I wonder how this is going to affect the President’s image among true Buddhists and animal lovers. All of us who were concerned over the plight of the two baby tuskers hoped that the he would order the animals to be released back to Pinnawela (to be taken back to Kandy later when they approach the right age) as reported in the press. We who will always stand by the President on matters of national security and Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity are very much disappointed by this action of his.
This recalls a similar unwelcome decision taken by the President to release a convicted murderess – the wife of Minister Milroy Fernando – and two convicted foreign female drug traffickers on International Women’s Day in March this year.
When the famous king tusker of Panamuray was killed many decades ago during an elephant kraal, a decision was taken never to repeat the trapping of elephants in that manner. But will this happen in the case of Pinnawela if Minister Lokuge and the Diyawadana Nilame decides to snatch more sucklings from their mothers in future?
news source-----
Posted by: sinhale | August 5, 2009
Two baby jumbos Raju and Sindu officially handed over to Malwathu & Asgiri Chapters today by the President.
Despite many criticism and opposing came from the environmentalists, zoologists’ associations and animal loving general public in this country over the inhumane way that the two baby elephant sucklings were taken away from their weeping mothers at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on Saturday 25th July with the support of Police and Army personnel, the President Mahinda Rajapaksa today handed over the guardianship of said two baby elephants to Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters by the way of a “Sandeshaya” according to the traditions.
After handing over two baby elephants officially, President Rajapaksha instructed Mr. Gamini Lokuge – the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, if necessary to make arrangements to bring the relevant mothers of these two baby elephants from Pinnawala & keep them together in Kandy until they are grown-up enough to perform independently.
Meanwhile two petitions, one from “Sathva Mithra” organization and another from the spouse of a leading politician, representing another Animal Welfare Association filed at Supreme Court recently seeking an order that two baby elephants under the age of three years which had been virtually abducted from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and taken into the custody of the Diyawadana Nilame, Nilanga Dela be handed over back to Pinnawala.
This recalls a similar unwelcome decision taken by the President to release a convicted murderess – the wife of Minister Milroy Fernando – and two convicted foreign female drug traffickers on International Women’s Day in March this year.
When the famous king tusker of Panamuray was killed many decades ago during an elephant kraal, a decision was taken never to repeat the trapping of elephants in that manner. But will this happen in the case of Pinnawela if Minister Lokuge and the Diyawadana Nilame decides to snatch more sucklings from their mothers in future?
news source-----
Posted by: sinhale | August 5, 2009
Two baby jumbos Raju and Sindu officially handed over to Malwathu & Asgiri Chapters today by the President.
Despite many criticism and opposing came from the environmentalists, zoologists’ associations and animal loving general public in this country over the inhumane way that the two baby elephant sucklings were taken away from their weeping mothers at Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage on Saturday 25th July with the support of Police and Army personnel, the President Mahinda Rajapaksa today handed over the guardianship of said two baby elephants to Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters by the way of a “Sandeshaya” according to the traditions.
After handing over two baby elephants officially, President Rajapaksha instructed Mr. Gamini Lokuge – the Minister of Sports and Public Recreation, if necessary to make arrangements to bring the relevant mothers of these two baby elephants from Pinnawala & keep them together in Kandy until they are grown-up enough to perform independently.
Meanwhile two petitions, one from “Sathva Mithra” organization and another from the spouse of a leading politician, representing another Animal Welfare Association filed at Supreme Court recently seeking an order that two baby elephants under the age of three years which had been virtually abducted from the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage and taken into the custody of the Diyawadana Nilame, Nilanga Dela be handed over back to Pinnawala.
