Fw: primfocus: South Africa's complicity in the Taiping Four gorilla shipment

[Guest guest]

Hmmmm ....

 

>> The application was hand-signed by an individual " iabuschagre " (? really

bad hand-writing), Director of Veterinary Services.<<<

 

I wonder if we can get a signature analysis to see what this name really is

.... Looks eerily similar to Labushagne, director of the Pretoria Zoo, but

perhaps that's just a common name in South Africa??

 

Jane

 

-

" Shirley McGreal " <smcgreal

<primfocus

Friday, April 23, 2004 5:11 PM

primfocus: South Africa's complicity in the " Taiping Four " gorilla

shipment

 

 

> South African Airways carried the " Taiping Four " gorillas from Lagos to

> Malaysia, despite a company policy against carrying primates stated by the

> Cargo Department, " Dear Dr. McGreal, The conveyance of non-human primates

> on the services of SAA is not permitted. You may however direct enquiries

> to the Cargo Policy & Procedures section on 2711 9783844, fax 2711

> 9783817. Thank you for your enquiry. Kind regards, Lionel Heuer, Customer

> Service Centre - Cargo JIA, E-Mail: heuerl. "

> How this policy came to be violated has not been clarified yet.

> IPPL obtained the following documents that make clear that South

> Africa facilitated the smuggling of the animals.

>

> 1) On 7 January 2002 South Africa's Department of Agriculture issued a

> " veterinary import and re-export permit. " The permit, issued to " Cargo

> Marketing International, a/c the [sic]of Malaysia, Taiping Zoo, 34008

> Perak, Malaysia, " stated:

>

> " Authority is hereby granted for you to import into and re-export out of

> the Republic of South Africa 5 (FIVE) LOWLAND GORILLAS from Nigeria

> (Ibadan) through port of entry Johannesburg International Airport

> [phone/fax included] directly through the RSA for immediate export to

> Malaysia. "

>

> The consignment was to be accompanied by various veterinary

> certificates but there was no reference to any requirement that the

> shipment be legally exported from Nigeria. The application was hand-signed

> by an individual " iabuschagre " (? really bad hand-writing), Director of

> Veterinary Services.

> Note that FIVE gorillas were not shipped. Did one die - or did

the

> Ibadan Zoo's suppliers come up one short at the time the shipment took

place?

>

> 2) On 7 January 2992, Ibadan Zoo sent out a " To Whom it may concern "

> message, requesting assistance, apparently from South African Airways for

> the " bearer. " A hand-written note was added on 9 January 2002 by " Jod

Ezeh "

> of SAA Cargo LOS [Lagos]. The note said, " Attn. Gert, these are the

> requested letters. Kindly expedite action. Shipment scheduled to leave

> Lagos on 13/01/2001 on SA 204. Also Penang is a Customs International

> Airport. MHTB 429 flies daily from BKK [bangkok] to PEN [Penang].

Requested

> routing LOS-JNB-BKK-PEN. Please confirm as soon as possible.

> IPPL has not learned who " Geert " is.

>

> 3) South African Airways cargo waybill No.083-067-5295, dated 7 January

> 2002, issued to the Zoological Garden, Ibadan, Attn. Dr. (Mrs.) Akinboye,

> with the " Government of Malaysia, Taiping Zoo, Taiping Municipal Council,

> Attn. Dr. Kevin Lazarus PPT, with " Cargo Marketing Int'l Lagos listed as

> " carrier's agent. " The " airport of departure " was listed as Lagos and the

> routing was listed as LOS/JNB/KUL/PEN, flight numbers listed were SA204/16

> January BKK/MHTC, MA 207/17 January. The " handling information " listed Dr.

> Kevin Lazarus as contact.

> There were four crates with 386 (it doesn't say whether it's

kilos

> or pounds) listed as the " chargeable weight. " The " nature and quantity " of

> the goods were listed as " Baby gorilla gorilla (Lowland gorilla) container

> No. 33, 30 " x 30 " by 36 " x 4 pieces. " The signature of the agent was

illegible.

>

>

> Dr. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman

> International Primate Protection League

> PO Box 766

> Summerville, SC 29484, USA

> Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988

> E-mail - smcgreal, Web: www.ippl.org

>

> " He who joyfully marches in rank and file has already earned my contempt.

> He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord

> would suffice. "

> --Albert Einstein

>

>