{"id":36434,"date":"2014-12-21T18:16:46","date_gmt":"2014-12-21T23:16:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=36434"},"modified":"2014-12-21T19:45:58","modified_gmt":"2014-12-22T00:45:58","slug":"colombo-municipal-council-and-uda-prepare-for-visit-by-caringpope-francis-by-cruelly-eliminating-dogs-in-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dbsjeyaraj.com\/dbsj\/?p=36434","title":{"rendered":"Colombo Municipal Council and UDA Prepare for Visit by “Caring” Pope Francis by Cruelly Eliminating Dogs in City."},"content":{"rendered":"

by<\/p>\n

Sagarica Rajakarunanayake<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"file<\/a>

file pic<\/p><\/div>\n

Pope Francis’s visit to Sri Lanka will commence on 13th January 2015. Assurances have been given by the two main presidential candidates that there will not be any post-election threat to the security of the Pope. Catholics here are fervently awaiting the arrival of the Pope. Buddhists too should be happy to honour and welcome this religious leader of world stature, bearing in mind the words of the Buddha, that to honour those who are worthy of honour is the greatest blessing.<\/p>\n

Puja ca pujaniyanam – etam mangala uttamam (Maha Mangala Sutta)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The world today, beset with hatred and violence set aflame by sectarianism and extremism, is in dire need of strong voices for non- violence and peace. Pope Francis is a spiritual leader calling for peace and understanding amongst different faiths, communities and races. In his homilies he has always demonstrated his love for humanity, while not forgetting nature and the environment. In his first homily as the Pope, he states it is man’s duty to protect God’s creations.<\/p>\n

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President Rajapaksa, his ministers and officials in charge of arrangements for the Pope’s visit, must be mindful of the principles and values that the Pope holds. It is important they know that the Pope has been inspired to take his name from St. Francis of Assisi, who lived in Italy in the 12th century, and began the Franciscan Order of monks dedicated to the service of God and the poor. Pope Francis also reveals he has been greatly inspired by the immense love and compassion for animals shown by this saint. He would undoubtedly be saddened by any acts of cruelty and intolerance to the poor and to animals because of his visit.<\/p>\n

Regarding the poor, it has been the practice of successive governments of Sri Lanka, prior to holding international events in the city to remove beggars to unknown places, and in many cases their fate is not known thereafter. CHOGM was the last international event here when beggars were removed from the city. The government ought to have addressed this issue properly, finding ways of rehabilitating them humanely.<\/p>\n

There are several instances when Pope Francis has especially recognized animals and given them his blessings. One such instance was when a blind man was granted an audience with him. Pope Francis received and blessed him and his family and surprising everyone, bent down and blessed his lead dog as well. It shows the remarkable humility of the Pope in publicly showing his love for humble animals.<\/p>\n

The ministers and officials of the GOSL in charge of the Pope’s visit must surely realize that his compassionate outlook is in harmony with our own culture of tolerance and compassion to man and all other species. The Mayor of Colombo and the UDA must understand that subjecting animals to cruelty in order to show a beautiful or “Smart City” to the Pope is to dishonor the values he holds and also to shamefully denigrate our own culture of compassion, which our politicians brag about to the world.<\/p>\n

It is evident the poor communities have no place in the “Smart City” and if at all, they should not be seen or heard. It is reported that the UDA has already commenced relocating some of the “underserved” settlements in alternate locations and are using the liberated prime land for urban regeneration.<\/p>\n

It appears that the architect of the transformation of the city has overlooked our culture that is over 2000 years old, based on the principle of ahimsa, and respect for all life. It is with the common people or the “underserved communities” that this culture is sustained in the city. This is by their caring for nature and animals, especially the dogs and cats, the crows and other birds of the city. People of this country, both urban and rural, are highly tolerant of dogs and cats, allowing them to live amongst them. <\/p>\n

The need to have a pet animal for children to bestow love and to learn compassion is a need for the affluent as well as the common or “underserved” people of Colombo. These people do not have houses with gardens and gates to confine their dogs, but they do a great service to the CMC and society in bringing community dogs for vaccination and neutering. And the vaccinated dog on the street prevents the spread of rabies carried by new dogs entering the city. The CMC cannot access the city dogs for vaccination without the willing cooperation of city dwellers which they do not fail to give. No authority has the right to erase the culture of this country by removing species that have survived and are living in harmony with people through out centuries.<\/p>\n

The Pope would be saddened to know that in order to beautify the city for his arrival, the Colombo Municipal Council, instructed by the UDA, and is intensifying its brutal programme of cruelly seizing and removing the dogs of the city. There is a total lack of transparency as to how they are treated and disposed of. However, it is learnt from reliable sources that they are taken out of the city and thrown out in remote areas far away from human habitation, as they did during CHOGM. Many even believe these dogs are taken away and killed.<\/p>\n

Most of these dogs have owners, they are vaccinated and neutered while those without specific owners are cared for, sterilized and neutered by a large number of city dwellers who are greatly saddened and angered by this brutal and disposing of these city dogs.<\/p>\n

The CMC is the authority for the control of rabies and dog population in the city using modern scientific methods. It should not allow other authorities, even the UDA, to interfere by the unscientific and inhumane removal of dogs. In fact, it must be noted that the aim of the UDA in calling for the seizing of dogs is the beautifying of the city, not the control of rabies, which is the role of the CMC under law.<\/p>\n

Had the foreign media that arrived to cover CHOGM last year known about the brutal removal of dogs from the city for the conference, the publicity given by them would have ruined our image as a Buddhist country that believes in compassion to animals. The foreign media will cover the Popes visit. The media unit of the Vatican will also arrive to cover the visit. The atrocities committed to the dogs by the CMC in the name of the Pope, and ruining the image of a Buddhist Sri Lanka, must stop immediately.<\/p>\n

The cruel removal of the city dogs for the Pope’s visit by the CMC also leaves room for adverse and wrong impressions to be created among Buddhists towards the Pope, who in fact strongly disapproves of cruel treatment to animals.<\/p>\n

We call for a stop to this shameful barbaric policy of seizing and disposing of dogs and the immediate resumption of the scientific methods of dog population and rabies control in the city; which is being implemented in the rest of the country.<\/p>\n

Sagarica Rajakarunanayake<\/p>\n

Sathva Mithra<\/p>\n

Tweet<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Sagarica Rajakarunanayake Pope Francis’s visit to Sri Lanka will commence on 13th January 2015. Assurances have been given by the two main presidential candidates that there will not be any post-election threat to the security of the Pope. Catholics here are fervently awaiting the arrival of the Pope. Buddhists too should be happy to …<\/p>\n

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