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june 6, 1997
correspondent report
by paula wolfson
capitol hill
introduction
tourists at the u-s capitol had good reason to be
confused today (wednesday). were they visiting the halls of
congress? or were they at the national zoo? v-o-a's paula
wolfson reports they got a glimpse of a couple of lawmakers with
one big pachyderm.
text
it's not every day you see members of congress talking to
reporters with an asian elephant in the background. but there she
was -- munching on a carrot, and swinging her trunk in the air.
it was a comic sight. but the issue addressed by these lawmakers
is very serious. the asian elephant is in danger of extinction.
and these congressmen want the united states to help save the
species.
they have introduced legislation to set up an asian elephant
conservation fund to provide moral and financial support for
groups fighting to protect the giant mammal. republican don
young of alaska acknowledges it's not a lot of money --
five-million dollars over five years. but he says it is an
important start.
/////young act///
this is a partnership. it is with the people of asian
countries. it is with the elephant. and it is with the
people of america.
///end act////
this is not the first effort in congress to help protect an
endangered species abroad. a similar effort was begun a few
years ago to help save the african elephant. neil abercrombie --
a democrat from hawaii -- says the involvement makes sense.
////abercrombie act/////
you can separate nations politically. but ecologically
to separate them, environmentally to separate them, even
to regionalize them, does not advance the cause of
conservation across the planet.
////end act////
experts in the field of wildlife conservation say the asian
elephant population has dwindled significantly in recent years --
most dramatically in southeast asia. they say it is not a lost
cause .... but a very urgent one.
doctor raman sukamar is the author of a highly acclaimed study on
asian elephants. he calls the elephant the "keystone species" in
the region.
////sukamar act///
the asian elephant has enjoyed an intimate relationship
with people for over four-thousand years. it has
carried our heaviest burdens, transported us across the
widest rivers and over the highest mountains. (opt)
kings have used the elephant as a mission of war, and an
ambassador of peace. it has been worshiped by hindus in
the form of "ganesh" -- the elephant-headed god ...
while the buddha himself is considered to be the
reincarnation of a sacred white elephant. (end opt
////end act////
doctor sukamar says some asian governments have demonstrated a
strong political will to save the elephants, but he says
cambodia, laos and thailand have been negligent. he says in
southeast asia the problem is poaching, and the greatest need is
for more protected areas. in his homeland -- india - the
situation is different. there are many more elephants, but there
are also many more people -- and the natural habitat of the
species is being threatened by a growing human population.
(signed) neb/pw/tmd/rrm
04-jun-97 1:42 pm edt (1742 utc) nnnn report 2-215275
source: voice of america
Jai Maharaj
Jyotishi, Vedic Astrologer
http://www.flex.com/~jai
Om Shanti
Copyright (C) 1997 Mantra Corporation - All Rights Reserved.
Authorized for reproduction in soc.religion.hindu
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