Rights of non-human primates

by Prof.Kirthi Tennakone

What are human rights? The United Nations declares: “Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status.” Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more.  Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.

Animals have similar rights on this planet: right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture. They are natural, moral and ethical by virtue of righteousness. Humans cannot dictate the rights of animals.

Human rights are often violated. Nevertheless, whenever such violations happen or when policies or bills that could lead to their infringement are proposed or drafted; humans have the propensity to react, oppose and demand justice.

Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith continues to struggle, seeking justice for the victims of Easter Sunday massacre. The editor, The Island writes editorials and publish columns pointing out the dangers of the Anti- Terrorism Bill.

According to newspaper reports, the Agriculture Ministry is considering a request to send 100,000 toque macaques to China. These unfortunate animals have no ability to learn what would happen, protest or escape. They are not aware of the horrors of the animal experimentation in biomedical laboratories. Whether their babies will be forcibly snatched from their mothers and subjected gruesome torture referred to as ‘experiments’, or imprisoned in cages without access to a clean natural habitat.

The toque macaques, classified as nonhuman primates, are intelligent animals. They feel emotions, take care of babies for about two years and lead a social life.

They do not have a ‘constitution’ for misinterpretation but abide by the laws of the natural environment. When their habitats are destroyed by humans, engendering their existence and that of humans as well. Torque macaques have no alternative than to encroach on land grabbed by people.

Nonhuman primates suit biomedical research because of their close similarity to humans, sharing over 95 percent of human genes. They are used to test the efficacy and toxicity of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, vaccines and effects of exposure to virulent pathogens. And also in physically invasive investigative procedures, torturously painful to the animal and frequently result in death. Monkeys commonly used in medical research are rhesus macaques, cynomolgus macaques and marmosets. The toque macaques have a similar genome and slight differences may be advantageous or disadvantageous.

Laboratories get their monkeys via two routes; from farms that breed animals or captivity from their natural habitats. Both these supply methods now face constraints; because of the restrictions of governments, animal welfare organisations, airlines refusals to transport caged monkeys on ethical grounds and concerns of the general public.

According to literature, in China, the United States and Europe there is a shortage of primates required for biomedical research. International conventions discourage the use of primates captured from the wild for biomedical experimentation. Europe and the United States recommend breeding animals in farms, strictly supervised to maintain ethical standards and considering a complete ban of experimenting with captured animals.

Some experts maintain the view that primate experimentation is essential for advancement of biomedical research. While others are of the opinion these experiments are largely redundant and in light of modern science alternative methods could be adopted. The United States Food and Drug Administration has eliminated the requirement that new drugs undergo testing in animals, before being introduced to human clinical trial subjects.

A poll revealed that 77 percent of UK adults want the government to phase out animal testing in laboratories. A law known as the New York Cruelty Free Cosmetics Act bans sale of cosmetics based animal tests, in the New York State. So many other organisations cry for banning cruel practices involving animals, especially nonhuman primates.

The Buddha was the greatest defender of human and animal rights. He taught that animals felt pain and trauma just as humans did and should not be harmed. Sri Lanka is committed to upholding the teachings of Buddha – follow his teaching rather than engagement rituals and ceremonies in the name of the religion while behaving contrarily.