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----- Original Message -----
From: "Fr. Ivo C da Souza" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, January 11, 2009 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Goanet]National Animal
Dear Goannetters,
I have been reading postings on cow as a sacred animal to be a national
animal on some Websites. It is a point for reflexion. When I go abroad and
speak about India, people questioned me how cows can be roaming in big
cities like Mumbai and Delhi. My hesitant answer, due to my "national
pride", was that I did not see. But even in Goa this is happening. Let us
enlighten ourselves in the light of contemporary thought and decide. I
would like to provide here a letter written by an Indian woman who has
been reflecting on this point, on MangaloreanCatholics.com. Let us respect
human rights, while treating well our animals.
Regards.
Fr.Ivo
"Dear Ancy,
Wish you a wonderful New year and all the readers of these columns.
I follow most of the articles posted under Mangalorean Catholics. This is
my second year in Berhampur, Ganjam District ,Orissa.
When I came here, it was a culture shock to see the way the cows are
treated in Orissa. In Berhampur town and on the highway to Bubaneshwar
from Berhampur, I have noticed big herd of cows roaming around on the
roads, littering on the road, uncared, rickety a few of them, dead,
knocked down by speeding trucks on the highway. They sleep the whole night
on the road.
Bulls roam about like traffic-police and break-inspectors, and accidents
and loss of life are reported both in the papers and oral communication.
In a lesser measure I noticed this in the capital Delhi, when I was posted
there for few years.
Once I went to Mrs. Sheila Dixit, the C.M., to invite her for the Jubilee
celebration of the school. My companion broke this topic and told about a
remark, by some one, 'the animals and human beings live together in India.
What a harmony!'.
When I saw the situation here, it is too true, because there are too many
cows, walking on the street and at times they fight among themselves and
we are scared they may butt us.
Well , I said, it was a culture shock, because down South in Mangalore and
other places I have seen them in a stable, taken good care of by the
owners and not like in these places cruelly treated, at the mercy of the
weather- in heat or cold, and in the open. They are cruelly left ..., but
I do not know to whom they belong and who milks them.
I would suggest all those who love animals and wish to make cow as
"national animal", please, see that you take care of them as the
foreigners take care of their pets. But I too am with those who think that
the poor and Dalits, who are in the camps and the forests, must be
attended to and then take care of all the animals.
I request Dr. Hrisikesh to mobilise people of good will to heed the call
of human beings, along with the cries of the mute animals. Our brothers
and sisters in Khandamal forests and in the camp are leading a life worse
than animals in the 21st century, when Man has reached the space and
pleasure trips to Mars are on anvil, let us respect every life, both human
and animal, and let us not think of only milk and flesh, and fight for
these, because the colour of blood in every human being is the same, and
every creature of this earth reminds us of the Creator.
Mog Asondi
Marie Therese".
