Morrissey asks Aquino to free Philippine elephant

Re: Free The Elephant, Morrissey Pleads with Aquino

“Her life consists of extreme loneliness, boredom and isolation in an area that is a fraction of the size of her natural habitat,” he said, suggesting this could drive her to insanity.


Sounds like the perfect Morrissey fan...

Hardly the right description of his average favourite hipster fan.
 
Morrissey asks Aquino to free Philippine elephant - Agence France-Presse / Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines—Rock icon Morrissey called on Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Thursday, ahead of a Manila concert, to send what the star described as Manila Zoo’s long-suffering elephant into retirement.

The British ex-singer of alternative rock group The Smiths said Mali, 37, deserved a reprieve from a lifetime of confinement.

“I ask that you send Mali to a sanctuary, where she would have room to roam and be able to be among other members of her own species,” Morrissey wrote ahead of his May 13 Manila show.

Aquino’s office received the letter Thursday and is evaluating it, his spokeswoman Abigail Valte told reporters.

Echoing allegations by the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Morrissey said Mali had been unable to roam and socialize unlike her cousins in the wild.

“Her life consists of extreme loneliness, boredom and isolation in an area that is a fraction of the size of her natural habitat,” he said, suggesting this could drive her to insanity.

PETA, which Morrissey supports, wants Mali shipped to a US sanctuary for old, sick or needy elephants that have been retired from zoos and circuses.

It was not the first time Aquino’s intervention had been sought over conditions at the nearly 53-year-old zoo.

Last year a college student’s blog about apparently mistreated zoo animals provoked an instant Internet global furor and forced Aquino to call on officials to look into their welfare.

Manila Zoo chief veterinarian Donald Manalastas insisted Thursday that contrary to allegations Mali, donated by Sri Lanka in 1980 after its parents were poached, was well and fit.
“We have expanded the enclosure of Mali and increased her food with more nutrients. We have proof and papers of what we feed her. We do not torture her,” Manalastas told AFP.



(I heard this on the Irish news this morning too - joy!)



UPDATE May 11, 12:40AM PT:

Link posted by lindsey1151:

Manila Zoo rejects UK rocker’s plea to retire Mali, the elephant, in US - Inquirer News



UPDATE May 18, 10:55AM PT:

Link from Kewpie:

Malacañang responds to Morrissey elephant appeal, tasks experts to check on Mali - true-to-you.net
 
Last edited by a moderator:
:tears:
 
A little fairy tale...

A man was on holiday in Kenya. While he was walking through the bush, he came across an elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so the man approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot. There was a large thorn deeply embedded in the bottom of the foot.

As carefully and as gently as he could he removed the thorn and the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man and, with a rather stern look on its face, stared at him. For a good ten minutes the man stood frozen - thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

For years after, the man remembered the elephant and the events of that day.

One day the man was walking through the zoo with his son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to where they were standing at the rail. It stared at him and the man couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.

After a while it trumpeted loudly; then it continued to stare at him. The man summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

Suddenly the elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly back and forth along the railing, killing him.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.
 
Re: Free The Elephant, Morrissey Pleads with Aquino

“Her life consists of extreme loneliness, boredom and isolation in an area that is a fraction of the size of her natural habitat,” he said, suggesting this could drive her to insanity.

Either that or cause her to form The Smiths. ;)
 
Of all the issues surrounding the Philippines in this day and age (US military bases, human trafficking, sex tourism, ecological destruction, poor working conditions, destruction of national identity and culture, etc) and Morrissey cares about a f***ing elephant. Hmm....

Truly, truly disappointed.
 
Well done, Morrissey.

These recent letters are far more powerful than your more extreme rants of the last twelve months or so.

Keep it up.
 
A little fairy tale...

A man was on holiday in Kenya. While he was walking through the bush, he came across an elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed so the man approached it very carefully. He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant's foot. There was a large thorn deeply embedded in the bottom of the foot.

As carefully and as gently as he could he removed the thorn and the elephant gingerly put down its foot. The elephant turned to face the man and, with a rather stern look on its face, stared at him. For a good ten minutes the man stood frozen - thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

For years after, the man remembered the elephant and the events of that day.

One day the man was walking through the zoo with his son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to where they were standing at the rail. It stared at him and the man couldn't help wondering if this was the same elephant.

After a while it trumpeted loudly; then it continued to stare at him. The man summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder.

Suddenly the elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of the man's legs and swung him wildly back and forth along the railing, killing him.

Probably wasn't the same elephant.
and that man's son grew up to be the greatest trader in elephant ivory the world has even known! :eek:
 
Of all the issues surrounding the Philippines in this day and age (US military bases, human trafficking, sex tourism, ecological destruction, poor working conditions, destruction of national identity and culture, etc) and Morrissey cares about a f***ing elephant. Hmm....

Truly, truly disappointed.

Then people would complain that he was talking about a place he didn't know anything about and tell him to mind his own business. No win.
 
Dear Morrissey, not only Manila Zoo, also the terrible Iloilo Zoo on Panay is a horrible home for animals.
But there are so many animals in the world who suffer pain and bad experiences, not only 1 elephant.
 
If it ist true, Mali's been held in this unbelievable confinement für almost 4 decades, you hat my fullest support. Please, send me the proper mail address of Philippine President and I will write a supporting letter.
Thanx! And best wishes from Germany
chris Muenster, musician | mail: [email protected]
 
a friend told me that Morrisey band and security wrecked a bar in Manila in early hours Sunday morning. anybody hear this story? Did some people get hurt I was told?
 
Of all the issues surrounding the Philippines in this day and age (US military bases, human trafficking, sex tourism, ecological destruction, poor working conditions, destruction of national identity and culture, etc) and Morrissey cares about a f***ing elephant. Hmm....

Truly, truly disappointed.

Everyone have their part, buddy. Some people speak and fight for other issue, but Moz speak for his part.
 
Of all the issues surrounding the Philippines in this day and age (US military bases, human trafficking, sex tourism, ecological destruction, poor working conditions, destruction of national identity and culture, etc) and Morrissey cares about a f***ing elephant. Hmm....

Truly, truly disappointed.

Comments like this are so shocking. It's the same as saying that because there are problems in one area, problems in another aren't worth caring about or fixing. What a shit attitude.
 

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