Guest guest Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=aug2008/at04 Mules succeed where technology fails Prabal Kr Das TAWANG, Aug 19 – As icy winds buffet the Indian Army posts located in the high Himalayas, the soldiers who keep vigil rely on a range support systems to survive and carry on with their rigorous regime. Among them, a breed of animals little known beyond the area of operation makes their robust presence felt. Perhaps the most basic, and yet the most reliable mode of transport is formed by army mules, a rare breed of animals working in inhospitable conditions, enduring extreme fatigue, asking for little, and actually earning affection from those they serve. " You cannot imagine, how hard they work, how little they demand, how adaptable they are, " said a young soldier of the Indian Army, posted in Arunachal Pradesh. He has seen mules walk for more than six hours at a stretch in atmosphere with little oxygen, rest awhile and continue for another four hours, all this while carrying more than 60 kilos of equipment each. The mules are brought in to their places of work at a young age, and are guided through tracks which have some permanency in an otherwise changing environment. After two or three journeys, the mules become acquainted with the route and can manage to reach their destination with minimum help from their guides. They could move in single file or in other formations, which depend on the nature of their tracks. Interestingly, unlike humans, they do not jostle one another when the tracks get narrow. According to an army officer in Tawang, they instinctively appear to know when to adjust their pace and when to halt. " Rarely do they panic… endanger others by sudden or unpredictable movements. " Summer is the time when the mules, under the Army Service Corps, have to perform extensively in Arunachal Pradesh and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the areas where the trees disappear and the oxygen level drops, the mules carry rations, arms and ammunitions for the soldiers. Only three elements reach such remote areas of operation – costly communication, helicopters for casualty evacuation, and the humble but redoubtable mules. Even at times when the first two have failed to perform, the mule trains with muleteers have succeeded in keeping their promise. During their long marches the experienced muleteers look out for the first signs of fatigue in the animals, and decide whether to rest or continue. In case the animals need medical attention, army veterinarians take charge and treat them on the spot or in nearby veterinary hospitals. However, those animals with serious injuries, and those with little prospect of recovery are put to sleep. In the normal course, army mules could continue to work for more than fifteen years, during which some even get names from their handlers, although not officially. -- United against elephant polo http://www.stopelephantpolo.com http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 So Azam, ur writing to the Assam Tribune to tell them what a load of crap this is right? Tell them to get solar-powered mar's rovers instead. Tell them we CAN imagine how hard mules work, 'cause we see them humping apples and bricks all over the place here, all worn-out and haggard looking, with open sores and no vets in sight. Maybe military service is better for mules then commercial service, but somehow a few medical benefits don't seem like fair compensation for over 15 years of military service, and we are just not believing that donkey manure anyway. Animals have no place in the military. Tell 'em jiggy says so... Cheers, Jigs On 8/20/08 11:24 AM, " AZAM SIDDIQUI " <azam24x7 wrote: > Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=aug2008/at04 > > Mules succeed where technology fails > Prabal Kr Das > TAWANG, Aug 19 – As icy winds buffet the Indian Army posts located in the > high Himalayas, the soldiers who keep vigil rely on a range support systems > to survive and carry on with their rigorous regime. Among them, a breed of > animals little known beyond the area of operation makes their robust > presence felt. > > Perhaps the most basic, and yet the most reliable mode of transport is > formed by army mules, a rare breed of animals working in inhospitable > conditions, enduring extreme fatigue, asking for little, and actually > earning affection from those they serve. > > " You cannot imagine, how hard they work, how little they demand, how > adaptable they are, " said a young soldier of the Indian Army, posted in > Arunachal Pradesh. He has seen mules walk for more than six hours at a > stretch in atmosphere with little oxygen, rest awhile and continue for > another four hours, all this while carrying more than 60 kilos of equipment > each. > > The mules are brought in to their places of work at a young age, and are > guided through tracks which have some permanency in an otherwise changing > environment. After two or three > journeys, the mules become acquainted with the route and can manage to reach > their destination with minimum help from their guides. > > They could move in single file or in other formations, which depend on the > nature of their tracks. Interestingly, unlike humans, they do not jostle one > another when the tracks get narrow. According to an army officer in Tawang, > they instinctively appear to know when to adjust their pace and when to > halt. " Rarely do they panic… endanger others by sudden or unpredictable > movements. " > > Summer is the time when the mules, under the Army Service Corps, have to > perform extensively in Arunachal Pradesh and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the > areas where the trees disappear and the oxygen level drops, the mules carry > rations, arms and ammunitions for the soldiers. > > Only three elements reach such remote areas of operation – costly > communication, helicopters