Elephant Polo

[Guest guest]

I think it's one of the scars in our culture that we have too high an opinion of

ourselves. We align ourselves with the angels instead of the higher primates. —

ANGELA CARTER

 

-

Dr John Wedderburn <john

Thursday, October 12, 2006 8:10 pm

Elephant Polo

aapn

 

> Usually, as Moderator, I stand back and let others do the arguing.

> But I

> need to join in the fray on this issue.

> I fully understand the good intentions of those who have been

> working to

> introduce ankus-free polo matches. But the exploitation of these

> magnificent beasts is unacceptable whether or not an ankus is used

> on

> the field.

> The use of these wonderful animals for human entertainment is

> absolutely

> wrong in principle.

> Ms Townend says, " the 15-20 private companies which hold polo

> matches

> in Jaipur every season ........... cannot be prevented at present

> from

> holding these matches. " I am sure Ms Townend would agree that if

> they

> could be prevented altogether that would be preferable to making

> them

> ankus-free.

> I believe they can be prevented if everyone unites.

> Let's unite!

> John Wedderburn, Asian Animal Protection Network.

>

[Guest guest]

>Ms Townend says, " the 15-20 private companies which hold polo matches

>in Jaipur every season ........... cannot be prevented at present from

>holding these matches. " I am sure Ms Townend would agree that if they

>could be prevented altogether that would be preferable to making them

>ankus-free.

>I believe they can be prevented if everyone unites.

>Let's unite!

>John Wedderburn, Asian Animal Protection Network.

 

 

Let me point out that Christine Townend has been in Jaipur

for most of 15 years, working like hell to get the elephant use

industry to accept humane help in any form. Her introduction of

elephant care workshops in 2001 was gradually albeit grudgingly

accepted, and gave her first-hand inside knowledge of what it takes

to accomplish things to help elephants here & now, not just in a

distant ideal future in which practices such as elephant polo are

banned.

 

The elephants now in Jaipur gain nothing if Christine Townend

joins an international boycott and is thereby ousted from her

position of being able to help them. The elephants do gain if

Townend successfully demonstrates that they can do their work without

being goaded by the ankus.

 

Bear in mind that the elephant polo match in question is

basically a demonstration of handling methods which can be used in

many other circumstances where elephants are used.

 

There is no rational, reasonable, or logical reason to

expect Townend to march in lockstep with those who are on the outside

trying to ban elephant use. Her work is inside, to reduce elephant

suffering until such time as elephant use is banned. Her work in no

way prevents or inhibits the work of those on the outside, and it

does help the elephants who at present are going to be used, one way

or another, regardless of what position she personally takes.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

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[Guest guest]

Under Indian laws cruelty in any form is an offence.

But animal laws are low on priority because of the

system. If we join together and go to the court I am

sure we wont have to waste another 15 years. Will

CARTIER fund the expenses of hiring an advocate ?

Awareness is not for offenders, its for children,

for elephant abusers its the PCA Act 1960. Regards,

Azam Siddiqui

[Guest guest]

Dear AAPN Subscribers,

 

First, I apologise for there being no posts for a couple of days then a

flood today - I had to do a quick trip to USA.

 

Second, Elephant Polo:

It is unfortunate that some e-mails, including my call for unity, were

expressed in a way that caused others to take offence - this is very

easy to do in the e-mail medium and we must all do our best to avoid it.

On this forum we are all on the same side and we should discuss

rationally and with manners how best to proceed in any given

circumstance.

 

Third, may I take this opportunity of saying that I hope as many as

possible of you can come to the AfA Conference. Being able to put a

face to an e-mail is a great help in understanding.

 

John,

Moderator.

[Guest guest]

Dear Eti,

Great job. Well done. We have to make sure that we keep the

pressure. This not a 'Here today, gone tomorrow' campaign. We also have to

keep in mind what Mr Vivek Menon of Wildlife Trust of India said about the

Jaipur elephants in Madras, ie., the eventual aim should be to move them out

of the state. Going by the Rajasthan Chief Minister's statement, it is

apparent that the proposed elephant shelter 'Hathi Gaon' is meant to be more

of a tourist attraction than a secluded retiring sanctuary. Tourists and

rescue centres do not go well together. If you read Hindustan Times you will

surely realise the kind of questions that have been raised on her

credibility and rightly so. Always bear in mind that we are being watched as

keenly as we are watching them. But at least we should be grateful that we

are being spared the trouble of forwarding messages since there are others

who are doing that for us. I can almost see the 'Forward' button being

clicked twice whenever an elephant polo message appears on AAPN; one message

is sent to London, the other to Jaipur. I reckon that is very efficient

monitoring.

