By AFPMore by this AuthorHONG KONGHong Kong has Wednesday voted to ban ivory sales in a landmark move to end the infamous trade in the city. Lawmakers overwhelmingly voted for the bill that will abolish the trade by 2021, following on the heels of China's complete ban on ivory sales that went into effect at the end of last year. Hong Kong has always been the 'heart of darkness' of the ivory trade with a 670-tonne stockpile when international trade was banned in 1989," said Alex Hofford of WildAid Hong Kong. Dozens of demonstrators including schoolchildren gathered outside the city's legislature to protest against ivory sales holding up signs that read, "Do you really need ivory chopsticks?" Angry ivory traders have said they will be forced to close down their businesses and demanded the government compensate them for their stock — which the new ordinance rejected.

Source: Daily Nation January 31, 2018 18:11 UTC