Spanish environmental committee approves a bill of rights for large primates / Aprobación de los derechos de los grandes primates en España

Good! Anyone who has observed chimpanzees for long enough knows that they are certainly not in the same class as your average animal. Where that line is drawn is a matter of debate of course.

Here's a chimpanzee named Pan-kun that is really popular in Japan (he lives in Kumamoto right now apparently) for a show made where he travels around with his bulldog friend, buying things, taking pictures, getting on boats, taking the train, and so on. Here he is learning how people train in the fire department and what it's like to experience an earthquake:



Now to the article. I have one problem with the part of the resolution about not being used for profit though, because simply having profit involved doesn't make an activity evil per se, as per the video above where Pan-Kun is able to have a great time bandying about with his dog James (and you can see how much fun he is having in the other videos as well), and it would be a shame to have this type of activity prohibited simply because a tv station happens to make a profit at the same time. One thing that environmental groups tend to forget is that though other animals should be given these rights, it doesn't necessarily mean that they need to be left entirely untouched by human contact or that any adopting of human habits is a bad thing. That means for example that it's not necessarily bad for a chimpanzee to wear clothes like Pan-Kun does if that's what they like doing.

I've always been entrigued by the idea of a study to teach a group of intelligent primates sign language, to the point that they start using it with each other, and then see how it filters in to the rest of them, and whether it gets passed on to their children as well. It would be fascinating to see a future for example where every intelligent primate knows how to use sign language, and us as well. I'll write another post tonight on why I believe learning sign language should be mandatory. I've yet to write on that.

Today's piece of news as well has been translated into both English and Lingua Franca Nova in the form of a news article we might see in the future when an IAL has been approved for interlinguistic communication but languages such as English and Spanish still hold a lot of sway. Here it is:

English	Spanish	Lingua Franca Nova
A call to recognize the rights of primates	Piden Reconocer Derechos a Simios	Reconose diretos a simias
If the law is approved, they could not be put in risk of physical or psychological integrity.	De aprobarse la ley, no podrá ponerse en riesgo su integridad física ni psicólogica.	Si la lege es aprobada, on no pote pone los en risca de se solidia fisical o psicolojial.
Surely the apes are grateful to the deputies of the left of the Commission of the Environment of Congress, because the primates are finally going to see their rights recognized.	Seguramente los simios están agradecidos con los diputados de izquierda de la Comisión de Medio Ambiente del Congreso, ya que por fin los primates van a ver reconocidos sus derechos.	Serta la simias es grasios a la suordinadasa de la sinistra de la Encarga de Ambiente de la Congresa, car a fini los va vide se diretos reconoseda.
From now on their right to life, liberty and to not be mistreated physically or psychologically is recognized.	De ahora en adelante se les reconocerán el derecho a la vida, a la libertad y a no ser maltratados ni física ni psicológicamente.	De aora se diretos a vive, libria, e no sta maltratada no fisical, no psicologial, es reconoseda.
The environmentas committee passed a resolution last week in which it urged the government to endorse the so-called Great Ape Project, an international organization of 15 years.	El comité ambiental aprobó una resolución la semana pasada en la que instó al gobierno para que avale el llamado Proyecto Gran Simio, una organización internacional de 15 años de antigüedad.	La Encarga de ambiente ia aproba un resolve en la semana pasada ce insiste a la governa ce el suporta la tal-clamada Projeta de Simias Grande, un Organiza Internasional con 15 anios de eda.
Thanks to their genetic similarity and conduct with human beings, gorillas and chimpanzees will not be deprived of their liberty arbitrarily or be subject to any type of torture.	Gracias a su similitud genética y conductual con los seres humanos, los gorilas y chimpancés no serán privados nunca más de su libertad de forma arbitraria ni serán sometidos a ningún tipo de tortura.	Grasias a se similia jenetical e de condui con umanas, gorilas e ximpazes no va es privada plu de se libria en forma acaso, e no va es propensa a caulce tipo de tortura.
The international president of the project, Pedro Ynterian, praised the adoption in Spain as an unprecedented act.	El presidente internacional del proyecto, Pedro Ynterian, alabó la aprobación en España, como un hecho inaudito.	La presidente internasional de la projeta, Pedro Ynterian, ia loda la adota en Espania, como un ata no preseda.
"This is the first time in the history of humanity that an important parliament has announced the approval of the rights of the large primates," wrote the leader in the internet site of the organization.	“Es la primera vez en la historia de la humanidad que un parlamento importante ha anunciado la aprobación de los derechos de los grandes primates”, escribió el dirigente en el sitio de internet de la organización.	"Es la prima ves en la istoria de umania ce un parlamente importante proclama la adota de la diretos de la primates grande", ia scrive la dirijor en la loca de rede de la organiza.
"This is an important step towards future governmental support for the great apes around the world".	“Este es un paso importante hacia el apoyo gubernamental futuro por los grandes simios en todo el mundo”.	"Esta es un paso importante a la suporta governal per la simias grande en tota la mundo".
Although the resolution is not legally binding, it exhorts the Spanish government to endorse the project within four months and to pressure other European governments to do the same.	Aunque la resolución aún no es de carácter obligatorio, exhorta al gobierno español a que respalde el proyecto antes de cuatro meses y que presione a otros gobiernos europeos a hacer lo mismo.	Contra ce la resolve no es de carater obligada, el recomenda forte ce la governa de Espania suporta la projeta ante cuatro mensas e ce el debe prese otra governas de Europa per fa la mesma.
If the initiative is approved, the government will have to prohibit any research that harms apes. The same for their being used in circuses or any type of exhibition for profit.	De ser aprobada la iniciativa, el gobierno tendría que prohibir cualquier investigación que dañe a los simios. También que sean utilizados en circos o cualquier tipo de exhibición con fines lucrativos.	Si la inisia* es aprobada, la governa va debe proibi cualce rexerca ce feri simias. La mesma per sta usada en sircus o cualce tipo de esibi con profita.
The office of the socialist prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero said that now it is the Ministry of the Environment that will study the initiative and make a recommendation on whether to endorse the project.	La oficina del primer ministro socialista José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero dijo que ahora depende del Ministerio de Medio Ambiente estudiar la iniciativa y hacer una recomendación sobre si avalará el proyecto.	La ofisia de la ministro prima sosialiste José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero ia dise ce aora es la Ministreria de Ambiente ce va studia la inisia* e fa un recomenda supra si suporta la projeta o no.