Archbishop in Kerala: We cry for the elephant, but also for human life, killed by elephants and abortions
The archbishop of Changanacherry, Msgr. Joseph Peruthottam, comments on global outcry over the news of the elephant killed for eating a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers. Human lives killed by wild animals should also provoke concern. But above all, we should be raising our voices over the human life killed through abortion. In India there are 15 million abortions a year. A new law allows the termination of pregnancy until the 20th week.
Changanacherry (AsiaNews) - "The protection of animals ... is a very important responsibility for human beings", but it is equally important to defend the right to human life, when confronted with millions of abortions in India and worldwide. Nor should we forget the many human lives killed by wild animals, including elephants.
Msgr. Joseph Peruthottam, Archbishop of Changanacherry (Kerala), was commenting on the global outcry over news released days ago, of a pregnant elephant who died after eating a pineapple stuffed with firecrackers. The news went around the world and aroused emotion and discussions all over India, even among politicians. Some members of parliament even used it to attack Muslims believed to be responsible for the cruel act.
Speaking to the Southern Indian Catholic newspaper "Deepika", on 9 June, Msgr. Peruthottam stressed that "of course, the protection of animals and nature is one of the most important responsibilities of the human being". But alongside the protection of animals and nature, it is also necessary to ensure that these wild animals do not destroy agriculture and the lives of people who live near forests.
The archbishop recalls that there are many cases in which humans are killed by animals. Indeed, he says that the number of people killed by animals is higher than that of (wild) animals killed by men. In places like Munnar (Kerala, a city located in the western Ghats mountain range) and in other forest areas of the state, attacks by wild animals against humans have become routine.
In recent days, for example, some elephants that entered the city have destroyed at least five stores. And during the lockdown (quarantine) these episodes of destruction were almost normal.
At some point, the bishop recalls that in India there are at least 15 million abortions and about 55 million worldwide every year (2017 data). And he notes that while the death of an elephant's embryo moves the entire world, nobody cares about human embryos.
Indeed, politicians and leaders of India do not criticize the Indian law that legalized abortion until the 20th week of gestation. "The right to life - explains the prelate - is a fundamental right of a citizen in any country and in that way we facilitate the killing of a human being while his life blossoms in [the mother's] womb. This is an atrocity, confirmed by the Indian judicial system, which should instead defend people and social justice ".
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22/01/2004
