Press Release | 12 October 2006

ProFauna Is Staging Another Demonstration to Demand the Orangutans Repatriation from Thailand

Contents

• ProFauna Is Staging Another Demonstration to Demand the Orangutans Repatriation from Thailand
• For further information, please contact

When Safari World in Bangkok, famed for its orangutan kickboxing show, was raided by the Thai Forestry Police on 22 November 2003, more than one hundred orangutans were discovered. From a morphology identification by experts, it was revealed that most of the orangutans, including the young, are species from Kalimantan (Pongo pygmaeus). They were acquired illegally, poached from the wild.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta has stated that the Thai government would repatriate the illegally imported orangutans to the country of origin once formalities have been completed. It was further stated that the Thai government is very concerned about the conservation of orangutans and that Thailand and Indonesia are two friendly countries.

Following diplomatic negotiations by Indonesian authorities, lengthy lobbying and campaigning by various NGOs about the illegal possession of the hundred orangutans in Thailand, the Thai government finally announced in a press conference on 18th April 2006 that the orangutans would be repatriated to Indonesia.

After 6 months of waiting for the inter-governmental formalities and repatriation procedures, more than 40 orangutans were scheduled to depart to Jakarta on 23rd September 2006 using a Hercules aircraft. It was planned that the orangutans would be received by the First Lady, Madam Kristiani Yudhoyono and officials from the Indonesian Department of Forestry. However, the repatriation was postponed on the basis that there had been a coup in Thailand.

Subsequent to a further delay of three weeks, ProFauna Indonesia appeals to the following:

1. The Thai Government to resume the repatriation schedule of the orangutans to Indonesia urgently. The change of government in Thailand should not affect or delay the repatriation of orangutans to their habitats in Indonesia.
2. The continuous delay in this repatriation by the current Government of Thailand projects a negative image to the international community in the Thai’s government handling of the serious crimes of illegal wildlife trafficking and smuggling.
3. It is hoped that the new Thai government would take this matter seriously and expedite the orangutans’ repatriation to Indonesia. The sooner these orangutans are returned to Indonesia, the quicker they would adapt to life in the wild again.

To support the above appeal, on 12th October 2006 ProFauna activists will stage a demonstration in front of the Royal Thai Embassy in Jakarta. Activists will wear orangutan and military outfits to show that the orangutans’ fate is in the hand of the new Thai government.

For further information, please contact:

Asep R Purnama, Chairman of ProFauna Indonesia
Phone: +62 341 570033, HP. +62 815 55616301
email: profauna@profauna.org