ORANGUTAN SCANDAL - UPDATE

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends of the Orangutan,

 

First of all, I would like to send heartfelt thanks to all of you who are

supporting this campaign. I know saving orangutans in S.E. Asia may at times

seem very remote to you, especially if you do not receive a reply to the emails

we have asked you to send to overseas government officials. The good news is,

although I am unable to go into details publicly, I can confirm we are all

making a difference.

 

The international awareness of these incarcerated orangutans has never been

higher. The pressure on the countries and people concerned has never been

greater. Without which, the orangutans would die, be killed or sold to other

zoos. All those people who up to now have been part of the problem, know that

the eyes of the world are upon them - and will remain so until all these

orangutans are returned to Indonesia.

 

Although nothing to do with our campaign, in Thailand the Prime Minister is

facing mass protests for his resignation. Given his enthusiasm for placing more

wild animals (including orangutans) in his home-town zoo, if he resigns he will

not be a loss to us.

 

In recent weeks, we have been gathering support for a letter to CITES, the

international organisation which needs to be held more publicly accountable for

these orangutans’ desperate situation. The response has been wonderful, and last

week we sent a letter to the Secretary General with the support of 40

international conservation organisations and two highly regarded

conservationists, Sir David Attenborough and Dr. Richard Leakey.

 

There are many people in overseas countries with local knowledge who are also

providing the campaign with a lot of confidential information and support, to

whom we are enormously grateful.

 

Whilst many things are happening behind the scenes which we are unable to

report on publicly at the moment, do you think you could please continue helping

with letters to:

 

CAMBODIA

Please will you write to the Ambassador and ask him when his country will be

returning the 22+ orangutans to Indonesia who have been languishing at the Koh

Kong Safari World for two years?

The Ambassador is HOR Nambora (correct spelling):

cambodianembassy and copy it to cabinet

 

It would also be a great help if you would write to the owner of Koh Kong Safari

World, Mr Ly Yong Phat, and ask him when will he be returning these illegally

obtained orangutans to Indonesia - and in the meantime will he stop using these

animals in circus-style tricks to entertain visitors? His email address:

kokkongsafari

 

THAILAND

The Prime Minister PM and copy it to the Minister of the

Ministry of Environment: H.E. Yongyut Tiyapairut: yongyut and also to

this address schwann

Simply ask them when are they going to return the orangutans to Indonesia?

 

MALAYSIA

Has a new Minister of the Environment Datuk Azmi Khalid

Email address: azmi.khalid

Please could you write and ask him when HE will return the seven orangutans

currently being made to perform clown-like degrading tricks in Malaysian zoos,

back to Indonesia.

Please copy it to info and mycounsellor

 

SAUDI ARABIA

Please could you also email the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Saudi Arabia?

birelations.dep and copy to cites_sa_ksa also to

ukemb

Please ask if there is any truth in the rumour that the single orangutan

confiscated from a pet shop last year by their authorities, has since been given

to a member of the Royal Family?

 

CITES: If you have not had a reply to your postcard, we encourage you to write

to the Secretary General Mr. William Wijnstekers and simply ask, " What are you

personally doing to help all these orangutans illegally imported into Thailand,

Cambodia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia? " Please keep emailing him until you do

receive a reply. cites

 

Since we all last wrote, a CITES official has been in touch , but we are still

waiting for many questions to be answered.

 

Please be polite at all times with all your letters and always ask for a

reply.

 

We also hope you will help us in our efforts to gain more signatories to 2

petition campaigns at:

 

http://www.petitionthem.com/default.asp?sect=detail & pet=2386

 

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/822035733

 

We need to keep up the pressure from all angles until this trade is put out of

business.

 

THANK YOU once again. I am sorry this is rather a long letter - there's

actually so much more I could write!

 

Please could you email these people today and whilst it is still fresh in your

mind? If we were to give up, the orangutans are likely to either die or face a

life of misery in confinement, but we won't let this happen, will we?

 

These orangutans have no one to speak for them, but us.

 

With sincere thanks,

 

Michelle Desilets

Director

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK

www.savetheorangutan.co.uk

P.S. Please do write - we REALLY are counting on your continued support.

 

 

 

 

Michelle Desilets

BOS UK

www.savetheorangutan.org.uk

www.savetheorangutan.info

" Primates Helping Primates "

 

Please sign our petition to rescue over 100 smuggled orangutans in Thailand:

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/822035733

 

 

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