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| Monday, 18 February 2002 |
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Letters | |
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The Daily News (Feb. 9) carried a feature by Aditha Dissanayake titled 'The Zoo-no longer a necessity? As stated in the article in this age of Internet, TV programs like 'Discovery' and photography in the National Geographic we do not need to keep animals in cages for us humans to study and observe them. Do we study various human ethnic groups, religious groups, colour groups keeping them caged in places like the Zoo for animals - the answer is no. For a start we should at least close the Zoo for one day in the week to give the animals a rest from the prying eyes of the public. even the Museum is closed on one day in the week. We should phase out the Zoo and spend that money on the Zoo and on promoting places like the Pinnawella Elephant Park and to promote and safe guard the Wild Life Parks and the animals in such parks. The Dehiwala Zoo could be made an International Exhibition place for stuffed animals from all parts of the world is played in their near natural environment in open booths with sound and light effects and continuous video screen displays of the respective animals in their natural habitat in their various natural behaviour. And even films showing the cruelty of the humans towards the animals in the name of sports, food, entertainment, vows, medicine, trade and commerce. This would also enable the visitors, students even to touch the skin and body of the stuffed animals. Each booth could even have a knowledgeable guide to explain on various aspects of animals - including their role in folklore, cultural history of nations and religions. Such a place could be kept open every day, even 24 hours a day. And maybe also with a blue leopard and blue elephant! DEEPTHI DE MEL-Colombo 3
As a Sri Lankan, I was shocked to see a news item that stated that an Embassy has donated Rs. 5 million to a media campaign. To start with this organisation which anyway can afford to waste millions on prestigious advertising campaigns run for them by high flying advertising agencies with budgets to match. They could easily fund their own campaigns. Secondly, no Sri Lankan needs to be made aware of the need for peace. Each of us known just how important peace is to our common survival. Even the campaigns already run by them in my opinion, only contributed to the bloating of the egos of some of these so called business leaders. Surely, Rs. 5 million could have been donated to the General Hospital for obtaining equipment and repairing existing equipment - or even providing self-employment opportunities for poor Lankans in rural areas. Wasting money on elaborate media campaigns will serve no purpose. We hope somebody would take note of this and even now, urge re-direct of the money towards the welfare of the thousands who languish in poverty in the North and the East - they don't have the comforts and the facilities the top men and women belonging to the campaign enjoy. ASHANI DE SILVA-Colombo 8
Prof. Mahinda Palihawadana of the Sri Lanka Vegetarian Society, in his letter (DN, Jan. 17) has expressed his views on the proposed abattoir to be constructed at Dematagoda, Colombo, to feed beef into the bellies of those who relish to eat such meat, with no concern for the pain and suffering the animals undergo to meet death. I think, if I am correct, Colombo city only needs about 20 heads of cattle per day to be slaughtered for meat to customers. The proposed streamlined abattoir is said to cost about 243 million rupees, which is prohibitive at this time when the country is facing an economic crisis. After all, why spend so much money when there is no demand to meet the supply? Instead of spending money to kill cattle for food, I think it is fair enough if that money is diverted for better maintenance of hospitals and clinics, free use of essential drugs to be given to patients, installation of modern machinery and medical equipment for purpose of diagnosis, maintain maternity homes and build hospitals where necessary for the convenience of patients. The polarity between the two is that one involves killing and the other saving lives. Fifty years ago, there were more beef eaters than today. Today, beef is not cooked in most Buddhist homes, and the market is maintained by Christians and Muslims, who count about 15% of the island's population. From a business point of view, such a massive abattoir would be useful if we were to export beef, but since we have limited the supplied to the local market, the new abattoir seems to be a meaningless and wasteful expenditure. H. G. Wells (1866-1946), historian and a member of the Fabian Society, says: "In Utopia there is no meat. There used to be. But, now we cannot stand the thought of slaughter-houses. I can still remember as a boy the rejoicings over the closing of the last slaughter-house." Leo Tolstoy (1828-1920), the Russian social theorist, says: "Vegetarianism serves as a criterion by which we know that the pursuit of moral perfection on the part of man is genuine and sincere." ARYADASA RATNASINGHE-Mattegoda
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