Spain proposes a Universal Rights of Ape:
MADRID — The Spanish Parliament is debating a bill which would give great apes rights.
The bill, which is backed by the Spanish arm of the Seattle-based Great Ape Project, would stop apes from being caged, marketing or improperly used for research.
The group presented the objectives of the international programme to deputies in Spain's lower house.
But the idea has met with the widespread ridicule.
....The group is pursuing the aim of securing a U.N. Declaration of the Rights of Great Apes that would confer certain moral and legal rights on them, including "the right to life, the freedom from arbitrary deprivation of liberty and protection from torture".
"Regardless of who it hurts, we human beings are great apes," said biologist Joaquin Araujo, the president of the Great Ape Project in Spain.
He claims because of their close biological kinship with humans, protecting the basic rights of apes is "an ethical responsibility".
Araujo lamented the fact that some have sought to make "ridiculous" comparisons between the Great Ape Project and the ape protection bill presented in Parliament by lawmaker Francisco Garrido of the Green Party, which is part of the ruling Socialists' majority grouping.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment