KENYAN MAASAI PROTEST THAI ANIMAL DEAL

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*Kenya's Maasai Protest Against Thai Animal Deal *

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KENYA: December 19, 2005

 

 

*NAIROBI - Hundreds of Maasai tribesmen protested on Friday against a Kenyan

government deal to export wildlife to Thailand, saying they would even take

up weapons to defend the animals. *

 

 

During last month's visit by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Kenya

agreed to ship 175 assorted wild animals more than 7,000 km (4,350 miles) to

jump-start a tourism project in the Asian leader's home town.

 

The deal outraged many environmentalists.

 

At a demonstration in the small town of Leleshwa Narok near the famous

Maasai Mara National Park in south-west Kenya, about 500 people from the

Masai community waved twigs -- a sign of peace -- and clubs to show they

were prepared to take action.

 

" We have been given a raw deal and we are ready to defend the animals with

the few weapons we have, " said Pauline Naneu Kinyarkuo from the Kenya

Wildlife Conservation and Management Network, which groups about 30 animal

rights groups.

 

The protesters appealed to President Mwai Kibaki to overturn the

government's decision to send wild animals to Thailand, saying they would

likely suffer a cruel death.

 

 

GIRAFFES AND FLAMINGOS

 

The government in November said the exotic creatures to be sent to Thailand

included giraffes, buffaloes, flamingos and gazelles, with no rhinos or

other endangered species involved.

 

No date was given for the transport.

 

Sidney Quntai, the conservation network's national chairman, said the Maasai

community was not consulted about the deal and only a few individuals were

to gain from it.

 

" Thailand has 14 million tourists per year while Kenya has one million and

the (animal) exportation will only enrich Thailand more, " Quntai said.

 

Kenya's government has justified the deal by saying it would help promote

tourism in the east African nation.

 

The Maasai demonstrators marched around the park's fence before issuing a

joint statement. " There are real dangers in taking the animals to an alien

environment where they are likely to be susceptible to potentially fatal

diseases, " it said.

 

The community also presented a petition signed by 15,000 people to express

its opposition to the animals' export.

 

" We don't want our wild animals being kept in captivity and we don't want to

see them performing tricks in zoos or circuses, " the petition said.

 

 

Story by Antony Gitonga

 

 

REUTERS NEWS SERVICE