JFA demands immediate forensic tests of rhino horns

Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) today demanded that the Assam forest department conduct immediate forensic test of all rhino horns in their custody and make their statistics public.
The state forest department, during its operations against the poachers and illegal traders of rhino horns, have recovered several rhino horns which are kept in their custody, a statement issued by JFA's President Rupam Barua and Secretary Nava Thakuria, said.
"There, however, has not been any verification of horns in forest department's custody for a long time to ascertain their genuineness," they said.
"We believe that some suspected people might try to take away the rhino horns from the custody of the forest department replacing those with fake horns with an aim to sell in the foreign market for their selfish interests," they said.

The people of Assam have the right to know whether the poachers and trader of rhino horns have already taken away the horns to be sold in the international market, they said.
"Unless the people of Assam are made aware of the proper data of original rhino horns in government custody, the illegal trade may continue and so we demand an immediate forensic test of all preserved rhino horns and make the statistics public," the statement added.
The JFA also morally supports the concern expressed by Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya for the conservation of wildlife, particularly the one-horned rhinoceros, and has termed the rhino poachers as the enemy of the nation.

The rhinos are poached for its horns, which have high market values in China and some Southeast Asian countries where they believe that the horn has medicinal values and use it as aphrodisiac.