Stop killings of Sloth bears in Bangalore
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Campaign to Stop Killing’s of Sloth Bears by Wildlife SOS at Bear Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, Bannerghatta, Bangalore
An appeal
Dear friends,
In the recent past, the sloth bears located in the Bannerghatta bear rehabilitation centre are facing acute health crises. These bears are succumbing to suspected tuberculosis at the Bear Rehabilitation and Rescue Centre at Bannerghatta Biological Park. Instead of identifying the real reason the Wildlife SOS a New Delhi based NGO; is blaming the Kalandars and shifting the responsibility on bears and bear charmers/Kalandars is inexcusable. The organization is having MOU with member secretary of Zoo authority of Karnataka to rescue and rehabilitate the bears. It seems the MOU has been used to shift the responsibility of the state to safe guard the wild animals.
Approximately 53 bears have been dead so for in last three years. But in their websites they are claiming all the bears are happily living in the rescue centre. Majority of deaths happened due to suspected tuberculosis. 3-4 years back most of the sloth bears were seized from the Kalandars by the Wildlife SOS. The deaths of bears are causing concern over the rehabilitation process itself. Hence there is a need to probe the entire deaths by the state authorities.
The death of bears is not only a mere death but the community is alleging that the bears were not rehabilitated properly due the negligence of the NGO; it is not interested in the rescue and rehabilitation and seems that it is neither having required/proper experience nor facilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of sloth bears. At the surface level it is looking that the bears have been succumbed to T.B. But in reality that the media and other concerned people are suspecting the deaths are happening due to irresponsibility of the NGO.
One can feel that the centre has become rehabilitation centre for the NGO functionaries and not for the bears. In the name of bears and the people crores of money from Indian and foreign animal rights sympathisers through different channels. Community of Kalandars are not informed by the NGO about the money mobilised in the name of rescue and rehabilitation. The funds raised by the organization have to be clearly examined by the state to know the misuse of funds.
More over more than 10 Kalandars have not rehabilitated properly, the scholarship for students were not given by the NGO. There are testimonies of people saying that the children have to drop out from colleges due to lack of support of the NGO. In the recent past the functionaries of the NGO has been visited the habitations of Kalandars and took videos and photos by giving assurance to the people that they will support for the education of children, they promised land, houses, support to marriage of girls, but the fact remains that these assurances were mere words!
They are in a mode of false claims of rescue and rehabilitation and they are projecting themselves as ‘Messiah’s’ of sloth bears in medias. Fake rescue operations have been witnessed by the community, conning the state police and forest department. In an instance of rescue operation in 2006 they released a press note, claiming that 6 bears have been rescued, the real fact is that in the wee hours of the morning they went along with the Superintendent of Police of Koppal district and forest officials and raided Hulihyder village of Gangavathi Talluk. The organization knows where about of the community, the people who have resisted surrendering the bears to the organization were targeted, arrested and jailed.
They are also portraying the innocence and non literate community of Kalandars as criminals through the media, the community is not aware of the propaganda and conspiracy. This is can be understood as an atrocity and in human act and violation of human rights and as well as animal rights violation. The helplessness of the people became capital for this type NGO’s. They are projecting the community as beggars in the international sphere and they are mobilising crores of money in the name of bears and bear charmers.
As per the Wild life protection act 2003, the rescue and rehabilitation of any wild animal is the responsibility of state and its related department. Mobilizing money in the name of bears is a crime and as per the act using any wild animal for asking money for living is a violation of the act. When the poor people are depending on the wild animals for the livelihood has been considered as violation of rights of the wild animal, it is the irony that the Wildlife SOS is again doing the same thing has been called as Champion work! And they are enjoying luxuries, in the name of sloth bears rescue and rehabilitation!
We pledge the international community and we request that;
Stop the killings of sloth bears at Bannerghatta bear and rescue rehabilitation centre through
sending a letter to the state to probe the killings of bears
Until and unless the state provides its clean chit after the probe to Wildlife SOS we request not to support the organisation
Support the rights of the community through your direct visits because your support is very valuable in restoring the rights of the people as well as the rights of the sloth bears
To know the sufferenings of youths, women, girls and children visit the community
In faith and hope
On behalf of Bear Charmers Rehabilitation Struggle Committee Karnataka –Koppal district
S.Babu
Independent researcher and social activist –
Bangalore
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