Guest guest Posted November 7, 2006 Report Share Posted November 7, 2006 *Dear All,* * As the signatures pile up on the anti elephant polo petition website and the date for the elephant polo match comes closer, Cartier, the multinational giant, has decided to respond after a month of deafening silence. Their response is attached. I am personally not convinced by Cartier's arguments since they have been involved in sponsoring traditional elephant polo for purely entertainment and commercial purposes since 1985/86. They have themselves mentioned in the past that their bottomline is publicity for themselves in sponsoring an event. Besides, I am well aware of Mark Shand's abuse of animals in the past. His walking of Tara, the Indian Elephant, for 600 miles over hot tarmac roads across India was cruel to say the least and Shand himself in his book 'Travels On My Elephant' mentions that the unfortunate creature developed footsores during the sojourn. In his book ' Queen of the Elephants' he mentioned that he wanted all stray dogs of India killed. In the same book, he writes with great relish of the killing of all kinds of animals by his colleagues, starting from insects to snakes and chickens, some only for experimental purposes of traditional medicine. He had organised a similar elephant festival in Kaziranga National Park last year that was cancelled after wide scale protests. If he has organised an elephant polo match this year, with the help of Cartier or anyone else and in partnership with an animal welfare group, I might be pardoned for being sceptical of his motives. I have already posted a list of multinationals who have supported conventional elephant polo. There are many more who have done likewise and who seem willing to do so. Multinationals are not exactly well known for their philanthropy in so called Third World countries. I say this after having formally researched several multinational companies under the guidance of one of the world's top investigative journalists, Gavin MacFadyen, Director of the Center for Investigative Journalism at City University in London.* * It now seems cogent that the opposition to this elephant polo tournament( I insist on calling it 'elephant polo' although Cartier and the organisers are claiming otherwise)is not coming from people spouting poppycock but from people whose collective experience in elephant and wildlife conservation matter enough to make a giant like Cartier rise from its Rip Van Winkle sleep to issue statements to defend its chosen course of action. This is my personal opinion and I leave it to the experts to respond as they want to. As I mentioned, in a debate, all sides have the right to speak. I thoroughly appreciate the fact that Cartier has taken the time and trouble to respond to a petty Third World native whose life is possibly not even worth the price of their cheapest bit of jewellery. * * Best wishes and kind regards,* ** ** * Sincerely yours,* * Ghosh * *On 11/7/06, christine.borgoltz <christine.borgoltz wrote:* > > *Dear , > > Many thanks for your expressing concern about the cruelty which will > be > involved in > the Alternative Elephant Polo event which Cartier is > sponsoring. > > Please be assured that Cartier would have absolutely no association > with > any cruelty. As a world-wide corporation we are lending our voice > to > support the animal protection advocates and conservationists who want > to > see a better world for elephants. We hope that other corporations > might > follow our example of support for NGO's who are sincere and > strenuously > work to alleviate the suffering of elephants, both in the wild and > in > captivity. > > In the 'Alternative Elephant Polo' which we are sponsoring, there is > no > cruelty. No ankush is used. Indeed not even a stick is used (apart from > the > long polo stick used to hit the ball). The elephants ramble about > the > field, in the late afternoon cool, for a maximum period of ten minutes. > The > elephants > otherwise would be chained in cement thans, standing in > excrement, lacking exercise and mental stimulation which, as you know, > they > need so much. The elephants enjoy being together in a wide open space > and > being able to stretch their legs. > > As you know, with all species of animals, physiologically it is > important > that they are able to run sometimes as well as to walk. With urgings > from > the bare feet of the mahout, it is scarcely likely that the elephant can > be > cruelly forced to move if she does not chose to do so. > > We recognize that the way the elephants have been kept in Jaipur > for > hundreds of years cannot be stopped overnight, and we support the idea > that > through educational reform, a permanent change can be brought about in > the > attitude of the elephant owners and mahouts. > > This is already happening, as you know doubt have read of the > improvements > in captive elephant welfare achieved by Help in Suffering in > partnership > with Elephant Family in Jaipur. > > At our event, celebrities will sign a board headed 'What We Want for > the > Elephants'. We hope this will bring attention to the need for > improvements > in conditions of both captive and wild elephants in India. > > It is our belief that by demonstrating that there is no need to use > the > ankush (the use of which has now been banned in Jaipur due to the work > of > HIS/ef) we can show the way towards new training methods, and > renewed > compassion and understanding for the elephant which has worked > alongside > humans in Jaipur for so many hundreds of years. > > Sincerely, > > Christine Borgoltz > Director of External Relations > * > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 8, 2006 Report Share Posted November 8, 2006 Where are the econimically backward and defunct 'CIRCUS ' companies which have lost their glory, courtesy the animal rights activists movement in India. Has anyone showed them the 'path to glory: CARTIER Inc ' ?? This is a golden opportunity for the dying CIRCUS INDUSTRY to shoot an SOS to Cartier. Well as the countdown to the event starts, I only see tough times ahead for all the animal rights advocates on the ground, concerned with 'elephant polo' and other activities involving animals in entertainment. It