Enact Laws To Stop Cruelty To Captive Elephants in Sri Lanka

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Nomusa Dube
Nomusa Dube signed this petition

Recently we have seen a spate of terrible news stories relating to captive elephants suffering abuse and neglect in Sri Lanka.

Captive elephants are currently afforded little to no protection in Sri Lanka , They are not required to be retired at a specified age so nearly all elephants work until they drop like Tikiri,  many suffer  beatings and abuse from untrained and drunken mahouts like Myan Prince at Bellanwila Temple or Ganga at Gangaramaya Temple. With no restrictions on working hours or prescribed rest periods many are overworked like Kanakota who at just 18 years old dropped dead from exhaustion.

WELFARE OF CAPTIVE ELEPHANTS
Sri Lanka has no Regulations to ensure the welfare of captive elephants over the years there have been numerous reports of the neglect, cruelty, abuse and exploitation that these elephants suffer at the hands of some owners. The Ministry of Wildlife Conservation has formulated regulations for the welfare of captive elephants. These regulations were formulated in consultation with the Attorney General's Department, the Department of Wildlife Conservation and independent elephant experts and animal welfare advocates. Though approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on 22nd November 2016, these Regulations still remain unenforceable as the required step of publishing them in the Gazette to give them the force of law is still pending. The regulations lay down the duties and responsibilities of elephant owners. Bringing these regulations into force will act as a deterrent to those who subject elephants in their charge to cruelty, neglect, abuse and exploitation for commercial gain or otherwise.

WE CALL UPON THE MINISTER OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION TO TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO PUBLISH THE CAPTIVE ELEPHANT WELFARE REGULATIONS IN THE GAZETTE TO GIVE THEM THE FORCE OF LAW