President of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa: Please free the Elephant tied up in the Gangarama Temple Petition: Signature List Feed http://www.gopetition.com/signatures/president-of-sri-lanka-mahinda-rajapaksa-please-free-the-elephant-tied-up-in-the-gangarama-temple.html Online petition signatures en-us Mon, 6 Apr 2026 01:45 UTC GoPetition RSS Feed Generator Copyright 2026 GoPetition Mr Frank Lomas [Signature #1927] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/24199560?utm_medium=rss Elephants are not toys or are not there for us to abuse. They have feelings of fear, distress, and feel pain like we do. So why put a wild animal through torture for your own entertainment?

]]> Mon, 15 Nov 2021 07:49:58 UTC 24199560 Ms Bella Deall [Signature #1926] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/23760270?utm_medium=rss Wed, 22 Jul 2020 03:35:52 UTC 23760270 Mr. Manu S-M [Signature #1925] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/23261221?utm_medium=rss Tue, 1 Oct 2019 02:15:59 UTC 23261221 Virginie Eple [Signature #1924] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/23258084?utm_medium=rss Sun, 29 Sep 2019 07:59:54 UTC 23258084 Ms. Hillery Earl [Signature #1923] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22603917?utm_medium=rss Fri, 2 Nov 2018 09:54:27 UTC 22603917 Miss Kisholi Dharmabandhu [Signature #1922] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22049396?utm_medium=rss I am the 3rd in our family to sign this petition. We are a family of animal lovers,actively engaged in looking after our two pet Corgis,two horses and four sheep (rescued from slaughter house). I had the privilege of being brought up in a Buddhist home,thanks to my Sri Lankan father. I too have enjoyed numerous holidays in Sri Lanka with my parents. However,one thing we found upsetting was the neglect of stray dogs and those majestic elephants kept in captivity in Buddhist Temples which I thought would be the last place on earth to imprison them, according to Buddhist doctrines of compassion and metta! It does not seem right at all for Buddhist monks to preach compassion and practise the opposite to be cruel to elephants keeping them chained in their precincts for prestige and marched in annual pageantries of processions for glory and monetary gains! That’s NOT Buddhism! It makes a mockery of Lord Buddha’s teachings. Please impress upon the so called guardians of Buddhism,the real culprits in this scandalous state of affairs in Sri Lanka that we have to break away from time honoured cultural practices to restore respect for Buddha’s teachings and release the imprissoned elephants back into the wild to roam freely where they belong! Please demonstrate your own commitment to this by effective measures that will end in the final journey of all temple elephants back into their protected wilderness! You would be a great hero of mankind and animals!
Thanks

]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2018 10:56:11 UTC 22049396 Mrs Delyth Dharmabandhu [Signature #1921] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22049302?utm_medium=rss I am Welsh,living with my Sri Lankan husband of 36 years of happy marriage. I have fond memories of numerous holidays in beautiful Sri Lanka but,what upset me on each visit was the plight of temple elephants and stray dogs. I never stopped questioning the morality and ethics of keeping elephants in captivity in Buddhist Temples if all places under the patronage of its High Priests who preach compassion! It may be linked to cultural practices but, surely there cannot be any justification for keeping elephants chained to trees in temple precincts for the “prestige” it brings and using them in pomp and pageantry of processions carrying relics of Lord Buddha whose noble legacy has no place for inflicting such cruelty on these beautiful and magnificent creatures who should be roaming freely in the wild where they belong ! I am aware that my husband has already experienced stubborn die hard attitude of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks in U.K. when he tried to reason out with them on this monstrous practice in the name of Buddhism! If you could restore peace fighting Tamil Tigers which all your predecessors failed,getting all temple elephants released back into the wild would be well within your capabilities! You would be well remembered not only for restoring peace for majority Sinhalese but,for another magnanimous gesture of goodwill of jumbo proportions! Thank you

]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2018 08:48:24 UTC 22049302 Mr Sunil Dharmabandhu [Signature #1920] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22049248?utm_medium=rss Keeping elephants in captivity in Buddhist Temples for prestige etc is CONTRARY TO LORD BUDDHA’s teachings of COMPASSION (AHIMSA). It is totally disgraceful that this ancient cultural practices are continued to date. Our experience in this regard is that monks are hell bent on maintaining status quo for their own personal glory and monetary gain! It MUST BE STOPPED for the sake of regaining respect from foreigners and all animal lovers the world over.

]]> Sun, 18 Feb 2018 08:02:51 UTC 22049248 Mr Rozverne Knower [Signature #1919] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22048505?utm_medium=rss Stop cruelty to temple elephants Sri Lanka a buddhist country

]]> Sat, 17 Feb 2018 09:01:29 UTC 22048505 Mrs Corinne Knower [Signature #1918] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/22047891?utm_medium=rss Stop cruelty to elephants in the temples. This is not buddhism but making money by inflicting pain and suffering to the animals.

