Fwd: Fw: Fwd: RE: [alloprimate] Thai govt promises to return orangutans after DNA test

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.

 

=====

 

 

 

 

 

 

_________ALL-NEW

Messenger - all new features - even more fun! http://uk.messenger.

 

 

 

 

> : Michelle Desilets <bosf_uk> dean kirkman <bos_uk2> Subject:: Fwd: RE: [alloprimate] Thai govt promises to return orangutans after DNA test> 09/03/2004

Dear list,This article published by the Jakarta Post sounds very promising; however itis unfortunately far from the truth.1. It was at first not the Thai government that wanted the DNA testdone, however due to pressure from different NGO's and the Indonesianauthorities it was concluded that this test would clarify the origin of theorangutans. Samples still have to be taken from the animals, and the cost ofthe DNA test will be paid by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, notthe Thai authorities. The test will not show whether the orangutansoriginate from Indonesia, but will show whether they were born atSafariworld or not. 2. Until today the Thai authorities have not promised the repatriationof the orangutans when found illegally obtained. The decision to return theanimals or not is in the hands of the Director General of t

he Department ofNational Parks and the minister of Natural Resources. To date no officialstatement has been made whether to return the animals to Indonesia or not. 3. Safariworld has had over a hundred orangutans for several years, andthis was known to officials of the Department of National Parks for sometime. Still no action against any officials has been taken. 4. A small group of five to six illegally obtained orangutans are stillkept at Lopburi Zoo in Thailand and still no action has been taken by theauthorities there either although a written complaint was send to the DNPseveral months ago. 5. Four more orangutans were confiscated at different raids in Thailandlast year. The animals are still kept at a Wildlife Breeding Center, and noaction has been taken to repatriate these animals. One has already diedsince its rescue. 6.&n

bsp; The kick-boxing shows of orangutans is unfortunately not a practicesolely in Thailand, At zoos in Indonesia and Malaysia this practice is alsoquite common and should be stopped soonest possible. Edwin WiekWildlife Friends Thailand Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (TH) _____ emmanuelle.grundmann [emmanuelle.grundmann] Thursday, September 02, 2004 23:17 PMprimate-science-admin; alloprimate Subject: [alloprimate] Thai govt promises to return orangutans after DNAtestThai govt promises to return orangutans after DNA testThe Jakarta Post, August 20th, 2004Indonesia will have to wait for the return of 69 orangutans, it suspectshave been smuggled into Thailand, as the Thai government requires them toundergo DNA tests to determine their origin, an activ

ist says.Profauna Indonesia international affairs coordinator Hardi Baktiantoro saidon Thursday that the Thai government had promised to return the 69orangutans once it was proven that they originated from Indonesia."Based on our observations, we know that the 69 orangutans are fromKalimantan. But the Thai government wants more solid evidence, thus theydecided to perform DNA tests to find out their origins," said Hardi.He said that the Thai government promised to return the orangutansimmediately if the DNA test results showed that they were from Indonesia.He said that the Thai government was willing to compromise as it hadratified the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of WildFauna and Flora (CITES) -- an international agreement which aims to ensurethe trade of wild flora and fauna does not threaten the species."Thailand will be the host of the next CITES convention, and it certainlywants to retain its positive image," Hardi told The Jakarta Post.Earlier on the same day, Profauna Indonesia held a demonstration in front ofthe Thai Embassy in Jakarta.In the demonstration, Profauna Indonesia demanded that the Thai governmenttake actions against the Safari World management as it failed to prove theorangutans' legal status.The organization demanded that the Thai government punish officials involvedin the conspiracy to capture the orangutans.It further called on the Thai government to stop kick boxing shows performedby orangutans as it would harm them and lead to premature death.According to Profauna Indonesia, there are at least 115 orangutans smuggledinto Thailand and held captive at Safari World in Bangkok.Hardi said that Thailand was not the only country that smuggled orangutansfrom Indonesia."Cambodia is also a country in which smuggled orangutans are rampant. Basedon a survey during our visit there, there are approximately 19 orangutansthat we suspect are from Indonesia, but we still need to investigate furtherto determine whether they are really from our country," said Hardi.alloprimate will not allow negative comments about individuals, institutions, or organizations.*Bushmeat Awareness Group*<BushmeatAwarenessGroup>Please use the address <alloprimate > when posting toalloprimate.Replies to alloprimate posts automatically set the address field to<alloprimate >. Be CAREFUL with personal replies!