Guest guest Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 The US-based Washington Primate Center is setting up a lab in Nepal. The US-based Southwest Primate Center is ALSO working on a lab in Nepal. Both labs would use rhesus monkeys. Please sign Nepali animal protectors' petition at http://www.PetitionOnline.com/anpo/petition.html These are both terrible schemes! Indian readers, be sure to sign because some of your Indian rhesus may be taken across the porous border. Does India have any influence to get these projects stopped? Shirley McGreal 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 Working to Protect All Primates Since 1973 One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly making exciting discoveries. ~ AA Milne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 11, 2006 Report Share Posted June 11, 2006 Dear Shirly, Yes, India`s northeastern region shares porous international borders with not only Nepal, but also China, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Bhutan. And it is quite likely that the monkeys and other wildlife finds way through Nepal. Nepal also pumps in the maximum amount of smuggled foreign goods (china/japan make). This itself is a clear example of how easy it is to ferry things in and out of that country from India. It still continues. The state of Assam used to have quite a handsome population of phesus macaque. It is a known fact that rhesus is a delicacy in the neighbouring state of Nagaland and Mizoram. Hence it is illegally captured/ shot by people from non rhesus eating state of Assam, to earn easy money. A few years back a high profile bureaucrat was arrested for shooting rhesus near the Kaziranga National Park in Assam, but was later pardoned by the Assam`s Chief Minister on health grounds. This is for food, but a more dangerous target of rhesus could be the link between wildlife traficking and militancy. Most of the insurgent / militant outfits that operate in this region are believed to have set up their camps in the fringes across the border of countries such as Bhutan and Nepal. A report in a news tabloid 'Tehelka' recently showed a zoo inside one of the camps of NDFB, a Bodo outfit, was photographed by the reporter when she went last. On asking her I came to know that there were leopards, langurs, deer and rhesus too. There has been a massive drop in the population of the Golden Langur from Kokrajhar area in Assam which borders Bhutan. Recently a lot many deaths were reported from that area which was once home to the Golden Langur. Wildlife trafficking is one of the most important ways of earning revenue for a militant organisation apart from Narcotics and Extortions here. Although no documentation is available to prove this, but it is a very unique situation here in the northeast India. Because it is a political situation which has taken wildlife and environment in its grip. National Parks, Sanctuaries all are wiped of their animals, valuable trees and there is very little anything can be done locally unless there is international pressure. Expecting something from the Indian government in this regard would be hopeless. I hope some pressure in mounted on the Indian Government by international agancies soon. Thanks, Azam Siddiqui P.S: The porous international border of India and Myanmar is is a much more vulnerable situation. aapn , Shirley McGreal <smcgreal wrote: > > The US-based Washington Primate Center is setting up a lab in Nepal. > The US-based Southwest Primate Center is ALSO working on a lab in > Nepal. Both labs would use rhesus monkeys. > > Please sign Nepali animal protectors' petition at > http://www.PetitionOnline.com/anpo/petition.html > > These are both terrible schemes! > > Indian readers, be sure to sign because some of your Indian rhesus > may be taken across the porous border. Does India have any influence > to get these projects stopped? > > Shirley McGreal > > 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 > Working to Protect All Primates Since 1973 > > One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly > making exciting discoveries. ~ AA Milne > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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