for casualty evacuation, and the humble but > redoubtable mules. Even at times when the first two have failed to perform, > the mule trains with muleteers have succeeded in keeping their promise. > > During their long marches the experienced muleteers look out for the first > signs of fatigue in the animals, and decide whether to rest or continue. In > case the animals need medical attention, army veterinarians take charge and > treat them on the spot or in nearby veterinary hospitals. > > However, those animals with serious injuries, and those with little prospect > of recovery are put to sleep. In the normal course, army mules could > continue to work for more than fifteen years, during which some even get > names from their handlers, although not officially. -- Paul Reitman, CEO Phoenix Studios Nepal Mobile: 9841589797 www.phoenixstudios.com.np/corporate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 20, 2008 Report Share Posted August 20, 2008 If anything can work, it is the initiative that our hon`ble Chairman of the Animal Welfare Board of India, General(retd) Kharab that can bring respite to the animals which are used and abused by India`s military service. The Chariman AWBI is an ex-armyman and is also a qualified vet. Therefore he must have seen much more that what newspersons see and report. I had approached the AWBI sometime back with regards to animals being tortured, trapped, killed and consumed as part of the Counter Insurgency Jungle Warfare Training if the Indian Army. I am told they are taking the matter seriously. Therefore let me forward this news report and also your feedback to the AWBI for necessary action. Thanks, Azam On 8/20/08, Herojig <herojig wrote: > > So Azam, ur writing to the Assam Tribune to tell them what a load of crap > this is right? Tell them to get solar-powered mar's rovers instead. Tell > them we CAN imagine how hard mules work, 'cause we see them humping apples > and bricks all over the place here, all worn-out and haggard looking, with > open sores and no vets in sight. Maybe military service is better for mules > then commercial service, but somehow a few medical benefits don't seem like > fair compensation for over 15 years of military service, and we are just > not > believing that donkey manure anyway. Animals have no place in the military. > Tell 'em jiggy says so... > Cheers, > Jigs > > > On 8/20/08 11:24 AM, " AZAM SIDDIQUI " <azam24x7 wrote: > > > Link: http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/details.asp?id=aug2008/at04 > > > > Mules succeed where technology fails > > Prabal Kr Das > > TAWANG, Aug 19 – As icy winds buffet the Indian Army posts located in > the > > high Himalayas, the soldiers who keep vigil rely on a range support > systems > > to survive and carry on with their rigorous regime. Among them, a breed > of > > animals little known beyond the area of operation makes their robust > > presence felt. > > > > Perhaps the most basic, and yet the most reliable mode of transport is > > formed by army mules, a rare breed of animals working in inhospitable > > conditions, enduring extreme fatigue, asking for little, and actually > > earning affection from those they serve. > > > > " You cannot imagine, how hard they work, how little they demand, how > > adaptable they are, " said a young soldier of the Indian Army, posted in > > Arunachal Pradesh. He has seen mules walk for more than six hours at a > > stretch in atmosphere with little oxygen, rest awhile and continue for > > another four hours, all this while carrying more than 60 kilos of > equipment > > each. > > > > The mules are brought in to their places of work at a young age, and are > > guided through tracks which have some permanency in an otherwise changing > > environment. After two or three > > journeys, the mules become acquainted with the route and can manage to > reach > > their destination with minimum help from their guides. > > > > They could move in single file or in other formations, which depend on > the > > nature of their tracks. Interestingly, unlike humans, they do not jostle > one > > another when the tracks get narrow. According to an army officer in > Tawang, > > they instinctively appear to know when to adjust their pace and when to > > halt. " Rarely do they panic… endanger others by sudden or unpredictable > > movements. " > > > > Summer is the time when the mules, under the Army Service Corps, have to > > perform extensively in Arunachal Pradesh and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the > > areas where the trees disappear and the oxygen level drops, the mules > carry > > rations, arms and ammunitions for the soldiers. > > > > Only three elements reach such remote areas of operation – costly > > communication, helicopters for casualty evacuation, and the humble but > > redoubtable mules. Even at times when the first two have failed to > perform, > > the mule trains with muleteers have succeeded in keeping their promise. > > > > During their long marches the experienced muleteers look out for the > first > > signs of fatigue in the animals, and decide whether to rest or continue. > In > > case the animals need medical attention, army veterinarians take charge > and > > treat them on the spot or in nearby veterinary hospitals. > > > > However, those animals with serious injuries, and those with little > prospect > > of recovery are put to sleep. In the normal course, army mules could > > continue to work for more than fifteen years, during which some even get > > names from their handlers, although not officially. > > -- Paul Reitman, CEO > Phoenix Studios Nepal > Mobile: 9841589797 > > www.phoenixstudios.com.np/corporate > > > > > -- United against elephant polo http://www.stopelephantpolo.com http://www.freewebs.com/azamsiddiqui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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