is sad that people who have spent a lifetime in researching and understanding captive elephants failed to convince this lot of self styled 'Jewellers turned experts in captive elephants overnite' and our very own 'Christine Townend' and that traveller 'Shand'. aapn , " " wrote: > > *Dear All,* > * As the signatures pile up on the anti elephant polo petition > website and the date for the elephant polo match comes closer, Cartier, the > multinational giant, has decided to respond after a month of deafening > silence. Their response is attached. I am personally not convinced by > Cartier's arguments since they have been involved in sponsoring traditional > elephant polo for purely entertainment and commercial purposes since > 1985/86. They have themselves mentioned in the past that their bottomline is > publicity for themselves in sponsoring an event. Besides, I am well aware of > Mark Shand's abuse of animals in the past. His walking of Tara, the Indian > Elephant, for 600 miles over hot tarmac roads across India was cruel to say > the least and Shand himself in his book 'Travels On My Elephant' mentions > that the unfortunate creature developed footsores during the sojourn. In his > book ' Queen of the Elephants' he mentioned that he wanted all stray dogs of > India killed. In the same book, he writes with great relish of the killing > of all kinds of animals by his colleagues, starting from insects to snakes > and chickens, some only for experimental purposes of traditional medicine. > He had organised a similar elephant festival in Kaziranga National Park last > year that was cancelled after wide scale protests. If he has organised an > elephant polo match this year, with the help of Cartier or anyone else and > in partnership with an animal welfare group, I might be pardoned for being > sceptical of his motives. I have already posted a list of multinationals who > have supported conventional elephant polo. There are many more who have done > likewise and who seem willing to do so. Multinationals are not exactly well > known for their philanthropy in so called Third World countries. I say this > after having formally researched several multinational companies under the > guidance of one of the world's top investigative journalists, Gavin > MacFadyen, Director of the Center for Investigative Journalism at City > University in London.* > * It now seems cogent that the opposition to this elephant polo tournament( > I insist on calling it 'elephant polo' although Cartier and the organisers > are claiming otherwise)is not coming from people spouting poppycock but from > people whose collective experience in elephant and wildlife conservation > matter enough to make a giant like Cartier rise from its Rip Van Winkle > sleep to issue statements to defend its chosen course of action. This is my > personal opinion and I leave it to the experts to respond as they want to. > As I mentioned, in a debate, all sides have the right to speak. I thoroughly > appreciate the fact that Cartier has taken the time and trouble to respond > to a petty Third World native whose life is possibly not even worth the > price of their cheapest bit of jewellery. * > * Best wishes and kind regards,* > ** > ** > * Sincerely > yours,* > * > Ghosh > > * > *On 11/7/06, christine.borgoltz <christine.borgoltz > wrote:* > > > > *Dear , > > > > Many thanks for your expressing concern about the cruelty which will > > be > > involved in > > the Alternative Elephant Polo event which Cartier is > > sponsoring. > > > > Please be assured that Cartier would have absolutely no association > > with > > any cruelty. As a world-wide corporation we are lending our voice > > to > > support the animal protection advocates and conservationists who want > > to > > see a better world for elephants. We hope that other corporations > > might > > follow our example of support for NGO's who are sincere and > > strenuously > > work to alleviate the suffering of elephants, both in the wild and > > in > > captivity. > > > > In the 'Alternative Elephant Polo' which we are sponsoring, there is > > no > > cruelty. No ankush is used. Indeed not even a stick is used (apart from > > the > > long polo stick used to hit the ball). The elephants ramble about > > the > > field, in the late afternoon cool, for a maximum period of ten minutes. > > The > > elephants > > otherwise would be chained in cement thans, standing in > > excrement, lacking exercise and mental stimulation which, as you know, > > they > > need so much. The elephants enjoy being together in a wide open space > > and > > being able to stretch their legs. > > > > As you know, with all species of animals, physiologically it is > > important > > that they are able to run sometimes as well as to walk. With urgings > > from > > the bare feet of the mahout, it is scarcely likely that the elephant can > > be > > cruelly forced to move if she does not chose to do so. > > > > We recognize that the way the elephants have been kept in Jaipur > > for > > hundreds of years cannot be stopped overnight, and we support the idea > > that > > through educational reform, a permanent change can be brought about in > > the > > attitude of the elephant owners and mahouts. > > > > This is already happening, as you know doubt have read of the > > improvements > > in captive elephant welfare achieved by Help in Suffering in > > partnership > > with Elephant Family in Jaipur. > > > > At our event, celebrities will sign a board headed 'What We Want for > > the > > Elephants'. We hope this will bring attention to the need for > > improvements > > in conditions of both captive and wild elephants in India. > > > > It is our belief that by demonstrating that there is no need to use > > the > > ankush (the use of which has now been banned in Jaipur due to the work > > of > > HIS/ef) we can show the way towards new training methods, and > > renewed > > compassion and understanding for the elephant which has worked > > alongside > > humans in Jaipur for so many hundreds of years. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Christine Borgoltz > > Director of External Relations > > * > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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