News from the Global Campaign to Free the Monkeys of Nepal

MONKEYS OF NEPAL ARE SAFE AT LAST!
VICTORY! NEPALESE MONKEYS SAVED FROM VIVISECTION
From: Gateway to Hell Campaign

After a campaign that lasted for six years (2003-2009), the Nepal government has decided to definitely halt the breeding of monkeys in Nepal for biomedical research taking place in the USA. It shows that it pays to have patience and that the good forces sometimes do win in the end!

It has been a long ride for many of us, with countless ups and downs. In the meantime four of five Ministers came and went, high level bureaucrats changed positions, and the population of captive monkeys increased significantly. As Manoj Gautam points out: 'It shows what can be achieved when one person takes his responsibility serious.' Kudos to Minister Dipak Bohara, and to everyone who has been involved in the Stop Monkey Business Campaign.

Around three hundred monkeys that were to be exported to the United States of America from this week will be able to find their food in freedom, in their own country. A letter from the Ministry of Forestry for the immediate their immediate release will be send to Pravesh Man Shrestha, who has been breeding monkeys for the past five years.

Forestry Minister Deepak Bohra said, "We have decided not to allow the monkeys to be exported. He further added, "We will ask Pravesh Man to release the monkeys within a week."

After consulting the Department Heads of the Ministry Minster Bohara came to conclusion that it was illegal to export the monkeys. As a first step toward exporting monkeys Shrestha had planned to export 25 of the 300 monkeys to the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research Center.

Shrestha was breeding the monkeys under the auspices of Nepal Biomedical Research Center. American citizens had also financially supported this venture. They have now landed in Kathmandu looking for compensation. Shrestha had paid twenty five thousand rupees per monkey as tax to the Department of National Park and Wildlife Protection to procure 200 monkeys per the Forest animal breeding and research program Working Guidelines, 2060.

"The law does not permit the export of any wild animals, thus, giving approval to export the monkeys would contravene the law," said an Under Secretary of the Ministry. "The Ministry has come to the conclusion that the monkeys should be released to their natural environment."

Red monkey [Rhesus monkeys] are listed in the Appendix 2 of the CITES Convention. CITES has banned the export of wildlife in this list.

Dr. Shirley McGreal, OBE, Chairwoman
International Primate Protection League
PO Box 766, Summerville, SC 29484, USA
Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988

E-mail - smcgreal@ippl.org
Web - www.ippl.org
Working to Protect All Primates Since 1973.

You can thank the government of Nepal by writing or calling:

Nepalese Diplomatic Mission/Consulate General
820 Second Avenue, 17th Floor
New York, N. Y. 10017
Tel : 1-212-370-3988 or 3989
Fax : 1-212-953-2038
e-mail: nepal@un.int

Royal Nepalese Embassy
2131 Leroy Place, NW
Washington DC, 20008 USA
Tel : 1-202-667-4550, 4551, 4552
Fax : 1-202-667-5534
e-mail: info@nepalembassyusa.org