台灣犀牛角虎骨事件被國際保育團體扭曲真相之探研

The Horn and Bone Dilemma in Taiwan--The Other Side of the Story

保育是世界的潮流，在地球已逐漸形成一個地球村的情況下，保育是國際非常重視的重要工作。中藥有二千多種，廣泛地包括各種天然的動物植物礦物，犀角、虎骨、熊膽都是見諸於處方的中藥，這幾年在國際保育上，台灣犀牛角虎骨問題引起軒然大波，一向默默無聞純樸憨厚的中藥商，頓時成了國內外媒體的焦點。一個治病救人的行業，突然變成禍國殃民的大罪人，為了犀牛角虎骨問題，美國祭出培剎修正素來打擊台灣。中國古代有兩句諺語：「隔行如隔山」、「失之毫厘，差之千里」，來警惕做事做學問必需專業專注，謹慎小心，不可草率。保育是國際合作的工作，東西文化差異很大，許多觀念、認知、資料的引述，有沒有犯錯？在國際保育界一味追殺攻伐中，卻未見認真的檢討。就我們這幾年來圈內外保育專家時時會談中，我們發現台灣被坑得太冤枉了。保育野生動物是偉大的情操，神聖令人敬佩的工作，但保育人士絕對沒有「說謊，誣陷別人」的特權，我們希望國際保育團體應該省思某些激進派如EIA，EII這只為達到攻擊傷害的目的，一再扭曲真相，睜著眼睛說瞎話的行為對不對？這種沒有信譽的保育圍體信口雌黃，不加求證，不思分辨？這種彎曲作法是否應該在太陽光下公開來檢討？許多被國際保育團體及媒體扭曲的誤寫真相，是今天台灣被送上刑場的主因，諸如TRAFFIC台灣犀牛角調查中藥店10頓的存量，中醫用犀牛角來壯陽，台灣人大量吃犀角粉、虎骨，台灣是犀牛老虎的終結者，台灣酒廠1992年進口2噸虎骨的證據，1993年EIA錄影帶拍到台灣賣犀角的證據，1993年EII在美美刊登廣告台灣殺虎的證據，把台灣十年前殺虎的相片拿到國際媒體攻擊台灣，荒謬的虎鞭湯，1994年EIA密探台灣中學店賣犀角的證據，EIA指控我駐斐外交人員涉入犀牛角走私等等，許多扭曲的指控，對台灣的國際形象造成無可抗回的巨大傷害。對於這些被扭曲的攻擊證據，有需加以深入探討，本文拿出具體證據、反駁、公諸於世。

Centuries of ignorant, selfish and barbaric practices in many parts of the world has resulted in the severe perturbances to the precarious balance of ecology and alarming depletion in many animal species. Many international conservation groups have sprung up to promote conservationism, set standards, regulate and monitor related activities. However, while the general goal of conservation is a global consensus, the responsibilities, blames and regulations are subjects of debate, influenced often by various interest groups to varying degrees according to their powers of influence. People in developing nations, whose traditions, lifestyles and dependence on natural resources are different from those of the powerful industrial nations, have become targets for criticisms. In the past few years a certain sector, the traditional Chinese medicines practitioners and in particular those in Taiwan, have been singled out as the prime offenders because a few animal-based traditional Chinese medical drugs involved the used of body parts from animals on the endangered wildlife species in both CITES appendices I and II and because Taiwan's economy is flourishing hut vulnerable. In their zeal, wildlife enthusiasts often base their accusations on hearsay, innuendoes and distorted interpretations and channel their view through international media, which thrive on sensationalism. Like many age-old professions, Chinese medicinal practice is shrouded in traditions often incomprehensible to and unappreciable by people outside of the profession. It is doubtful that international observers who spend short stays in Taiwan could appreciate the intricacies of the practice. The present study examined some of the findings that firmed the basis of certain damaging propaganda materials and offer explanations, alternative views and future prospects. The daunting task of conservation calls for international cooperation. The emphasis is not to fix a blame for the past hut to set a course for the future.