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A mammoth misuse in Kerala
by MulaiAzhagi Sun Jun 03, 2012 10:25 pm
Incidents of elephants turning violent and killing mahouts and bystanders are increasing year after year. If we probe deeply, every killer elephant will have a tale of brutal torture to tell. It is widely known that elephants are tortured right from their capture. Domestication is a misnomer for crude forms of torture. Physical pain is inflicted on the poor animal to buy obedience. The mahouts believe that only a tortured elephant can be coerced into submission.
The animal's plight does not end with the ‘initiation.' The elephant keepers beat the animals at the slightest sign of disobedience. They are denied food and water to teach them a lesson.
Inebriated mahouts have been known to torture their elephants without any sense of guilt. It is said the tortured elephant does not forget the ill- treatment easily and wreaks vengeance on the tormentors when its endurance limit is crossed.
The elephants' real nightmare starts with the festival season, which falls in the peak summer season. They are made to work for long hours without rest, food and water. The government has formulated the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management & Maintenance) rules to ensure that the pachyderms are treated humanely. But the rules often are violated with impunity. Temple officials turn a blind eye to the cruel treatment.
Most captive elephants are owned by individuals who make money renting them for festivals and film shoots. For most owners, animal welfare is not a priority. There are about 700 captive elephants in Kerala.
Elephants have been banned from circuses. They why should they be allowed to be tortured in the name of religion? There is no scriptural sanction for parading temple deities on elephants. Places of worship should not turn into torture chambers for dumb animals that cannot fight for their rights.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article3484027.ece
The animal's plight does not end with the ‘initiation.' The elephant keepers beat the animals at the slightest sign of disobedience. They are denied food and water to teach them a lesson.
Inebriated mahouts have been known to torture their elephants without any sense of guilt. It is said the tortured elephant does not forget the ill- treatment easily and wreaks vengeance on the tormentors when its endurance limit is crossed.
The elephants' real nightmare starts with the festival season, which falls in the peak summer season. They are made to work for long hours without rest, food and water. The government has formulated the Kerala Captive Elephant (Management & Maintenance) rules to ensure that the pachyderms are treated humanely. But the rules often are violated with impunity. Temple officials turn a blind eye to the cruel treatment.
Most captive elephants are owned by individuals who make money renting them for festivals and film shoots. For most owners, animal welfare is not a priority. There are about 700 captive elephants in Kerala.
Elephants have been banned from circuses. They why should they be allowed to be tortured in the name of religion? There is no scriptural sanction for parading temple deities on elephants. Places of worship should not turn into torture chambers for dumb animals that cannot fight for their rights.
http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/article3484027.ece
MulaiAzhagi- Posts : 1254
Join date : 2011-12-20
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