Nepal government bans export of lab monkeys but details remain unclear

[Guest guest]

Even though the Nepali government decided not to export rhesus monkeys for

biomedical research details about the future of the captured monkeys and

possible experimentation on Nepalese soil remain unclear. We hope to meet

the responsible officials next week to get more clarity. Some 200 moneys are

captured in a center connected to a Texas primate research center.

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*Campaign welcomes government decision to half monkey export*

 

The Stop Monkey Business Campaign welcomes the government decision to halt

the export of rhesyus monkeys for biomedical research.

 

According to a letter received by Swiss animal rights groups Nepal on June

20, 2008 officially cancelled its plans to export monkeys for biomedical

research. The letter from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife

Conservation states that the Wildlife Breeding Policy 2003 does 'not include

any clause for allowing export of rhesus monkeys for medical research'.

 

The Stop Monkey Business Campaign started in 2004 after the Nepal government

issued licenses to local breeding centres connected to US primate research

centres. In 2008 the campaign was intensified in Europe and the United

States, where demonstrations and other protests were held on a monhly base.

The campaigners welcome Nepal's decision but wonder if the licenses provided

to the two breeding centres have been officially withdrawn.

 

The campaigners concerned about the fate of the rhesus monkeys which are

presently held in the Lele breeding centre. The campaigners request the

Nepal government to rehabilitate the monkeys in a professional and caring

manner. The monkeys should not be used for any other purpose, killed or

randomly released. The older generation deserves to be rehabilitated back

into the communities they have been taken from while the generation born in

captivity should be placed in a well managed rehabilitation centre where the

monkeys are possibly prepared for a life back in the wild. We will continue

to pressurize the government untill the last monkey is out of its cage.

*Photos*:

- European groups demonstrated throughout the Summer in front of Nepal

embassies and UN Headquarters

- Rhesus monkeys held in Lele breeding centre

 

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Stop Monkey Business Campaign

www.stopmonkeybusiness.org

stopmonkeybusiness

 

 

 

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Stop Monkey Business Campaign

www.stopmonkeybusiness.org

stopmonkeybusiness

 

 

 

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Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland