action alert: from Friends of the Earth Malaysia re-send orangutans back to Indonesia

[Guest guest]

ACTION ALERT.

SEND ORANGUTANS BACK TO INDONESIA!

 

 

Friends of the Earth Malaysia (FOEM)/Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) calls

on the global community of animal welfare and conservation groups

opposed to the unlawful custody of more than 100 orangutans indigenous

to Indonesia, to write letters of protest to the King and the

Government of Thailand.

 

Thailand should be pressured to return to Indonesia the endangered

apes for rehabilitation and release into the wild. Since Indonesian

wildlife centers hve offered to rehabilitate the orangutans and

funding are available, time should not be wasted in returning the

orangutans to their country of origin.

 

Orangutans, endemic to Sumatra and Borneo, are dignified animals and

not commodities to box and ship to places like Bangkok Safari World

for use in kickboxing exhibitions and to be exploited at Thai theme

parks, zoos, and

farms.

 

The orangutan is a remarkably intelligent creature who does not belong in an

amusement park. As you are likely aware, poachers ransack Indonesian jungles

where orangutans are protected under a presidential decree enacted in the

1930s. Mother orangutans are gunned down with their tiny babies left

clinging to their bodies. Many of young animals do not survive. A dead

female adult also marks the loss of four or five more babies she would have

parented during her lifetime.

 

In September 2003 and July 2004, a Thai and Indonesian government inspection

of Safari World uncovered 115 orangutans, constrained in squalid,

cramped conditions. Many were not registered with authorities. Safari

World claims a breeding program produced the orangutans, yet the

disproportionately higher number of young orangutans to adults renders

this claim implausible. As experts await DNA test results, many

conclude Safari World's orangutans are from Indonesian Borneo rather

than captive breeding.

 

Thailand, a CITES signatory, needs to abide by CITES regulations regarding

illegal trafficking in orangutans. But it has refused to abide by it.

 

It should not adopt a lackadaisical attitude in dealing with animal

trafficking laws. It should be answerable for its actions. We call on

all wildlife and animal support groups to write in protest to the

following:

 

a) His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadeja

Bureau of the Royal Household

The Grand Palace

Thanon Na Phra Lan

Bangkok 10200

Thailand

 

b) The Hon. Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra

Prime Minister of Thailand

Office of the Prime Minister

Pissanulok Road, Dusit,

Bangkok 10300

Thailand

 

c) Mr. Damrong Phidet

Director General

National Park

Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department

61 Phahonyothin

Ladyaow, Jatuchak

Bangkok 10900

Thailand

 

to express your disapproval of the unlawful confinement of the

illegally smuggled orangutans and demand for:

 

a) a full investigation, prosecution and to penalize wildlife

dealers to the fullest extent under Thai law;

 

b) a full confiscation of all illegally acquired orangutans from

Safari World and other Thai commercial venues for

rehabilitation and release in Indonesia; and

 

c) to advocate a permanent ban on the use of orangutans in kickboxing matches.

 

Kindly email us a copy of your letter sent. (Email: alammsia)

 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

 

Yours Sincerely,

 

Mr. S M Mohd Idris

President

Friends of the Earth Malaysia (FOEM)/Sahabat Alam Malaysia

9 Solok Mas

11600 Penang, Malaysia

Tel: 6 04 6596930 Fax: 6 04 6596931