PROTEST AGAINST THE NEPALESE MONKEYTRADE IN NEW YORK

Recently, activists with Win Animal Rights became aware of the Stop the Monkey Business campaign being waged internationally to keep Nepal’s monkeys safe from export to the USA for use in animal experimentation. Internationally this is known as the “Gateway to Hell” campaign as these monkeys are currently being held in captivity in Nepal to satisfy orders from US biotech companies. For the captive Monkeys of Nepal, they are truly at the “gateway to hell”.

Protesters gathered at the Second Avenue office of the Consulate of Nepal. Activists were greeted by a gentleman who identified himself as the General Consul for the government of Nepal. He offered a photocopied document of a press release that had allegedly been posted by the government of Nepal, stating that no monkeys would be exported because Nepal was committed to the CITES agreement.

An activist, who was participating in the protest, used a blackberry to show the Consul that rhesus monkeys were not covered by the CITES treaty. The question was also raised as to why the monkeys are being held in captivity if there was no plan on exporting them? The Consul did not offer an answer to this question. He continued to urge the activists to disband the protest, which of course did not happen. Flyers were distributed to many passersby and most promised to make their feelings known to the Consulate.

Win Animal Rights is a New York based animalrights group, and part of the Gateway to Hell network.