(IN): Elephant festivals: lessons learnt

[Guest guest]

*February` 2005:* A high profile 'elephant festival' organised by Assam

Government to mark the Centenary celebrations of World heritage site-

Kaziranga National Park draws huge controversy with some of the events

planned such as elephant races, elephant mock fights, elephant football,

elephant paining etc. These events were proposed to be held with a view of

spreading conservation awareness within the society for a better human

elephant co existence.

Following a global outcry and condemnation by wildlife experts such as Dame

Daphne Sheldrick, Smt Maneka Gandhi, Ms. Anuradha Sawhney of PETA- India and

Ms. Belinda Wright, Executive Director, Wildlife Protection Society of India

decided not to attend the event as a mark of protest despite being a VIP

guest invitee to the festival, the events were later scrapped of from the

schedule.

This victory for animal rights is extremely important as it holds hope for

the other parts of the country where captive elephants are publicly abused

in many forms and some in the name of conservation.

Unfortunately we have not been able to successfully use the Assam state

model elsewhere in the country to curb the animal rights violations.

One of the main reason being that despite knowing how bad it is for the

animals to undergo the training to perform stupid human tricks the

word *'cruelty'

*or* 'abuse'* is surprisingly challenged and interpreted in a different way

when it comes to elephants.

This not only by the enforcement and monitoring agencies but also a section

of animal people from within us.

 

But as I said that the 2005 Assam government`s decision to halt such

practices of elephant abuse is certainly something to talk about since the

state has maintained the BAN till today.

 

Please find below a news report of the 2008 elephant festival that concluded

in Kaziranga minus the circus like events.

 

With Assam setting standards for animal rights it now has to be seen how

soon other states come forward to end the menace of jumbo abuse.

Please use the Assam model in your respective states to bring a change in

the lives of the captive elephants there.

You can write to me for the copies of the protest letters/ mails written by

experts in this regard, official orders, media reports etc.

Remember always that its one India, same laws and rules elsewhere so if it

is possible in Assam why not elsewhere?

 

*

Azam Siddiqui

 

 

*Link:

http://in.news./ani/20080421/r_t_ani_nl_nri/tnl-100-jumbos-join-elephan\

t-festival-in-d03182a.html

100 jumbos join Elephant festival in Kaziranga Sanctuary in Assam

 

 

 

 

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United against elephant polo

http://www.stopelephantpolo.com