Frans de Waal and the Altruism
posted in 27 Jun 2007

Recent experiments in the Institut of Evolutive Antropology Max Planck, in Leipzig (Germany), had demonstrated that chimpanzees help themselves when not related, when placed before a challenge (source- Reinaldo J. Lopes www.gl.com.br). In this article published in the scientific magazine – “PLOS Biology”, he was also registered the comment of the Dutch researcher Frans de Waal from the Emory University- Atlanta (USA), that denies the meaning given to the experiment, since it alleges that chimpanzees act “for interest” when they are helped, being as known as disinterested human altruism. At the same time in the article of journalist Lia Bock from the Época Magazine named as “Monkey is also people”, the same Frans de Wall appears denying the basic rights to the Great Primates in our society “since this can be applied only for those capable of making responsible acts for the society…” Who is Frans de Wall and why he denies rights to the Great Primatesω Is he altruisticω Does he not act for interestω Is he not acting after a rewardω Frans de Wall presents himself as “one of the biggest Primate specialist in the world” and has some books published showing the characteristics, abilities, smartness and intelligence of the chimpanzees. He also presents himself as researcher of the Emory University; however he works in the Institute of Primatologist of Yerkes, which is a center of medical experimentation of chimpanzees and other primates. In the GAP Census of 2002, 190 jailed chimpanzees had been identified, some living there since 1954 as Wenka (female). These 190 are survivors; many had died in the last 30 years, submitted to the most barbarous experiences disguised as medical research. Frans de Wall is also Dutch. Holland was the great warehouse of chimpanzees and other primates in the last 50 years. There, chimpanzees were multiplies and sold to circuses, zoos and laboratories of medical experiences all over the world. Nowadays, that center of horrors is closed, and the survivors have being relocated in diverse parts of the world, many contaminated with terrible illnesses, since in that Dutch laboratory also our brothers were inoculated with diseases and chemicals substances. Recently Frans de Waal was in Spain giving a series of lectures and launching at his latest book and did not say a phrase about the rights of the Great Primates. Whyω Perhaps the reason was his lack of altruism. When our society recognizes the rights of the Great Primates and realizes they should be respected in our world, those that tortured them, abused them, killed them in laboratories of medical experimentation will be processed by their actions or inactions. Perhaps Frans de Waal could think that the judgments of Nuremberg, that had been condemned the Nazis and the Nazism, can be reopened to condemn those that murdered their not human beings brothers, when they were defenseless in their hands. Now let us understand their positions and reasons. Perhaps the chimpanzees that had given them notoriety, fame and wealth, in the end will show the truth. Dr Pedro A. Ynterian GAP Project International