The government in Sri Lanka has plans to give 359 illegal elephant tusks from hundreds of butchered elephants to a Buddhist temple, the Sri Dalada Maligawa Buddhist Temple. The tusks were seized in Sri Lanka while being transported to Dubai from Kenya.
The demand for ivory used for religious handicrafts by Buddhists, (and Catholics- many crosses are made of ivory), is making the the poaching crises worse; 25,000 elephants were illegally slaughtered for their ivory tusks- and the brutal massacre is continuing.
Gifting the Buddhist temple, (a third party), violates Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Additionally, Kenya wants the ivory back to use as exhibit in case of any arrest.
Tell the Sri Lanka to stop fueling the demand for religous ivory, (termed "Ivory Worship" by National Geographic). Even the Vatican recently condemned elephant poaching as against Catholic values. Sri Lankan's who revere elephants should not condone this bood ivory and mass murder.
SOURCE: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/45564
President of Sri Lanka
Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa
Telephone: +94 11 2324 801, +94 11 2430 860
Fax: +94 11 2430 590
Email: webinfo@defence.lk
The government in Sri Lanka has plans to give 359 illegal elephant tusks from hundreds of butchered elephants to a Buddhist temple, the Sri Dalada Maligawa Buddhist Temple. The tusks were seized in Sri Lanka while being transported to Dubai from Kenya.
The demand for ivory used for religious handicrafts by Buddhists, (and Catholics- many crosses are made of ivory), is making the the poaching crises worse; 25,000 elephants were illegally slaughtered for their ivory tusks- and the brutal massacre is continuing.
Gifting the Buddhist temple, (a third party), violates Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Additionally, Kenya wants the ivory back to use as exhibit in case of any arrest.
Tell the Sri Lanka to stop fueling the demand for religous ivory, (termed "Ivory Worship" by National Geographic). Even the Vatican recently condemned elephant poaching as against Catholic values. Sri Lankan's who revere elephants should not condone this bood ivory and mass murder.
SOURCE: http://www.enn.com/wildlife/article/45564
President of Sri Lanka
Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa
Telephone: +94 11 2324 801, +94 11 2430 860
Fax: +94 11 2430 590
Email: webinfo@defence.lk
