ITN in its news broadcast of 15/4/2001 telecast pictures of a New Year festival somewhere in the Western Province. One item featured was an elephant race. The winner was around 8-yrs-old and, Kandula by name. Most often, animals are goaded by the Henduwa and whacked with long sticks to get them to run. Kandula was mercilessly beaten. It won - but at what price?

We in this country know how intelligent and obedient tame elephants are. They have tremendous patience and go through many late nights of peraheras even with all those burning bulbs strung down their decorated trunks. They do most of our heavy work without a whimper. But like all of us, they can get to the end of their tether. At that point one cannot blame them. To beat such a large animal mercilessly in the presence of a crowd is doubly dangerous. Organisers of elephant races should adhere to a set of principles. The police who have to bear the brunt of crowd control should perhaps advise those festival officials.

Race by all means, maybe some of the younger elephants enjoy performing in front of humans, but why beat them. Most mahouts know how to make an elephant move fast without a beating.

All this happened in the presence of a young new Deputy Minister who was the chief guest!

Milroy Ratwatte
Badulla