** STOP PRESS** GREAT NEWS FOR JIGSAW AND HIS BEAR BUDDIES

Animals Asia’s Vietnam bear rescue centre has been saved from the eviction threat that has been hanging over it since 5 October 2012. A communiqué issued by the Vietnamese government confirms that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has concluded that the rescue centre’s operation should be maintained, and that construction on the project’s second phase should continue.

The rescue centre was established based on the Vietnam government’s 2005 agreement with Animals Asia to fund and develop a facility on 12 hectares of the park that would permanently rehabilitate and house 200 endangered bears rescued from the illegal bear bile industry. Based on this agreement, Animals Asia has invested more than US$2 million in building and infrastructure.

To read more about this story visit AAF’s website here

THANK YOU Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung for going with your conscience and not being swayed by the greed and corruption of others!

January 16 2013

Tam Dao N.P. director’s REAL intentions revealed

Many of you have called or emailed, expressing your concern for Jigsaw and wanting an update about the situation in Vietnam.

Why are we not surprised to discover that Mr Tien, the director of the Tam Dao NP,  has submitted a proposal to build his own wildlife park….in exactly the same area where AAF’s bear rescue centre is already located….

Mr Tien had lobbied the Ministry of Defence to issue an order to evict Animals Asia (based on a claim that the land is of “national defence significance”). However, an investment company has applied to develop a tourist development on the same land Animals Asia is being forced to leave. It is believed Mr Tien intends for his wildlife park to tie-in with the Truong Giang development.

If Animals Asia is evicted from the site, Mr Tien would have no need to build a new wildlife centre, making use instead of the existing facilities that were built and paid for by Animals Asia.

This deceit has not gone unnoticed…

According to a report in Vietnamese newspaper Người Lao Động, Vietnam’s Ministry of Defence has been asked to _make clear why the land in Tam Dao National Park on which Animals Asia’s bear sanctuary is located has been declared to be of “national defence significance”._

At this stage we can only hope that this is a cautiously optimistic sign..

The request came at a meeting convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) on Friday 26 October, which was attended by key government officials: the Ministry of Defence (MOD), the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the Ministry of Natural Resources & Environment (MONRE), representatives of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the military commander of Vinh Phuc Province, where Tam Dao National Park is located.

Almost 50 of Jigsaw’s friends signed the petition and/or wrote to the Prime Minister of Vietnam, expressing their concerns about the unjust eviction order thrust onto AAF’s sanctuary in Tam Dao National Park.  But it’s not over yet. For those of you needing a bit more time you can still  make your voice heard on behalf of Jigsaw and his bear buddies!

Sign the petition NOW

I will continue to keep you posted on the plight of Jigsaw and his friends.

Instead of bringing you a lovely autumn update on Jigsaw and his friends at Tam Dao NP, I need to share far more serious news with you and ask for your help, bigtime!

Animals Asia’s Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre faces eviction and relocation following an aggressive campaign against it by the director of Tam Dao National Park, Mr. Do Dinh Tien.

On Friday 5 October, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) informed Animals Asia that the Ministry of Defence has issued an order to evict the sanctuary operation and its 104 rescued bears.

If you want to read the full story and take action straightaway click here and you will go to Animals Asia’s site

Currently 104 bears rescued from the bear bile industry are living at the Rescue Centre. The bears are being rehabilitated after years of trauma from being locked up in small cages and milked for their bile. These bears – including JIGSAW – will be forced to return to cages to be relocated. It is likely to take at least two years to establish a new centre with outdoor enclosures. This will have a major negative impact on their mental and physical well-being.

The eviction notice follows the park director, Mr Tien, lobbying the Ministry of Defence to declare the sanctuary to be an area of “national defence significance”.

The claim that the land in question is an area of national defence significance is questionable, given that the Rescue Centre has been in operation since 2005 and that the Chat Dau Valley, where it is located, has been used for tourism and other private purposes since the park opened in 1996.

The park director has been pressuring Animals Asia to relinquish 6 hectares of land since April 2011. It is believed that he intends to hand the land over to the Truong Giang Tam Dao Joint Stock Company, in which his daughter has a 10% investment. It is believed that once the bear centre is forced to close, the land will be declared to no longer be of national defence significance, allowing the Truong Giang Joint Stock Company to take it over for private development. The company has submitted an application for development of an “eco-tourism park” and hotels.

Somewhat ironic given that moon bears, rescued from bear-bile farms, would appear to be the perfect companions for an enterprise establishing an “eco-tourism” park.

The eviction is in direct violation of the Vietnam government’s 2005 agreement with Animals Asia to fund and develop a facility on 12 hectares of the Tam Dao National Park that would permanently rehabilitate and house 200 endangered bears rescued from the illegal bear bile industry.

The centre was authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in 2005 and given project approval in a directive from the Prime Minister of Vietnam in 2008.

Based on this agreement, Animals Asia has invested over US$2 million in funding to build the rescue centre through developing the first 6 hectares. This funding was donated by thousands of people from around the world – just like YOU – who gave the money in good faith, hoping to help bears rescued from the bile industry.

It has been a great example of cooperation between an international charity, the Vietnamese government, the Vietnamese people, as well as supporters and donors around the world.

Now the case will go to the Prime Minister for a final decision. Due to the powerful status of the Ministry of Defence in Vietnam, it is feared that the Prime Minister will be forced to agree with the recommendation to close the centre. FURTHERMORE, It is currently unclear whether Animals Asia will be compensated for the relocation and its losses, or would need to find the funds to start construction again at a new location.

THIS MUST BE STOPPED!!

PLEASE TAKE ACTION NOW TO HELP SAVE JIGSAW

AND ALL THE BEARS AT THE VIETNAM BEAR RESCUE CENTRE.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT ANIMALS ASIA’S “STOP THE EVICTION” PAGES