Windhoek, Namibia  - Namibia's second legal auction of stockpiled ivory tusks to Chinese and Japanese bidders began behind closed doors in the capital Windhoek on Tuesday morning.

The event, held under the auspices of the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), was closed to all media and observers due to what ministry officials termed the "sensitive nature" of the first of four ivory auctions to take place in southern Africa in the coming weeks.

Local papers had expressed dismay at not being allowed to cover the event, which has raised the hackles of animal rights activists, who claim any sale of ivory stimulates black market trade in the so- called white gold.

The last authorized auction since CITES banned the ivory trade in 1989 was in 1999, when southern African countries complying with stringent controls were given permission to sell off stockpiles to generate money for conservation and community development.

CITES' 171 member states gave the nod for another one-off sale of 107 tons this year by South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Zimbabwe, all of which have booming elephant populations.

Namibia has 9 tons on offer, Botswana 44, Zimbabwe 4 and South Africa 51 tons. (dpa)