Chimps will be fine, says Chinese Ambassador to Uganda

[Guest guest]

There is no reference in the letter to the possibility that the chimpanzees

will be " hijacked " from a sanctuary. The Ambassador states that 300 animals

live in naturalistic enclosures - what about the other 4,700 animals - why

not move them into the new enclosures? It is interesting that the

ambassador admits that zoo-based " circus activities " are a form of " abuse. "

I saw such activities in almost every zoo I visited in China.

 

Despite all the talk, CITES does require that animals moved internationally

must be legally removed from the wild. How any of the captive chimps in

Uganda (all wild-caught, I believe) can have been legally obtained is not

readily apparent.

 

The New Vision

Kampala, Uganda

26 January 2004

 

LETTERS SECTION

 

The chimps will be fine in China

 

SIR, I wish to clarify some issues raised in your article of January 22

entitled " Chimps to China. "

 

The story contains some inaccuracies. The chimps donation involved friendly

consultations by the Uganda Wildlife Authority, the Ministry of Tourism,

trade and Industry, the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre, and Entebbe

municipal council which is twinned with Changsha City in China.

 

The donation is two and not three chimps as reported. It was mutually

agreed that the donation procedures will conform to the relevant

international convention and practices. The agreement was fair and transparent.

 

The chimps will be kept in a specially located four-hectare home in

Changsha City with modern facilities within the Changsha Ecosystem Park.

 

The park, covering 200 hectares, is home to 5000 animals, 300 of which live

in a wildlife protective natural ecosystem similar to the wildlife

conservation centre in Uganda. The chimps are not going to be kept in tiny

zoo cages as reported. We fully understand the concern of the Ugandan

wildlife conservation groups. In fact, the Entebbe City delegation headed

by Entebbe's mayor, Stephen Kabuye, visited the park last and is well

acquainted with its modern ecosystem. Moreover, in line with the

requirements from Uganda, Changsha Park is required to sign an agreement

soon to confirming that the donated animals will be raised only for

conservation and educational purposes rather than for trade, circus

activities or any other form of abuse. A videotape about Changsha's

ecosystem will also be attached. China and Uganda enjoy very strong

friendship in terms of political solidarity, economic and trade ties and

other fields. However, due to the distance, their citizens still remain

ignorant of each other in many aspects. In this sense, the two chimps will

serve as goodwill ambassadors for Uganda to the Chinese people and enable

the Chinese to know more about Uganda. such a friendly donation will be

widely covered by the Chinese media and win great publicity and attract a

favourable rather than negative image about Uganda and Africa at large.

China is, by no means, against the wishes of President Yoweri Museveni and

his vision of promoting Uganda's tourism.

 

It is on record that Uganda has requested China to enlist her as a

destination of group tourists. With the arrival of the Chinese, Uganda's

income from tourism will be boosted. This will in turn help preserve the

endangered species better.

 

Li Qiangmin

Ambassador of the People's Republic of China