Mass slaughtering of our elephants in SOUTH AFRICA FOR IVORY TRADE!

[Guest guest]

Let me add another petition that is just as urgent, namely the plannedslaughtering of our elephants in SOUTH AFRICA. http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/502818212 I had posted the following open letter to Minister van Schalkwyk onvarious websites and someone hastily removed it from one site. God forbidthat people learn the truth about the true motivation behind this genocide,i.e. ivory trade! Ingrid Blank Mr. van Schalkwyk, as a fellow South African I am deeply ashamed at yourlack of backbone! There is no science-based justification whatsoever for thebrutal killing of these highly intelligent SENTIENT beings, who feel painand sorrow at the loss of their family members. Yes, elephants do havefamily units. You caved in to pressure from SANParks whose true motivationis a harvesting program based on economic and political ambitions devoid ofany scientific validity.SanParks has failed miserably in the management ofelephants and now without adhering to the precautionary principle want toexperiment with the population growth of animals by murdering them in coldblood. Where are your ethics, Mr. van Schalwyk. May I remind you that SouthAfrica is allegedly a democracy, governed BY and FOR the people. Well, didyou ask the people (yes, that's me and millions of other South Africans whoare just as horrified as I am) before making your unilateral decisionwithout the people's knowledge and consent? Our elephants belong to thepeople of this nation and neither you nor SANParks have the right to killthese magnificent animals. Would by any chance CITES' approval of a secondone-time trade in ivory have anything to do with your unethical decision,which allows South Africa to trade 30 tons of ivory? Please read thestatement of TRUE elephant experts:http://old.elephanttrust.org/2006/AERPCullingStatement1-06.pdf Ingrid Blank/South Africa Once again, defying international opposition and all standards ofhuman decency, the Canadian government is sanctioning the mass killing ofhelpless baby harp seals. In the weeks ahead, hundreds of thousands of these animals will bebeaten and stabbed with sharp hooks and sometimes even skinned alive--all sothat someone can put on a coat, a collar, or cuffs made with real baby-sealfur. PETA and caring people like you are fighting relentlessly to protectthese animals. We must pressure the Canadian government to listen to thepleas of millions of people around the world who want this annual slaughterto stop. This year, seals need your help in raising an international outcryto help end the bloody hunt. Please take two important actions right now: 1. Sign PETA's worldwide petition to Canadian Prime MinisterStephen Harper demanding a permanent end to the annual slaughter of seals. 2. Make an online donation to PETA to help us win the global fightto stop the abuse of seals and other animals for their fur. Your generousgift will help us take on the fur industry--designers, retailers, andconsumers--as only PETA can. Even in an industry known for its cruelty, Canada's annual sealhunt--the largest slaughter of marine animals on the planet--stands alonefor its violence and utter lack of compassion or mercy. Hundreds of thousands of harp seals will be killed in a matter ofweeks. Most of them will be less than 3 months old, and many will still bein their first weeks of life. The animals are so young and innocent thatthey will lie on the ice as their attackers approach. Even if they know thatthey should flee, their motor skills aren't yet developed enough to do so.They have no chance of escaping to the safety of the water. The carnage begins as the seals have their heads bashed in withclubs. Still conscious, they will be dragged across the ice with boat hooks.Then these sensitive, intelligent animals will be skinned, sometimes whilethey are still alive. The sealers will take their fur but leave the seals'bodies on the ice to rot. Someday soon, Canada will look back on its seal hunt with shame. Butuntil that day comes, it is up to caring people like you and me to come tothe defense of these gentle animals. By signing the petition and making a generous donation online rightnow, you can help us bring international condemnation to the Canadian primeminister's doorstep--a critical step in ending these atrocities. Thank you, Elaine, for your unwavering commitment to these animals. Very truly yours, Ingrid E. Newkirk President P.S. Help stop the slaughter of baby seals. Sign PETA's globalpetition and make as generous a donation as you can afford so that we canshow Canadian Prime Minister Harper that the world will not tolerate themass slaughter of baby seals. Together, we can stand up for the young harpseals who still swim in the waters off Canada's coast. This e-mail was sent by: PETA 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 United States