The Plight of Monkey for Mankind

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From Indonesian newspaper, Kompas

 

The Plight of Monkey for Mankind

 

Injection needle, drug, cotton and net have been prepared. Three

officers in blue uniform are also ready to harvest long-tailed monkey,

quite big in size, spectators are also ready.

 

One by one the three officers enters to the wired cage of 5x6 meter.

The monkeys inside the cage immediately step away to the corner,

frightened, their eyes widened, watchful and their eyebrows move

up and down, very noisy.

 

" The male must be drugged first, only the male strikes, " said drh

Zulkifli Abdul Jabar, assistant manager of CV Inquatex Primates

Division, to a number of reporters and staffs of Directorate General

of Forest Protection and Nature Conservation of the Ministry of

Forestry, who visited the long-tailed monkey breeding colony complex

owned by CV Inquatex at Rumpin Bogor.

 

The only male monkey in the cage is then chased by the three officers,

just only in a few minutes the male has been caught in to a net which

resembles a butterfly net, then injected with drug. Unfortunately,

the semi-conscious monkey escapes from the net, now he is chased

for the second time. Finally, before being netted again, the monkey

falls to the cemented floor because his hold on the cage wired is

weakening. His mouth is bleeding when he hits the floor.

 

The next duty is to separate monkey offspring from their mothers, at

least there are four mothers who are still caring their offspring, one

monkey was just born two weeks ago. " At the age of four months,

they will be separated from their mother " , explained Zulkifli.

 

Once again, the monkeys are chased, their long tails make their

catch easy. The caught tail is pulled, and then their hands and

tail are wrapped to the back.

 

The offspring tightly holding to his mother's breast, was forcefully

released from his mother. Because he is so frightened, he urinates and

defecates. From his eyes, it is clear that he is so frightened, his

hand and tail are wrapped to the back.

 

There are two more monkey offspring that must be separated from

their mothers. Before being separated and prepared for export,

these monkeys offspring must be tattooed on the breast. The

breast number of the mother is also recorded. When caught,

officers will give them worm medicine and other medicines.

 

One male and female monkey offspring are then weaned in separate

cages until they are ready for export. Before their export, the monkeys

must first be quarantined for one month so they will adapt to a

battery cage.

 

One monkey in one cage, the cage box has a size of more or less

40x60x40 cm. In one cage there are two cans for water and food.

This tight cage has only one small hole for air ventilation.

 

For mankind

 

These monkeys are then sent overseas such as to USA and England.

According to data up to April 1997, CV Inquatex has sent more than

900 monkeys.

 

What are these monkeys for? The monkeys from Indonesia, and also

from a number of neighboring countries, such as the Philippines, are

mostly exported to USA for biomedical test purposes. For example

to conduct research on new medicines, certain human diseases such

as heart, cancer, hepatitis to AIDS.

 

The Indonesian-born monkeys are served with certain foods, given

new medicines to test the effects. At the end of research, they normally

have to sacrifice their lives on the operating table.

 

What a great service they have rendered, not only to the whole mankind

but also to their raisers and exporters. CV Inquatex may have to apply

more human approach in raising and catching practices. Just assume it

as an appreciation to those who for the interest of mankind are forced

to sacrifice their lives.

 

KOMPAS, Monday, 18 August 1997

Certified Translation from Indonesian by Achmad Abid

 

===============================================

 

The capture and export of the monkeys described in the article above

is regarding the " Air France Baby Monkeys " case. These monkeys

were sent from CV Inquatex in Indonesia to LABS of Virginia in Yemassee,

South Carolina, USA. Infant monkeys and pregnant female monkeys were

knowingly shipped from CV Inquatex to LABS of Virginia, though

it was known by both companies that international law prohibits transport

of infant and pregnant mammals.

 

For more information regarding the " Air France Baby Monkeys " case

and to learn what you can do to help ensure that justice is served on

behalf of these monkeys, please visit the International Primate Protection

League's Action Alerts at

 

http://www.ippl.org/Air_France.htm and

http://www.ippl.org/baby-monkey-case.html