Guest guest Posted November 19, 2007 Report Share Posted November 19, 2007 Dear Lynette, You have drafted a very strong message on 'Elephant Polo' and I very much appreciate you for digging out the 'United against Elephant polo' campaign from its grave. A grave that has been dig by no outsider but 'WE' the animal people. If we would have wanted this sport/ game to end, we could have done so, at least added more fuel to the fire. Our friends from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand showed NO INTEREST in taking action unlike their Indian counterparts who risked their lives and carried out demonstrations, took undercover video and photographs of the elephants that were used to play the game, exposed each and every bit of the show, and in the process were detained in a Police station for hours without food and water. I salute them each one of the 30 odd activists from different organsiations like PETA-India, PFA_Haryana, Revolutionaries for Animal Welfare (RAW), Gujrat- SPCA and many other individuals who despite a prohibitory order of the Government of Rajasthan (Sec 144) that was imposed near the venue of the Cartier elephant Polo cup, went ahead and bravely demonstrated. Now what do you do when there is no voice from these nations, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka who are all allowing elephant polo to be practiced for many years unprotested. At least they should have consulted or discussed it on platforms such as AAPN or even in private with people who are against or posted their views on the website: http://www.stopelephantpolo.com At the last Asia for Animals conference in Chennai too 'elephant polo' turned a comedy as we could not manage to frame a resolution exclusively to end elephant polo, why blame the general public or the media for that. I can assure you that any such event happening in India will not go unnoticed, unreported or unprotested. Animal rights people are on the job, the media and press is well aware of the irregularities involved. And the organisers and sponsors too are aware of the adverse publicity they draw by entering in such a low society entertainment business. Celebrities here have had to publicly apologize for endorsing brands promoting elephant polo on national television. Media which was invited by the organisers and sponsors to highlight elephant polo by the organisers instead accused them of being unkind to animals and condemned this worldwide. You see it was total networking and we cornered them from all sides. What we need now is more voice from the nations from where these participants originate and from the nations where it is blown up as tourism or in disguise of a funding opportunity to raise money for elephant welfare. Some participants have categorically said in one of their websites that, " we love to play frivolous games on animals in Asia " . Now it is up to our Asia for Animals people to take note of this and throw more ideas and suggestions to make this movement strong. I would like to mention here that if 'Asia for Animals lobby' does not consider or treat elephant polo seriously I would opt to not attend the next 'Asia for Animals' conference as a mark of protest. Thank you Lynnette once again. Regards, Azam Siddiqui On Nov 17, 2007 2:23 AM, Lynette Shanley <lynetteshanley wrote: > Unfortunately it seems the so called sport of Elephant Polo is starting > to take on world wide. > > This week Australaia sent its first ever official team to take part in the > world championships. > > On TV the other day it was suggested to one of the team that there has > been objections to the sport on the grounds of cruelty. He replied that the > weight on the elephants back causes no harm to the elephant but what does > cause harm to the elephant and what makes the elephant angry is missing a > goal. So he turned it into a comedy. > > Another person was practising elephant polo from the back of a moving ute. > > > Until all the objections last year there was hardly anything said or known > about elephant polo. Now it seems to be everywhere. I am wondering if all > the objections brought attention to the sport and because of that attention > elephant polo is taking on world wide. Whatever the reason, opposing > elephant polo so far is not working at all. It seems it may be time to > rethink the approach to opposing elephant polo and on a much bigger scale. > > I am sure Australia is not the only country that has now decided to send > official teams. > > Lynette > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2007 Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 Dear Ms Shanley and Azam, Thank you for your messages. I agree despite all the protests elephant polo is still being played in several countries. My own opinion is that the opposition has not been strong enough since no single animal organisation has taken up this issue on a sustained basis. There was a suggestion to boycott Cartier if they went ahead with the match in Jaipur. I do not know what came of it. I only wish that some organisations were more active in pursuing this issue continuously. I also want to add that the elephant polo opposition is about corporate social responsibility as much as it is about animal welfare and human safety. Let us take Cartier as an example. Since I wrote to Cartier opposing the elephant polo match in Jaipur, they have been sending me regular updates on their products. This confirms my contention that the principal goal of Cartier in promoting elephant polo is better product sales and not animal welfare. I am sure that every single person belonging to the 17,000+ conglomeration who wrote to Cartier are now receiving these offers. Here I would like to stress that one would have to consider the policies of all the other organisations that are promoting elephant polo ostensibly for conservation or animal welfare reasons. Let us take Cartier for example. Cartier as a company, as I mentioned previously does not come clean on its policy on blood diamonds that are used to decorate its watches. The blood diamond trade has caused numerous civil wars in Africa and exploits hundreds and thousands of child workers in