Elephant polo in Jaipur on 3rd March, organisers refuse to listen to reason

[Guest guest]

Dear Eti,

I have alerted most of the organisations that opposed the

cartier match. is there a way to find out which teams are participating? can

you arrange for a press release and organise a demonstration on the 3rd? it

might be possible to also organise a protest in england if we could know who

is involved in promoting this game in uk. the organisers will of course try

to withhold as much information as possible and use the most draconian

security measures to gag protesters. and they are likely to have the support

of the forest department and some animal welfare organisations who believe

this is the best way forward for elephant welfare. Please try and find out

more information soon since we do not have much time to stage a protest.

Advocates For Animals in Scotland will protest and they want to know if a

Scottish team is participating. please make some more enquiries. i am

expecting to receive some more responses from other organisations soon. i

will be travelling till 5th march but will have access to internet and phone

so please do keep in touch.

there is likely to be another match later in the year organised by mark

shand and the organisers of the previous game; they have a point to prove.

the activists in jaipur must make an effort to know the dates of these

events in advance. i will help in whatever way i can but we need some time

for an effective protest. there are a lot of laws being broken in these

elephant polo matches and people just don't care so we need to sit down and

discuss at length where we are going to go next with this. you can also rest

assured that every single e-mail posted on this list on elephant polo has

been and will be forwarded to the organisers and supporters of elephant polo

but don't worry. they have things to hide; we don't.they resent a debate on

this on a public domain; we don't.

Best wishes,

 

 

 

On 2/28/07, etivyas <etivyas wrote:

>

> Dear all,

> Time for reckoning again. An elephant polo match will be

> organised in Jaipur on 3rd March 2007 in Chaugaan stadium. Tourism

> Dept. of Rajasthan is organising the event. And the Rajasthan Govt

> is supporting this event because it will bring in more tourists and

> all they want is a boost in tourism. As of now they do not have

> permission of AWBI which is compulsory for organizing such an event.

> They will even appoint a vet (most probably a govt vet) with a

> tranquliser gun so that if any elephant loses his temper it can be

> controlled by them.

> The question is that we all know about the cruelty involved in this

> game and the recent example of elephant rage during elephant polo

> match in Sri Lanka shows that it is even dangerous for the players

> and public. If an elephant loses his temper he can crush and harm

> others in nano seconds.

> There was a huge protest at the time of Cartier Elephant polo

> saying that it was cruel and multinationals were supporting such

> cruel sports but now it is a shame that Rajasthan Government is

> supporting and organizing this event. Last time too the Cartier

> elephant polo was organised despite all protests since it had strong

> political support, our resort this time can be intervention by High

> Court in the matter.

> Please protest this travesty of nature by writing to

>

> trade <trade%40rajasthantourism.gov.in>

> or submitting feedback to

>

> http://rajasthantourism.gov.in/messagingcenter/q.htm

>

> To know more about elephant festival please visit the below link :-

>

> www.rajasthantravelguide.com/rajasthan_fair_festivals/elephant_festiv

> al.html - 20k

>

>

>

>

>

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Barely three days to go before India gets to see captive elephants

being forced into games of `polo, races and tug of war with human

beings' yet again.

 

They call it the `Elephant festival', but do the elephants enjoy at all ?

Unfortunately No !

 

Last year for the first time in the history of animal rights concerned

elephant experts and organizations who have been spearheading the

movement of elephant rights got together to condemn the `Cartier

elephant polo cup' which was planned in Jaipur city.

Please refer to: http://stopelephantpolo.com

The match could not be stopped, but the protest goes on.

 

This time again, the city of Jaipur is playing host to the `Elephant

festival' which is being organized by the Government of Rajasthan.

Link:

http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/attractions/fair & festival/Elephant-Fair.htm

 

We all are aware of how things went completely wrong when an elephant

`Abey' unable to bear the trauma of being forced to play polo went

berserk in Sri Lanka last month injuring the mahout, the player and

also caused extensive damage to the property. The elephant was later

calmed down with tranquilizers, stones and sticks.

This incident not only brings into light the unbearable trauma of the

animal, but also the fact that we have to be extra careful when

handling domesticated wild elephants as they can cause loss to human

lives and property as well.

I am afraid organizers of such events should also seriously note that

if after realising the dangers involved we decide to organize such

events that can lead into a disaster, it can also invite charges of

`culpable homicide' and `criminal negligence'.