]]> Sat, 17 Feb 2018 12:26:15 UTC 22047891 Tim Engberts [Signature #1917] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/21541227?utm_medium=rss Sat, 29 Jul 2017 11:39:49 UTC 21541227 Mr Darrick Thomson [Signature #1916] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/20867105?utm_medium=rss Mon, 7 Nov 2016 11:53:30 UTC 20867105 ms Jodi Igard [Signature #1915] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/20060694?utm_medium=rss Tue, 21 Jun 2016 01:04:44 UTC 20060694 Kathryn Perry [Signature #1914] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/19464037?utm_medium=rss Sat, 14 Nov 2015 08:19:16 UTC 19464037 Marcella Guess [Signature #1913] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/19463968?utm_medium=rss Sat, 14 Nov 2015 08:11:50 UTC 19463968 Barbara Cramer [Signature #1912] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/19463298?utm_medium=rss Sat, 14 Nov 2015 05:38:46 UTC 19463298 Mrs. Susan McGraw Keber [Signature #1911] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/19461887?utm_medium=rss No elephant or animal should be chained like this. It is time for Ganga to be released to a sanctuary where she may live a life of comfort and be cared for properly...this is NOT humane but torture.

]]> Fri, 13 Nov 2015 08:55:43 UTC 19461887 Mr Ivan Nikanorov [Signature #1910] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/19445136?utm_medium=rss Sun, 8 Nov 2015 08:20:47 UTC 19445136 kate matthews [Signature #1909] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18831470?utm_medium=rss Thu, 30 Apr 2015 01:02:56 UTC 18831470 majella hunston [Signature #1908] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18806211?utm_medium=rss Sat, 25 Apr 2015 06:24:51 UTC 18806211 Dr Diana Berger [Signature #1907] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18804688?utm_medium=rss No more abuse!!!!

]]> Fri, 24 Apr 2015 02:28:39 UTC 18804688 Ms Hannah Marzec [Signature #1906] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18798541?utm_medium=rss Thu, 23 Apr 2015 04:25:29 UTC 18798541 Mrs Danice Galvan [Signature #1905] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18670602?utm_medium=rss Tue, 17 Mar 2015 08:26:07 UTC 18670602 ms Elke Caspari [Signature #1904] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18670157?utm_medium=rss Tue, 17 Mar 2015 04:26:35 UTC 18670157 Mrs Ros Giliam [Signature #1903] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18670106?utm_medium=rss Tue, 17 Mar 2015 03:48:17 UTC 18670106 Ms Moira Fay [Signature #1902] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18669125?utm_medium=rss Mon, 16 Mar 2015 07:54:33 UTC 18669125 ms susan biggs [Signature #1901] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18448486?utm_medium=rss unbelievably WICKED and EVIL

]]> Tue, 20 Jan 2015 10:35:15 UTC 18448486 mrs carina souare [Signature #1900] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18446936?utm_medium=rss Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:19:53 UTC 18446936 Linda tellsworth [Signature #1899] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18446736?utm_medium=rss Tue, 20 Jan 2015 12:22:15 UTC 18446736 Rose Weiler [Signature #1898] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18446567?utm_medium=rss Tue, 20 Jan 2015 11:24:39 UTC 18446567 ms kristina gustavsson [Signature #1897] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18445276?utm_medium=rss Tue, 20 Jan 2015 01:17:47 UTC 18445276 Ms. Kerry Mahoney [Signature #1896] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18444972?utm_medium=rss Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:39:03 UTC 18444972 Mrs Judy Sylvester [Signature #1895] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18444946?utm_medium=rss Mon, 19 Jan 2015 10:32:43 UTC 18444946 MR Kenneth Shields [Signature #1894] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18443667?utm_medium=rss Please release this elephant from her chains and her misery. This is not right. Elephants are intelligent, social, and complex and deserve to live their lives in a more natural setting. This is just plain cruel!

]]> Mon, 19 Jan 2015 03:00:35 UTC 18443667 ms pamela frost [Signature #1893] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18443367?utm_medium=rss Mon, 19 Jan 2015 01:37:39 UTC 18443367 Eva Holierook [Signature #1892] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18364900?utm_medium=rss I've seen Ganga, I am truly shocked how we human beings treat beautiful creatures like Ganga. I will do anything in my power to give Ganga a better life!!
Buddhist should of all people be even more aware to take good care of animals! Please forbid these atrocities!

