News
Mahanayake Theras give ear to genuine owners’ jumbo troubles
A delegation from the Domesticated Elephant Owners’ Association has sought the help of the Mahanayake Theras to clear their names from what they say are false allegations against them, as raids continued on illegally held elephants.
The association’s secretary Dhamsiri Bandara Karunaratne handed over a memorandum to the Mahanayake Theras. The association has charged that after the new government came to office, Wildlife officers have entered legitimate elephant owners’ premises in search of ‘robbed ‘ elephants, creating the impression that all owners were elephant robbers.
The Asgiriya Mahanayake Thera Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakitha Thera said the raids were an outcome of elephants being robbed. He said genuine owners who have owned elephants for more than 30 to 40 years have been greatly inconvenienced by those with power and wealth who were on a robbing spree.
The delegation told the Mahanayake that they were not against Wildlife Dept. officials conducting raids but the manner in which the raids were being conducted had brought disrepute to genuine owners too.
The delegation charged that the Wildlife Ministry and the minister were dancing to the dictates of non government agencies and a situation would soon arise when domesticated elephants would not be able to take part in cultural and religious processions.
The delegation also apprised the Malwatte Mahanayake Thera Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera of the situation.
The Mahanayake made reference to reports of the robbery of elephants and the missing ”Elephant Register’.
The Mahanayka Thera said the problem should be tackled in a systematic manner so that it does not bring disrepute to genuine elephant owners.