Keep the good work. Best wishes,

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

 

 

 

On 3/5/07, etivyas <etivyas wrote:

>

> Rajasthan government organised the much awaited Elephant Festival in

> Jaipur on 3rd March. Tug of war, elephant beauty contest and

> Elephant polo were the major attractions of the festival. Despite

> the worldwide objections on Elephant polo Tourism Department of

> Rajasthan organised this event in order to attract more tourists in

> Rajasthan.

> Being an animal rights person I went to the venue (Chaugaan Stadium)

> just to observe what the elephants go through during such events.

> And I observed that the poor elephants are forced to do things which

> is neither in their capacity nor liked by them. Elephants are giant

> beings and running behind a ball is a difficult task for them.

> During the polo match one could make out that the elephants were

> not interested in chasing the ball, they were so confused

> most of the times that they flocked in a group in the middle of the

> ground. It showed how clueless the poor creatures were all the time.

> Elephant polo is criticised worldwide by all major animal welfare

> groups including Peta, . During the Cartier Elephant polo all the

> major Animal Welfare Organisations had come forward to protest

> against it. There was a big protest on the day of the match and many

> animal right activists including myself got arrested by Police.

> In AFA 07 a resolution was passed by all the members it was , " To

> ban use of animals in entertainment. " That ways elephant polo is a

> sport organised purely for the entertainment of the tourists and the

> aristrocrates. But, still this match was organised because AWBI

> supported the event. If I am not wrong every time when animals are

> to perform in a movie, entertainment activity etc the organisers of

> the event are supposed to take a written permission from AWBI. If

> AWBI grants the permission then only they can use the animals.

> The major responsibility of AWBI is to save animals from cruel

> practices and I think there are enough examples to support the fact

> that elephant polo is a cruel sport.

> There are two issues first AWBI should not support such activities

> which involve un-necessary torture of the gentle giants.

> Secondly as far as I know in most of the government functions no

> permission is taken from AWBI for the public performance of animals,

> still no action is taken against the organisers of such

> events who disobey the AWBI mandates.

> I think the role of AWBI is very crucial in this respect. They can

> put a check on cruel events like elephant polo by not giving the

> required permission to the organisers. Then we can stop such events

> easily.

> I further want to say that elephants are shedule-I animals they may

> be captive but they are still wild animals and anything which is

> done against their will and instinct can turn out to be

> fatal for both elephants as well as humans.

> I would like to thank all those who have raised a voice against this

> cruel sport and hope they will continue to support us in order to

> ban this sport for ever.

>

> kindly visit the links below to see the event -:

>

> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6745387741993546559 & pr=goog-

> sl

>

> http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4726011602199345341 & pr=goog-

> sl

>

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Eti, after reading your email I was reminded of a story that I had read when

I was in school!! A city close to the sea had a huge wall built around it

because it was slightly lower than the sea level, basically to block the

water. Once a young boy saw water leaking in through a small hole. He

quickly put his finger and blocked the flow of water. He sat there braving

the darkness and the cold untill the next morning when people saw him and

applauded him for what he had done. The reason?? Because if he had walked

away that day, with the force of the gushing water, the hole would have

become bigger and bigger, until it finally gave way and all the people in

the city would have been killed!

 

Unlike him, here people seemed to have walked away from the problem giving

an opportunity for elephant polo lovers to push harder and broaden their

scope within this country and in the rest of the world! With no one standing

up for them this time, we have not only made a fool out of ourselves, I

INFACT THINK WE OWE AN APOLOGY TO CARTIER! WHY DID THE GROUPS OPPOSE

ELEPHANT POLO THEN AND NOT NOW? Because this time it was not Cartier or some

big shot sponsoring the event?Because shah rukh khan was not at the venue?

Because other well known people were not there? No large scale international

media? Or is it because, THESE ELEPHANTS WERE NOT WORTH BEING SAVED?

 

Having studied elephants to quite an extent I completely back your

statements Eti. As I have mentioned many a times earlier, on one hand they

are wild and not meant to be paraded before humans in a city; more

importantly they are highly intelligent, emotional and so human-like that

such forced acts by us is beyond cruelty, its being in-human or should I now

say in-'elephant' like because I have second thoughts on what a 'human' is!

When ever I have been abroad I have prided in the fact that people told me

" Indians love animals very much, for you people they are Gods right? " ! I

guess this is soon going to change! We are allowing an opportunity for these

weeds to re surface here and if we do, they will basically grow through the

place and choke us before we could do any sort of a damage control!

 

A lot of groups could be angry at what we have had to say and may have many

explanations to give, but i guess no explanations can ever explain that we

have back stabbed my elephants on the 3rd of March in Rajasthan!

