Cameroon press release T4 gorillas

[Guest guest]

The Herald

28.1 2004

By Kongnyui Roland

(English)

 

INTERNATIONA CONSERVATION COMMUNITY DEMANDS IMMEDIATE REPATRIATION OF

CAMEROON'S SMUGGLED GORILLAS

 

More than 65 international organisations and 45 individuals from the

international conservation community have joined the voices of officials of

Cameroon's ministry of environment and forest to demand the immediate

repatriation of four gorillas smuggled from Cameroon to Malaysia.

A declaration in support of the repartition of the gorillas

popularly known as the Taiping four was recently signed by the officials of

the organisations and is presently being widely circulated for further

support by international primate protection league, IPPL and the last great

Apes Organisation, LAGA, the Herald gathered. The declaration was signed

against speculations that South African government had been negotiating with

the Malaysian government so that the national Zoological garden in Pretoria.

The secretary general in the ministry of environment and forest,

Madi Ali had earlier told pressman in Yaounde that his ministry's wish was

to see that the gorillas that were illegally exported from Cameroon since

January 2002 to the Taiping zoo in Malaysia be repatriated to Cameroon under

the best conditions possible.

 

A picture of the Minister titled -

Tanyi Mbianyor Clarkson, Cameroon's minister of environment :

 

FIGHTING FOR RETURN OF SMUGGLED GORILLAS

The director of wildlife and protect areas in the ministry of

environment and forest, Ebai Takang Stephen, told the Herald that official

letters had been addressed to the Malaysian government with regards to the

" Taiping Four " The position of the government of Cameroon has not changed

since we stared negotiating for the repatriation of these animals " , the

director stated. He said the government of Cameroon was strongly urging the

Malaysian government to send the four animals back to their native land

after the recommended DNA testing.

The director disclosed that during the last conference of

parties to the convention on International Trade in endangered species

(CITES) held in Chile, an agreement was signed by the government of

Malaysia, Nigeria and Cameroon represented by their ministers in charge of

forest and environment stipulating that the four animals be repatriated to

Cameroon. Ebai further iterated " we have all evidence that the animals were

smuggled from Cameron to Malaysia via Nigeria " .

Cameroon is party to CITES which prohibits trade in protected

animal species world-wide. The declaration by the international conservation

community relating to the four gorillas, has expressed satisfaction with the

position stand the government has taken in protecting its' wildlife, calling

on the gorillas to be returned to Cameroon. " We call for the four gorillas

to be returned to Cameroon as it is their country of origin, " it is stated

in the declaration.

The Cameroon wildlife law reflecting CITES regulations defines

dealing with gorillas or any other threatened species as a very serious

offence with a punishment of up to 3 years imprisonment. article 158 of the

1994 forest and wildlife law states that, " a fine of 3.000.000 - 10.000.000

francs CFA and an imprisonment of 1-3 years shall be imposed on whoever

kills or captures a protected animal.

Gorillas are threatened species that exists in only six

countries in the entire world. To some people these gorillas are a main

tourist attraction.

 

Cameroon Tribune (The national newspaper)

30.1.2004?

By Rousseau-Joel Foute

Translated from French.

 

FOUR CAMEROON GORILLAS HELD IN MALAYSIA

The government protests and insists on their rapid return to its forest.

 

The incident started in 2002 when 4 gorillas were illegally taken away from

the Cameroonian forests and taken to Nigeria from where they were exported

to Malaysia; notably to the zoological garden of Taiping where they are

presently found. When this trafficking was reported, authorities from the

Ministry of Environment and Forestry (MINEF) never hesitated to protest and

reaffirmed their attachment to the preservation of its rich biodiversity.

This explains why the 4 gorillas are expected to be brought back to their

natural environment.

 

A picture of a gorilla titled -

DON'T TOUCH MY GORILLAS

 

It is surprising that the Malaysian government, acting on contrary opinion;

threatens to send the animals to South Africa in the Pretoria National

Zoological Garden. This issue is becoming complicated, but the Cameroonian

authorities remain vigilant and call upon the international community which

is going to issue a declaration of support already signed by more than 65

international organisations and 45 members of the association for the

protection and conservation of biodiversity. It goes thus, " we insist that

the 4 gorillas held in Taiping - Malaysia be brought back to their natural

habitat " ; the declaration reads.

 

The Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, MADI Ali,

took this opportunity to reiterate that Cameroon is one of the signatory of

the International Convention on Commerce of rare species which risk

disappearance. He makes its clear that the Declaration of Support and the

claims by the Cameroon government were initiated by the International League

for the Protection of Primates with the collaboration of the International

Association: the Last Great Ape Organisation. The covetousness of each and

everyone; and the issue of the 4 gorillas appear to be rebounding.

 

Mutations newspaper 4.2.2004

By Roger A. Taakam

Translated from French.

 

KIDNAPPING

The primates with no stable nationality

Three countries argue over four kidnapped gorillas.

 

The story is that of four apes kidnapped in January 2002 from the Cameroon's

forest by poachers. These primates are today at the centre of a diplomatic

battle between Cameroon, Malaysia, the Republic of South Africa. This would

have been a minor case of poaching if not for the intervention of some

organisations for the defence of the rights of animals. Ecologists have

insisted on the sovereign right of Cameroon on these four stolen gorillas.

The incident has been tagged " The Taiping Four Affair " .

 

In fact, the gorillas were taken away from their natural habitat to the

National Zoological Garden of Taiping in Malaysia. We gathered that these

animals had a brief stop-over in Nigeria before being transported without

passport to their new destination. But, it took experienced ecologists just

a few months to trace the animals at their far away Taiping hide-out.

 

Informed of this act, the Cameroon government open-up negotiations for the

repatriation of these four beasts amidst protests and complaints from

ecological movements. Malaysia hesitates, but later accepts to respect

International Agreements. Surprisingly, instead of sending these animals

back to Cameroon, Malaysia rather transfers the gorillas to the National Zoo

of Pretoria in South Africa; thereby giving the matter a new twist. Things

become complicated; Cameroon cries foul and complains of abuse of

confidence. Cameroon once more draws the attention of international

institution to this act. Arguing, for these stolen primates, Cameroon says

the gorillas do not only constitute part of the national patrimony, but act

as a tourist attraction, and enjoy total protection because it is an

endangered species. This attracted the attention of some organisation

working for the protection of these Apes such as the Last Great Ape

Organisation, and the International Primate Protection League, which are

doing everything of see that " the four gorillas are repatriated to Cameroon

immediately " .

 

A picture of a gorilla titled -

A GORILLA -

CAPTURED AND LONELY

 

Sixty-five international institutions and Organisations and about fifty

personalities, defenders of the conservation of animal biodiversity has

signed a joint declaration in a bid to press for the recognition of Cameroon

's ownership of the four gorillas. Shall South Africa adhere? No one can

tell since the presence of these large animals on its territory does not

embrace it. The fun about this case is that; these four gorillas who are at

the centre of the present diplomatic-judicial squabble remain passive unable

to do themselves justice .