Film actor-producer John Abraham has backed the campaign of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and called upon the Himalayan republic of Nepal to end the animal cruelty and abuse that is commonplace at the Chitwan Elephant Festival.
In a letter to Nepal’s Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, the movie star wrote, “As someone who has witnessed the beauty of elephants in their natural habitat, I can tell you that they symbolize strength, grace and wisdom. They are a national treasure in so many ways, and Nepal has the opportunity to lead the way in showing the world how to respect and protect these magnificent animals.”
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The so-called festival was last held in December 2019. During the event, elephants are beaten into submission and forced to race, give rides, and ‘play’ polo and football. Handlers repeatedly and cruelly hit and jab the elephants with bull hooks, sticks, and makeshift wooden knives.
An investigation by PETA exposed the cruelty involved in getting the intelligent, endangered animals to participate in the ‘festival’, a participation that brings them no joy at all. PETA Asia had released footage of a handler relentlessly beating an elephant with a stick 23 times within 30 minutes. One elephant was beaten for nearly a minute. Many suffered deep, bloody wounds around their heads and ears. When not being forced to perform at the ‘festival’, the elephants are used for rides by tourists visiting the Chitwan National Park.
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Following the exposé, over a dozen companies pulled their support of the event and it did not take place the following years. Now, the government is seeking to revive it. The King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament in Thailand, the only other event where elephants were forced to ‘play’ polo, was discontinued some years ago after similar cruelty was exposed, following which all the sponsors backed out.
“These intelligent, sensitive animals endure immense physical and emotional strain during these games,” John wrote, and urged Pandey to cancel the event and steer Nepal “towards a future where traditions can evolve to reflect our shared values of kindness and respect for all living, feeling beings”.
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Elephants are highly social animals that thrive in the company of their extended families. Births are joyous celebrations, and the deaths of loved ones are mourned. In captivity they are deprived of everything natural and important to them and often exhibit obsessive, repetitive behaviours indicative of severe psychological distress.
“Nepal holds a special place in my heart, and I am confident that its bright future will be shaped by decisions that honour its people, wildlife, and unparalleled natural beauty,” John Abraham said.
