Thai govt promises to return orangutans after DNA test<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia will have to wait for the return of 69 orangutans, it
\nsuspects have been smuggled into Thailand, as the Thai government
\nrequires them to undergo DNA tests to determine their origin, an
\nactivist says.<\/p>\n
ProFauna Indonesia international affairs coordinator Hardi
\nBaktiantoro said on Thursday that the Thai government had
\npromised to return the 69 orangutans once it was proven that they
\noriginated from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Based on our observations, we know that the 69 orangutans are
\nfrom Kalimantan. But the Thai government wants more solid
\nevidence, thus they decided to perform DNA tests to find out
\ntheir origins,\" said Hardi.<\/p>\n
He said that the Thai government promised to return the
\norangutans immediately if the DNA test results showed that they
\nwere from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said that the Thai government was willing to compromise as
\nit had ratified the Convention on International Trade in
\nEndangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) -- an
\ninternational agreement which aims to ensure the trade of wild
\nflora and fauna does not threaten the species.<\/p>\n
\"Thailand will be the host of the next CITES convention, and
\nit certainly wants to retain its positive image,\" Hardi told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Earlier on the same day, ProFauna Indonesia held a
\ndemonstration in front of the Thai Embassy in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In the demonstration, ProFauna Indonesia demanded that the
\nThai government take actions against the Safari World management
\nas it failed to prove the orangutans' legal status.<\/p>\n
The organization demanded that the Thai government punish
\nofficials involved in the conspiracy to capture the orangutans.<\/p>\n
It further called on the Thai government to stop kick boxing
\nshows performed by orangutans as it would harm them and lead to
\npremature death.<\/p>\n
According to ProFauna Indonesia, there are at least 115
\norangutans smuggled into Thailand and held captive at Safari
\nWorld in Bangkok.<\/p>\n
Hardi said that Thailand was not the only country that
\nsmuggled orangutans from Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"Cambodia is also a country in which smuggled orangutans are
\nrampant. Based on a survey during our visit there, there are
\napproximately 19 orangutans that we suspect are from Indonesia,
\nbut we still need to investigate further to determine whether
\nthey are really from our country,\" said Hardi.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/thai-govt-promises-to-return-orangutans-after-dna-test-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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