 

I was thinking, why did I adopt a dog for a pet, I should have got an

elephant instead; tied him up when I was away from home and played a game of

frisbee in the evening. I am sure the elephant would have loved it. Eti, I

guess you should probably consider burining the documents that tag elephants

as Schedule-I and rather tag humans into that list; because the homo sapiens

who were called humans, because of what we were seems to have become a CR

species.

 

May be in one of the award cermonies that are often held to 'applaud' work

in the animal rights field, we should give an award for having cold

bloodedly tricked the elephants into the hands of the humans! Or may be no

one went forward this time because there was going to be no recognition for

this work!

 

I conclude remembering the words of Madame de Stael who said " the more I see

of man, the more I like dogs "

 

Thanks,

Pablo.

 

 

On 3/5/07, wrote:

>

> Dear Eti,

> Great job. Well done. We have to make sure that we keep the

> pressure. This not a 'Here today, gone tomorrow' campaign. We also have to

> keep in mind what Mr Vivek Menon of Wildlife Trust of India said about the

> Jaipur elephants in Madras, ie., the eventual aim should be to move them

> out

> of the state. Going by the Rajasthan Chief Minister's statement, it is

> apparent that the proposed elephant shelter 'Hathi Gaon' is meant to be

> more

> of a tourist attraction than a secluded retiring sanctuary. Tourists and

> rescue centres do not go well together. If you read Hindustan Times you

> will

> surely realise the kind of questions that have been raised on her

> credibility and rightly so. Always bear in mind that we are being watched

> as

> keenly as we are watching them. But at least we should be grateful that we

> are being spared the trouble of forwarding messages since there are others

> who are doing that for us. I can almost see the 'Forward' button being

> clicked twice whenever an elephant polo message appears on AAPN; one

> message

> is sent to London, the other to Jaipur. I reckon that is very efficient

> monitoring.

> Keep the good work. Best wishes,

>

> Yours sincerely,

>

>

>

> On 3/5/07, etivyas <etivyas <etivyas%40>> wrote:

> >

> > Rajasthan government organised the much awaited Elephant Festival in

> > Jaipur on 3rd March. Tug of war, elephant beauty contest and

> > Elephant polo were the major attractions of the festival. Despite

> > the worldwide objections on Elephant polo Tourism Department of

> > Rajasthan organised this event in order to attract more tourists in

> > Rajasthan.

> > Being an animal rights person I went to the venue (Chaugaan Stadium)

> > just to observe what the elephants go through during such events.

> > And I observed that the poor elephants are forced to do things which

> > is neither in their capacity nor liked by them. Elephants are giant

> > beings and running behind a ball is a difficult task for them.

> > During the polo match one could make out that the elephants were

> > not interested in chasing the ball, they were so confused

> > most of the times that they flocked in a group in the middle of the

> > ground. It showed how clueless the poor creatures were all the time.

> > Elephant polo is criticised worldwide by all major animal welfare

> > groups including Peta, . During the Cartier Elephant polo all the

> > major Animal Welfare Organisations had come forward to protest

> > against it. There was a big protest on the day of the match and many

> > animal right activists including myself got arrested by Police.

> > In AFA 07 a resolution was passed by all the members it was , " To

> > ban use of animals in entertainment. " That ways elephant polo is a

> > sport organised purely for the entertainment of the tourists and the

> > aristrocrates. But, still this match was organised because AWBI

> > supported the event. If I am not wrong every time when animals are

> > to perform in a movie, entertainment activity etc the organisers of

> > the event are supposed to take a written permission from AWBI. If

> > AWBI grants the permission then only they can use the animals.

> > The major responsibility of AWBI is to save animals from cruel

> > practices and I think there are enough examples to support the fact

> > that elephant polo is a cruel sport.

> > There are two issues first AWBI should not support such activities

> > which involve un-necessary torture of the gentle giants.

> > Secondly as far as I know in most of the government functions no

> > permission is taken from AWBI for the public performance of animals,

> > still no action is taken against the organisers of such

> > events who disobey the AWBI mandates.

> > I think the role of AWBI is very crucial in this respect. They can

> > put a check on cruel events like elephant polo by not giving the

> > required permission to the organisers. Then we can stop such events

> > easily.

> > I further want to say that elephants are shedule-I animals they may

> > be captive but they are still wild animals and anything which is

> > done against their will and instinct can turn out to be

> > fatal for both elephants as well as humans.

> > I would like to thank all those who have raised a voice against this

> > cruel sport and hope they will continue to support us in order to

> > ban this sport for ever.

> >

> > kindly visit the links below to see the event -:

> >

> > http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6745387741993546559 & pr=goog-

> > sl

> >

> > http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4726011602199345341 & pr=goog-

> > sl

> >

> >

> >

>

>