New Zealand became the first country to enact legislation
recognizing the special status of great apes, prohibiting the use of great apes in
research, testing,or teaching |
Legal rights
for our
closest cousins?Honorary
human
Should chimpanzees, gorillas and orang-utans, be granted
human rights? Yes, say authors of ‘The Great Ape Project: Equality Beyond
Humanity’. Sharing their views in this book, published in 1993, are 34
psychologists,biologists, philosophers, ethicists, and anthropologists arguing for the
extension of basic human rights to apes.
To quote the Project's FAQ, "The Great Ape Project is arguing for the inclusion of
our fellow great apes in the "community of equals" not because they are
human-like, but rather because they possess a variety |
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of characteristics which are morally
relevant. These characteristics, such as complex emotional life, strong social and family
bonds, and self-awareness, have a great moral weight not because most humans have them
too, but because they are morally relevant in themselves." New Zealand became the
first country to enact legislation recognizing the special status of great apes. The law
prohibits the use of great apes in research, testing,or teaching "unless such use is
in the best interests of the non-human hominid" or its species.
DNA studies show that a chimpanzee’s closest
relative is not the gorilla, but the human. Humans share 98.4% of their DNA with the two
living species of chimpanzees. Pondering over this molecular comparison an editorial in
the magazine New Scientist says "But this misses the point: genomes are not cake
recipes. A few tiny changes in a handful of genes controlling the development of the
cortex could easily have a disproportionate impact. A creature that shares 98.4 per cent
of its DNA with humans is not 98.4 per cent human, any more than a fish that shares, say,
40 per cent of its DNA with us is 40 per cent human. Gibbons and monkeys share nearly all
their DNA with gorillas. And what of tarsiers and lemurs? Take DNA as your measure of
sentience and moral worth and the chemical connectedness of life ensures that you soon end
up extending honorary personhood to the rat and haddock."
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According to Australian philosophy professor
Peter Singer, president of the project,"The community of equals is the moral
community within which the most basic ethical and legal principles apply to members. The
right to life, the right not to be tortured and the rights not be imprisoned without due
process are concepts that now only apply to human beings."
Sceptics argue otherwise. Is it possible to
equate a chimpanzee with the intelligence of a four year old? And therefore grant it the
same rights as we do for a child or mentally retarded person. The New Scientist again,
"Advocates of the kind of proposal being debated in New Zealand get round such
concerns by suggesting we give apes semi-human legal status. But human rights are all or
nothing. To think of apes as second-rate versions of ourselves is surely to demean the
very creatures we seek to protect." Biomedical researchers are a worried lot. They
believe that this would simply be the first step in a grand plan to extend human rights to
all other animals — and the end of their work.
What do you think?
Parents of school going children in Delhi are worried! The Supreme
Court’s judgement says that public transport like buses, taxies and auto-rickshaws
must move to using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) by the 31st of March. Why CNG? because
particles in diesel exhaust are cancer causing and can harm the foetus. Given the high
levels of particulate matter in Delhi, CNG is the cleanest option available. Schools have
sent notices to parents that from April 1st, 2001 onwards parents would have to arrange
transport for their children on their own. Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) also issued a
similar notice that they will withdraw their buses from 1st April onwards. There is a lot
of unrest in schools and lots of myths have formed about how sound is the technology or
the judgement. If you do find yourself sitting at home because there are no school buses
or few DTC or private buses and very few autos and taxies, or because your session was
terminated before time, who is to blame? Court for their silly judgement? Or the
environmentalists who are fighting for clean air?
Or a lazy Government? The Supreme Court passed the order for CNG conversion two years
ago. But DTC and the state government seem to have done nothing about it. On the contrary,
the state government has allowed 6,000 diesel buses to be registered after this notice.
The Finance Minister has increased the price of ecofriendly CNG. The government has framed
so many incorrect notions about CNG to defend themselves. CNG is not economically
viable…contributes much more to global warming…is unsafe…CNG is not a
proven technology and so on…
Facts tell us otherwise.
C for Chaos.
N for Neglect.
G for Grumble. |
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How the Government of India and the State
Government of Delhi is implementing Supreme Court orders to control air pollution
| MYTH |
FACT |
 Government is doing their best |
Done precious little. Allowed the registration
of 6,000 diesel buses after the order. Have framed incorrect notions about CNG. Latest
budget has increased the price of CNG. |
| CNG buses are not safe |
No evidence that CNG buses pose more risk of
fire and explosion than diesel buses. |
| CNG is not economically viable |
Labour costs for diesel equipment — almost
twice that of CNGs. Parts cost 25% more in case of diesel. Fuel cost in diesel
approximately double. |
| Not a proven technology |
Worldwide, there are 10 lakh CNG vehicles and
they are growing every year. In US there was a 38% increase in CNG vehicles between 97 and
98. |
| Ultra low sulphur fuels enough |
Ultra low sulphur fuel means diesel with
sulphur content less than 10 ppm (parts per million) or 0.001% and not 500 ppm or 0.05% as
introduced in Delhi. Only when 10 ppm low sulphur fuels are used with a particulate trap
(or other treatment devices), is it comparable to CNG and that is still in experimental
stage. |
| Emit same amount of particulate matter as diesel buses. |
Emission testing of CNG vehicles shows a huge
reduction in particulate matter and nitrogen oxides. |
| Euro 2 and Euro 3 buses can be as effective |
Euro norms are lax and do not lay thrust on
reducing toxic particulate emissions.
US has set norms from 2004 which will wipe out the current diesel technology. |
| Contributes more to global warming. |
Considering the entire life cycle of vehicle,
global warming potential of CNG is 12 per cent lower than diesel. |
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A
Down To Earth Supplement
