OneWorld.net (U.S.)

Dharamsala, 20 February, 2006: There is a renaissance of short for hundreds of colorfully attired Tibetans who congregated at the Main Square of Mcleodganj in this Buddhists pilgrimage town of Dharamsala today. The reason was to rekindle an era for conservation of endangered animals by boycotting clothes made from animal skins.

People huddled around a huge bonfire of animal skins by chanting ancient Buddhists sermons. Tiger, fox, otter and other skin laced garments were burnt on the street of lower Mcleodganj by hundreds of cheering public. Five different Tibetan organizations participated in the event to invoke among the fellow Tibetans, the teaching of Mahakaruna which forbid cruelty towards all living beings.

This was the message of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to his fellow Tibetans at the launch of the Tibetan Conservation Awareness Campaign (TCAC) with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Care for the Wild International (CWI).

This event was organized two days after the screening of the video depicting the mass burning of animal skins on the streets of Tibet, which was clandestinely brought here as part of a mass movement. The film was screened on February 17 at the main temple of His Holiness in presence of more than 1000 Tibetans. About three billion Yuan worth of skins were reportedly destroyed in various parts of Tibet.

SOURCE: Wildlife Trust of India