Surat in Gujarat. I have undercover video footage on this to establish my case and the Telegraph newspaper where I work recently did an article on this( Link here : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070729/asp/7days/story_8119749.asp ). It is very difficult to conceive that a company that has scant regard for human rights would do something charitable for animal welfare. Is it all right for a company to organise an elephant polo tournament for the elite at the cost of murdering people and torturing children? Not in my book. Also, the fundamental human right to expression of free speech and opinion was violated during the Jaipur elephant polo match when peaceful protesters were arrested and prevented from displaying their opposition to the match. Is it OK for a company to organise entertainment using animals at the cost of a fundamental human right to voice an opinion? Not in my book. There is no dearth of expert opposition to this game but organisational opposition has not been robust and steadfast enough. Corporate social responsibility is now a buzzword in many places. Corporate groups are expected to have sound policies with regard to human rights, animal exploitation and environmental protection. It would be worthwhile to investigate the stance of all the corporate groups that are promoting elephant polo to determine if they are living up to the expected standards. This could best be done by national and international animal welfare/rights groups that could apply persistent pressure to coerce these firms to reveal their policies. It is true that whilst there is substantive opposition to elephant polo in India, there has been little or no opposition to elephant polo in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Thailand. Animal welfare societies in these countries would have to take an interest in this so called sport to curb its growth and popularity. We must be a constant thorn in the flesh of the elephant polo organisers demanding change and a radical reappraisal of the concept of using animals in entertainment. The individuals who have been the forefront of opposing elephant polo are not full time animal welfare workers. There is only so much one could do with limited resources and time at one's disposal. But professional animal welfare groups have people working full time for the cause and they should now come forward to deal with the cruelty of this sport. There is also the question of media response to this game. The Jaipur match attracted a lot of attention since Mark Shand is Camilla's brother. It certainly drew a lot of concern on the cruelty involved in the sport. Animal welfare groups in the elephant polo playing countries would have to be in constant touch with the media so that the organisers are constantly beneath the spotlight to examine their support for this form of animal exploitation. The bottomline is that we have succeeded in drawing preliminary attention to the game and its negative impact on the animals. Now is the right time for various groups across the globe to garner their manpower and resources to take the opposition to the next level to deal with the elephant polo supporters. Let us not waver on this count. Warm regards, On 11/19/07, AZAM SIDDIQUI <azam24x7 wrote: > > Dear Lynette, > > You have drafted a very strong message on 'Elephant Polo' and I very much > appreciate you for digging out the 'United against Elephant polo' campaign > from its grave. A grave that has been dig by no outsider but 'WE' the animal > people. > If we would have wanted this sport/ game to end, we could have done so, at > least added more fuel to the fire. > > Our friends from Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand showed NO INTEREST in > taking action unlike their Indian counterparts who risked their lives and > carried out demonstrations, took undercover video and photographs of the > elephants that were used to play the game, exposed each and every bit of the > show, and in the process were detained in a Police station for hours without > food and water. > I salute them each one of the 30 odd activists from different > organsiations like PETA-India, PFA_Haryana, Revolutionaries for Animal > Welfare (RAW), Gujrat- SPCA and many other individuals who despite a > prohibitory order of the Government of Rajasthan (Sec 144) that was imposed > near the venue of the Cartier elephant Polo cup, went ahead and bravely > demonstrated. > > Now what do you do when there is no voice from these nations, Nepal, > Thailand, Sri Lanka who are all allowing elephant polo to be practiced for > many years unprotested. At least they should have consulted or discussed it > on platforms such as AAPN or even in private with people who are against or > posted their views on the website: http://www.stopelephantpolo.com > > At the last Asia for Animals conference in Chennai too 'elephant polo' > turned a comedy as we could not manage to frame a resolution exclusively to > end elephant polo, why blame the general public or the media for that. > > I can assure you that any such event happening in India will not go > unnoticed, unreported or unprotested. > Animal rights people are on the job, the media and press is well aware of > the irregularities involved. And the organisers and sponsors too are aware > of the adverse publicity they draw by entering in such a low society > entertainment business. > > Celebrities here have had to publicly apologize for endorsing brands > promoting elephant polo on national television. > > Media which was invited by the organisers and sponsors to highlight > elephant polo by the organisers instead accused them of being unkind to > animals and condemned this worldwide. > > You see it was total networking and we cornered them from all sides. > > What we need now is more voice from the nations from where these > participants originate and from the nations where it is blown up as tourism > or in disguise of a funding opportunity to raise money for elephant welfare. > Some participants have categorically said in one of their websites that, " we > love to play frivolous games on animals in Asia " . > > Now it is up to our Asia