]]> Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:23:40 UTC 18364900 Ms Heather Tomlinson [Signature #1891] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18304915?utm_medium=rss Tue, 6 Jan 2015 04:51:15 UTC 18304915 Ms Charlene Crouse [Signature #1890] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18290495?utm_medium=rss Sat, 3 Jan 2015 10:39:48 UTC 18290495 Mrs Judit Spaeth [Signature #1889] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18283058?utm_medium=rss Mon, 29 Dec 2014 02:06:16 UTC 18283058 Ms Shirley Kramer [Signature #1888] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18277514?utm_medium=rss Please free these elephants because they don't deserve to be abused in any way. They deserve to live free amongst other elephants. Please, you wouldn't want to live like this well neither do they. Their so gentle and loving, so please don't let them suffer anymore set them free!

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:43:22 UTC 18277514 Miss Lisa Druett [Signature #1887] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18271276?utm_medium=rss Fri, 19 Dec 2014 05:37:51 UTC 18271276 miss Necole Cook [Signature #1886] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18258890?utm_medium=rss Elephants dont belong in Captivity or seperated from their mothers/familes .. they are very social mammals. No wildlife animal for that matter deserves this life. U will be held acountable for your actions

]]> Sat, 13 Dec 2014 06:09:06 UTC 18258890 Ms Adriana A [Signature #1885] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18257877?utm_medium=rss Fri, 12 Dec 2014 01:37:47 UTC 18257877 Ms Bo Dhi [Signature #1884] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18255835?utm_medium=rss Thu, 11 Dec 2014 02:10:50 UTC 18255835 Mrs Jill Ryan [Signature #1883] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18254798?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 10:29:58 UTC 18254798 ms Jill Snyder [Signature #1882] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18254549?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 06:40:15 UTC 18254549 mr mark Brierley [Signature #1881] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18254384?utm_medium=rss No animals should suffer like this please see it in your heart to free this poor elephant there is so many poor animals suffering at the hands of human beings this is not fair please show compassion.

Kind regards
Mark

]]> Wed, 10 Dec 2014 04:59:49 UTC 18254384 Joanna Foster [Signature #1880] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18254180?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 02:56:50 UTC 18254180 Ms Shirley Kramer [Signature #1879] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18253399?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 09:01:11 UTC 18253399 Mr Marc Lubner [Signature #1878] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18253345?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 08:41:19 UTC 18253345 mMr Chris Brodie [Signature #1877] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18253340?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 08:40:08 UTC 18253340 Mrs Oksana Brodie [Signature #1876] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18253336?utm_medium=rss Wed, 10 Dec 2014 08:39:25 UTC 18253336 ms marsha solton [Signature #1875] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18252383?utm_medium=rss I am writing to you from the United States and I am so worried about the state of Saama. She is in such a terrible state,,,sunburned, lonely, chained...She needs to be taken care of, loved,,,,she is not...She is stressed and so unhappy...Do the kind thing and let her leave...This is no way to treat a beautiful, loving animal

]]> Tue, 9 Dec 2014 10:43:52 UTC 18252383 Ms Louise O'Hara [Signature #1874] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18251461?utm_medium=rss Tue, 9 Dec 2014 04:04:20 UTC 18251461 ms Tammy Rizer [Signature #1873] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18249002?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 03:58:07 UTC 18249002 ms sharon wright [Signature #1872] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248738?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:45:37 UTC 18248738 Susanne LaBarge [Signature #1871] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248729?utm_medium=rss This is very wrong! Particularly at a "temple"???
Let this baby go to a refuge where it can socially mingle with other elephants. Tourists have no need to see a tortured elephant and have no right to put this sweet baby through this!!!
What if it were YOUR child?

]]> Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:43:16 UTC 18248729 Ms Amy Pruett [Signature #1870] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248673?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:27:28 UTC 18248673 Mrs Gina Cogeasca [Signature #1869] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248643?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:19:27 UTC 18248643 Kathryn Davis [Signature #1868] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248621?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:12:55 UTC 18248621 Ms monique Smaak [Signature #1867] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248544?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 01:47:05 UTC 18248544 Anonymous [Signature #1866] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248123?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 11:29:49 UTC 18248123 Carmen Bijlsma [Signature #1865] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18248087?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 11:18:19 UTC 18248087 Gerda Veltman [Signature #1864] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247987?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 10:47:58 UTC 18247987 ms Marja willemsen [Signature #1863] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247830?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 09:53:16 UTC 18247830 mrs Hetty van wijk [Signature #1862] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247713?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 09:12:05 UTC 18247713 Ms Rene'e Cond'e [Signature #1861] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247473?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 07:36:52 UTC 18247473 Ms Alice Witt [Signature #1860] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247437?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 07:22:07 UTC 18247437 Ms Bonnie Lilley [Signature #1859] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247136?utm_medium=rss No animal should suffer like this. Please release these intelligent creatures to a sanctuary where they can live with others of their species and in peace! A loving God would want this!!

