European monkey breeding protests reach UK

Saturday, February 23, 2008

Animal welfare campaigners protested outside the Nepalese Embassy in London yesterday to campaign against Nepal government's involvement in the breeding of rhesus monkeys for biomedical research in America. This protest was the first in the UK in support of the global Stop Monkey Business Campaign.

Protesters gathered outside the embassy at 10:30 am, with posters showing a suffering lab monkey and the heading “Nepal's Shame”. Two campaigners went inside the embassy to talk with government officials about their concerns regarding the trade of monkeys for export to American 'research' companies. The protesters met and talked with Mr. Jhabindra P. Aryal, Counsellor/ Deputy Chief of Mission to the embassy, who promised to pass on the campaigners’ concerns to his government.

According to the British campaigners Nepal should be ashamed of providing monkeys for biomedical research, especially in the past the country has built a reputation of protecting wildlife species such as the tiger, rhino and elephant. They note that monkeys are considered sacred both by Hindus and Buddhists. The campaigners call on the Nepalese government to stop the export of monkeys for experimentation, which causes great suffering. “Exposes of animal ‘research’ companies, including the ones on Washington and San Antonio which have established offices in Nepal, have shown time and time again of the untold suffering and fraudulent research that goes on in the name of science. Researchers tend to treat monkeys as disposable tools and consider proper animal care to be too expensive,” the protesters note.

The campaigners distributed leaflets explaining Nepal’s involvement with the monkey death trade to members of the public. According to the protesters members of the public were shocked to find that Nepal is involved in such a cruel business.

The London demonstration is part of a growing global campaign pressurizing the Nepalese government to ban the export of rhesus monkeys for commercial or scientific use. Earlier this month campaigners protested at the Nepalese Consulate in Amsterdam, Holland. In March demonstrations will be held in France and other European countries.