The press and media is also well aware of the wrongs that are involved

in this, so each one will be answerable if God forbid a repeat of Sri

Lanka happens in Jaipur as well.

 

At the `Asia for Animals' conference 2007 held in Chennai in January

both elephant polo and other forms of animals in entertainment

including the Jallikattu Kerala Cattle race were discussed and a

resolution was passed to BAN `Animals in Entertainment.'

 

To see that happening in reality and to begin with elephants first as

time is short, I request each one of you to send out letters

requesting the Chief of Animal Welfare Board of India, to not allow

permission for such events where animals are abused for entertainment.

To hold any event involving animals in entertainment it needs a `go

ahead' certificate from the AWBI.

 

It is not difficult if we humans want such things to end. Assam , a

state in India has BANNED similar events such as `elephant football,

elephant races, elephant mock fight, elephant tug of war' etc since

2005 in the annual `Elephant festivals held there.

This was possible only after a long struggle.

All we need now is that Assam example to act as a model for the other

states in India as well.

 

Do mail or fax your letters to the AWBI at the contact information

given below:

 

http://www.awbi.org, awbi

 

Thanks,

 

Azam Siddiqui

 

Master Trainer in Animal Welfare,

Animal Welfare Board of India

 

 

aapn , " "

wrote:

>

> Dear Eti,

> I have alerted most of the organisations that opposed the

> cartier match. is there a way to find out which teams are

participating? can

> you arrange for a press release and organise a demonstration on the

3rd? it

> might be possible to also organise a protest in england if we could

know who

> is involved in promoting this game in uk. the organisers will of

course try

> to withhold as much information as possible and use the most draconian

> security measures to gag protesters. and they are likely to have the

support

> of the forest department and some animal welfare organisations who

believe

> this is the best way forward for elephant welfare. Please try and

find out

> more information soon since we do not have much time to stage a protest.

> Advocates For Animals in Scotland will protest and they want to know

if a

> Scottish team is participating. please make some more enquiries. i am

> expecting to receive some more responses from other organisations

soon. i

> will be travelling till 5th march but will have access to internet

and phone

> so please do keep in touch.

> there is likely to be another match later in the year organised by mark

> shand and the organisers of the previous game; they have a point to

prove.

> the activists in jaipur must make an effort to know the dates of these

> events in advance. i will help in whatever way i can but we need

some time

> for an effective protest. there are a lot of laws being broken in these

> elephant polo matches and people just don't care so we need to sit

down and

> discuss at length where we are going to go next with this. you can

also rest

> assured that every single e-mail posted on this list on elephant

polo has

> been and will be forwarded to the organisers and supporters of

elephant polo

> but don't worry. they have things to hide; we don't.they resent a

debate on

> this on a public domain; we don't.

> Best wishes,

>

>

>

>

> On 2/28/07, etivyas <etivyas wrote:

> >

> > Dear all,

> > Time for reckoning again. An elephant polo match will be

> > organised in Jaipur on 3rd March 2007 in Chaugaan stadium. Tourism

> > Dept. of Rajasthan is organising the event. And the Rajasthan Govt

> > is supporting this event because it will bring in more tourists and

> > all they want is a boost in tourism. As of now they do not have

> > permission of AWBI which is compulsory for organizing such an event.

> > They will even appoint a vet (most probably a govt vet) with a

> > tranquliser gun so that if any elephant loses his temper it can be

> > controlled by them.

> > The question is that we all know about the cruelty involved in this

> > game and the recent example of elephant rage during elephant polo

> > match in Sri Lanka shows that it is even dangerous for the players

> > and public. If an elephant loses his temper he can crush and harm

> > others in nano seconds.

> > There was a huge protest at the time of Cartier Elephant polo

> > saying that it was cruel and multinationals were supporting such

> > cruel sports but now it is a shame that Rajasthan Government is

> > supporting and organizing this event. Last time too the Cartier

> > elephant polo was organised despite all protests since it had strong

> > political support, our resort this time can be intervention by High

> > Court in the matter.

> > Please protest this travesty of nature by writing to

> >

> > trade <trade%40rajasthantourism.gov.in>

> > or submitting feedback to

> >

> > http://rajasthantourism.gov.in/messagingcenter/q.htm

> >

> > To know more about elephant festival please visit the below link :-

> >

> > www.rajasthantravelguide.com/rajasthan_fair_festivals/elephant_festiv

> > al.html - 20k

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

>

>

>