to update
the CB programme
Processes needing CBMonitoring & SurveillanceIdentification
& DetectionApprehensionInvestigationProsecution
Group 2 Information ExchangeInformation
SharingMechanisumInternalDevelop and ICT solution with Information
Communication Agency (ICTA) Secure and password ProtectedCentrally
locatedManaged by DWCExternalWebsite for SLaWENSummery of
Information on regulationsUpdate once a monthDWC Should take the
leadership
SurveillancePossibility of having a rewarding systemsSafe guard
the informantEstablish a surveillance system in organizations with
the help of Organizations have them alreadyGroup 3 Awareness
RaisingTarget GroupsPolicy makersSenior Administrators(Secretaries,
District Secretaries, Heads of Depts and Similar levels)Foreigners
arriving SLTourism industryAviation industryResearchersExport
Community
Enforcement OfficersLocal Community/Community
leadersNGOsMediaStudents / TeachersSri Lankan missions abroad
Methods / ToolsLecturesSeminarsWorkshopsExhibitions and
CompetitionsPress ConferencesAdvertisements(Audio and video) Active
and Passive
Print material (books, leaflets, brochures, posters, banners and
etc.)NewslettersWebsites and other internet based methodsShort
Courses (Educational Institutions)Curriculum development (Secondary
and tertiary levels)Implementation TeamSubject specialists from all
relevant areasMedia specialistsMedia unit of DWC Overall
coordination
Needs - in a NutshellShort TermPersonal Capacity Building
ProgrammsPublicity and awareness raisingRequirement Identification
and Specification for ICT based intelligence/information
network
Medium TermInstitutional Capacity BuildingICT based
intelligence/information networkCurriculum Development for training
programsWildlife Forensic Capacity BuildingStructured Public
Awareness ProgrammesWell Structured Personal Capacity Building
ProgrammesIdentification manualsAll needs identified by the SLaWEN
Steering committee
Long TermDevelopment of National Wildlife Research Center to be
an inter agency wildlife enforcement and forensic training
institutionEstablishment of a Forensic Laboratory at National
Wildlife Research and Training Center.National Consultation
Workshop
Outcomes - National ConsultationAgency An the RoleDWC National
Coordinator of SlaWAN, Maintenance of national databaseEnforcement
of FFPO, CITES, and CMSFDEnforcement of FO and plant
identification, control of timber tradePolice deptEnforcement of
the FFPO Illegal WL Trade, Assistance to Link with InterpolCustoms
Monitoring and Enforcement of Import and Export and Data
BaseAgriculture Dept.Quarantine Process Importation of Plants
Coast Guard Surveillance and Law Enforcement in the Coastal
areasCoast Conservation Department Law Enforcement of Coastal Aras
Illegal Collection of Marine SpeciesFisheries DptMonitoring and law
Enforcement on Ornamental and Edible Marine SppArchaeological
DeptControl on Export of Ivory, coral products, Turtle shells and
timber ProductsNavySurveillance of the Sea for Marine species
protectionImmigration & EmigrationSurveillance of International
WL Offenders
Supporting AgenciesBotanical / Zoological GardensIdentification
of Spp. Training and repository of confiscated live
specimensNARAIdentification of Aquatic and Marine Spp. ,
TrainingVRISpecies Identification & forensic Activities Key
Samples, Identification keys, Procedures and ManualsTimber
CorporationControl of timber TradeNGOsEFL, Green Movement,
WNPSCentre for Env. JusticeRole - Capacity Building at all levels;
Public, Law Enforcement Agencies, and JudicialRoad Map of
SLaWENPriorities for SLaWENWHATRecognition of SLaWEN as a
priorityAppointment of steering committee consisting of key
agenciesAssigning a special unit with staff in DWC to act as
Secretariat for SLaWEN and incorporate it into the structure of
DWCPeriodic meetings and updating through websiteInitiation of
central databaseWHOSteering committee convenor DD Legal
DWCAppointment of Steering committee by following protocolToR,
Steering committee members of SLaWEN should be gazetted, due
recognition is givenWHENWithin 3 months put into cabinet and
gazetted HOWCabinet approval gazettingSeparate budget line exists
but it should be continued. Steering Com. should pass resolution
for fundraising mechanism and obtaining funds from other
stakeholder agenciesPrioritiesFormation of SLaWEN Cell at
DWCStructural changes in departments to facilitate SLAWEN
Identification of Relevant Staff, Infrastructure - 2- 3
monthsFormation of SLaWEN Policy Guidelines, Protocols, Reporting
formats for all agenciesIdentification of focal points of core
agencies / DWC leading role, -6 monthsTraining for core Agencies,
Lead DWC, Supporting NGOs and INGOsCapacity building in key
agencies (identification, investigations methods and prosecutions
etc.)Horizontal rapport between key personnel in different agencies
establish and maintain an efficient intelligence gathering and
sharing mechanismAwareness and education
Thank YouWe Initiated SLaWEN!