]]> Mon, 8 Dec 2014 05:06:14 UTC 18247136 mrs Karin Kuipers [Signature #1858] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18247106?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 04:47:35 UTC 18247106 ms Anonymous [Signature #1857] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246973?utm_medium=rss dit dier moet in vrijheid leven geen mens en dier mag zo leven en zo,n krppe behuizing

]]> Mon, 8 Dec 2014 03:48:28 UTC 18246973 miranda de vries [Signature #1856] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246922?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 03:21:06 UTC 18246922 Leigh Saunders [Signature #1855] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246831?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 02:04:29 UTC 18246831 mr. r.w. cory [Signature #1854] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246814?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 01:52:09 UTC 18246814 Elly De Vet [Signature #1853] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246792?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 01:33:48 UTC 18246792 Ms Henriette Eksteen [Signature #1852] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246771?utm_medium=rss Mon, 8 Dec 2014 01:19:24 UTC 18246771 MS Cheryl Locke [Signature #1851] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246634?utm_medium=rss Enough is Enough you can worship God and torture the living representative of that God...!!!

]]> Sun, 7 Dec 2014 11:16:49 UTC 18246634 ms robin greenberg [Signature #1850] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246242?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 06:01:57 UTC 18246242 Ms. Tricia Rizzi [Signature #1849] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18246218?utm_medium=rss It is beyond cruel to keep an elephant chained to a pole alone.

]]> Sun, 7 Dec 2014 05:49:25 UTC 18246218 ms Delmarie Eksteen [Signature #1848] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18245962?utm_medium=rss Stop this cruelty to animals. It is barbaric!

]]> Sun, 7 Dec 2014 03:16:11 UTC 18245962 Mary Scott [Signature #1847] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18245946?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 03:06:49 UTC 18245946 Mrs Carolyn Levy [Signature #1846] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18245884?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 02:26:12 UTC 18245884 Ms R Loveless [Signature #1845] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18245430?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 10:07:15 UTC 18245430 Ann Harriet Ekren [Signature #1844] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244933?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 03:35:44 UTC 18244933 KAtharina Bergant [Signature #1843] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244882?utm_medium=rss Sun, 7 Dec 2014 02:48:53 UTC 18244882 Ms JILL Ashby [Signature #1842] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244349?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 06:17:14 UTC 18244349 mv Ine Baveld [Signature #1841] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244337?utm_medium=rss Let Saama FREE please

]]> Sat, 6 Dec 2014 06:10:53 UTC 18244337 Martina Braun [Signature #1840] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244328?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 06:07:35 UTC 18244328 Ms Corine Noiren [Signature #1839] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244069?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 03:12:36 UTC 18244069 Ms Blandine PIMENTA [Signature #1838] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18244011?utm_medium=rss I can't bear any longer that cruel behaviour towards this elephant. It's a shame and I'm not proud being a human being when I see those horrible things. Please, God, help this poor elephant and all the elephants all around the world.

]]> Sat, 6 Dec 2014 02:27:46 UTC 18244011 Mr Allan Rubin [Signature #1837] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18243934?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 01:37:33 UTC 18243934 Miss Karen Pillai [Signature #1836] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18243157?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 05:50:01 UTC 18243157 ms sally naveh [Signature #1835] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18242977?utm_medium=rss Sat, 6 Dec 2014 03:43:59 UTC 18242977 Desi Panis [Signature #1834] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18242723?utm_medium=rss Fri, 5 Dec 2014 11:52:50 UTC 18242723 roger mcmullan [Signature #1833] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18242707?utm_medium=rss Fri, 5 Dec 2014 11:31:07 UTC 18242707 Salim KP [Signature #1832] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18210482?utm_medium=rss Tue, 25 Nov 2014 05:11:35 UTC 18210482 Ms Barbara Verheyen [Signature #1831] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18210205?utm_medium=rss Tue, 25 Nov 2014 03:56:09 UTC 18210205 eirian roberts [Signature #1830] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18209206?utm_medium=rss Tue, 25 Nov 2014 11:48:34 UTC 18209206 Maria Ianc [Signature #1829] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18208259?utm_medium=rss Tue, 25 Nov 2014 07:22:34 UTC 18208259 Ms Sherron Davis [Signature #1828] https://www.gopetition.com/signature/locate/18208182?utm_medium=rss Tue, 25 Nov 2014 07:00:38 UTC 18208182