for Animals people to take note of this and throw > more ideas and suggestions to make this movement strong. > > I would like to mention here that if 'Asia for Animals lobby' does not > consider or treat elephant polo seriously I would opt to not attend the next > 'Asia for Animals' conference as a mark of protest. > > Thank you Lynnette once again. > > Regards, > > Azam Siddiqui > > > > On Nov 17, 2007 2:23 AM, Lynette Shanley <lynetteshanley > > wrote: > > > Unfortunately it seems the so called sport of Elephant Polo is > > starting to take on world wide. > > > > This week Australaia sent its first ever official team to take part in > > the world championships. > > > > On TV the other day it was suggested to one of the team that there has > > been objections to the sport on the grounds of cruelty. He replied that the > > weight on the elephants back causes no harm to the elephant but what does > > cause harm to the elephant and what makes the elephant angry is missing a > > goal. So he turned it into a comedy. > > > > Another person was practising elephant polo from the back of a moving > > ute. > > > > Until all the objections last year there was hardly anything said or > > known about elephant polo. Now it seems to be everywhere. I am wondering if > > all the objections brought attention to the sport and because of that > > attention elephant polo is taking on world wide. Whatever the reason, > > opposing elephant polo so far is not working at all. It seems it may be time > > to rethink the approach to opposing elephant polo and on a much bigger > > scale. > > > > I am sure Australia is not the only country that has now decided to send > > official teams. > > > > Lynette > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 20, 2007 Report Share Posted November 20, 2007 Dear Lynette, I completely agree! Seems like we need to search an alternative way to attack and tackle this madness. But believe me this was somethign we as a part of the anti-elephant polo lobby always anticipated. This 'circus' would and if unattended to will take on a global proportion merely because of the unfortunate excitement (out of sheer ignorance) that people tend to develop towards this. It is always exciting to see an elephant and for the city dwellers to see so many elephants in one place and on top of it doing something, which by the blooddy businessmen is made to look as something the elephants are enjoying while doing, is bound to draw crowds in thousands and before you know it, you will have more tournaments on the scale of a cricket or football tournament! Talking to the organizers, players and those related to this circus is going to be of NO use because they are in there looking at the profits. May be continued pressure on the government allowing the sport to happen, the welfare boards in that state/ country.....and this by prominent figures in the field of wildlife, cognitive ethology, etc would yield some results in the long run. I guess we should list down a plan of action. A few points from my end are - 1) Ele polo should be moved into the category of " circus " . To me what you see in the ring is what you see on the field in ele polo 2) The incidents of the past, wherein elephants have overthrown 'players', charged at spectators, uprooted trees and damaged vehicles should be highlighted. A kind of a collage. And these elephants were not angry because they lost - to what some retard had mentioned ( " but what does cause harm to the elephant and what makes the elephant angry is missing a goal " ) 3) The welfare boards/ other animal bodies giving permission to this circus taking place should be held accountable. 4) Ethologists should present a detailed documentation on what an elephant psychologically undergoes when being FORCED into doing something and the brutalities they face behind the curtain. 5) During the elephant polo in Jaipur, India last year many organizations such as Peta India and other organizations put up a stern opposition and also released photos of ankushs being used prior to the game. I am sure their support continues and other organizations around the world should follow suit. The greater the unity, the harder its going to hit the ele-polo lobby. Thanks, Pablo. On 11/17/07, Lynette Shanley <lynetteshanley wrote: > > Unfortunately it seems the so called sport of Elephant Polo is starting > to take on world wide. > > This week Australaia sent its first ever official team to take part in the > world championships. > > On TV the other day it was suggested to one of the team that there has > been objections to the sport on the grounds of cruelty. He replied that the > weight on the elephants back causes no harm to the elephant but what does > cause harm to the elephant and what makes the elephant angry is missing a > goal. So he turned it into a comedy. > > Another person was practising elephant polo from the back of a moving ute. > > > Until all the objections last year there was hardly anything said or known > about elephant polo. Now it seems to be everywhere. I am wondering if all > the objections brought attention to the sport and because of that attention > elephant polo is taking on world wide. Whatever the reason, opposing > elephant polo so far is not working at all. It seems it may be time to > rethink the approach to opposing elephant polo and on a much bigger scale. > > I am sure Australia is not the only country that has now decided to send > official teams. > > Lynette > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2007 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 To see what Australians have been seeing all week about Elephant Polo - go to the following link - then In the search video section at the top of the screen type in elephant polo and access to 6 videos showing elephant polo will come up. http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-au & brand=ninemsn & tab=m2397 & from=39 & vid=524FED25-955\ 3-437F-A65D-1EC98D9FCEE7 & playlist=videoByTag:mk:en-AU:vs:0:tag:AUnews_AUtoday:ns\ :MSNVideo_Top_Cat:ps:10:sd:-1:ind:1:ff:8A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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