News
Mali, ‘World’s Saddest Elephant,’ dies alone in captivity
An elephant known as “the world’s saddest elephant” has died at the Manila Zoo.During a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Honey Lacuna announced that Mali the elephant —deemed the “saddest” by some because she was the only captive elephant in the Philippines and lived alone in a pen for decades — had recently died from health complications.
Mali, whose full name was Vishwamali, and her captivity caught the attention of many animal activists, including Paul McCartney.
In 2013, while working with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Paul McCartney raised awareness about Mali’s solitary life. He asked authorities to move the animal to an elephant sanctuary. Writing to Philippine President Benigno Aquino III in 2013, McCartney said, “With the stroke of a pen, you can bring an end to her suffering, and I urge you, with all my heart, to please direct that Mali be given that joy now.” Others involved in the “Free Mali” movement included Pamela Anderson and Dr. Jane Goodall.
According to PETA U.K., during her years at the zoo, Mali experienced “intense confinement, loneliness, boredom and isolation.” The organization added that while an elephant sanctuary was prepared to take Mali in, the elephant was kept in captivity in Manila, where she was considered an integral part of the zoo.
On Tuesday, Mali, who was confirmed to have cancer and an aorta blockage after her death, was seen lying on her side and breathing heavily, Dr. Heinrich Patrick Peña-Domingo, the chief veterinarian at the Manila Zoo, said at the news conference, according to BBC News. She was also rubbing her trunk against a wall, signaling that she was in pain. While vets gave her antihistamines and vitamins, Mali died the same day.
While many fought against the conditions Mali dealt with, others didn’t see the elephant’s captivity as unfavorable. “She might seem alone, but she had us beside her,” Mayor Lacuna said in the Facebook conference video. “She was the face that greeted everyone who visited Manila Zoo. She is a part of our lives.”
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Lacuna said she would ask Sri Lanka to donate another elephant to the Manila Zoo, as they did with Mali. In response, animal rights activists said they would fight to ensure that another elephant doesn’t end up at the zoo alone.
In a statement, PETA Asia said, “Because of indifference and greed, Mali the elephant died the same way she had lived for nearly 50 years: alone in a concrete pen at the Manila Zoo… People everywhere can do their part to protect other elephants by staying away from any business that puts animals on display for entertainment.”
On X, PETA Asia added, “We’re so sorry, Mali. You deserved better.” – people.com
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) yesterday demanded an immediate termination of what it called a “secretive and dangerous” defence agreement signed between Sri Lanka and India, during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 05 April visit.
Addressing a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Nugegoda, FSP Education Secretary Pubudu Jagoda described the agreement as a “betrayal of the nation” and a “crime against the people,” urging the government to invoke Article 12 of the deal and exit it with the required three months’ notice.
Jagoda said the document, which surfaced on social media after being published by a news portal, appears to be the actual agreement signed between the two countries. “The government has not denied its authenticity. That silence is telling,” he said.
Jagoda added that the agreement bears the signatures of Sri Lanka’s Defence Ministry Secretary Sampath Thuiyakontha and Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha.
“What’s most troubling,” Jagoda warned, “is that both governments attempted to keep the agreement under wraps. Unlike the 1987 Indo-Lanka Accord, which was made public with all annexures, this agreement was hidden from the people, and even now, we don’t know how many other agreements exist between India and Sri Lanka.”
Jagoda said that a Right to Information request made on 04 April was met with a reply from the President’s Office stating that it had no copies of the agreement—raising serious concerns about transparency, even at the highest level. “One could question whether the President has seen it because his office does not have it,” Jagoda said.
The 12-clause of agreement reportedly covers areas such as exchange and training of military personnel, defence industry collaboration, classified information protection, and military medical services, including battlefield healthcare and telemedicine.
Jagoda said the definition of “classified information” in Clause 7 was alarmingly broad. “It allows India to label virtually anything as secret. Even weapons or military assets transferred under this agreement cannot be revealed—not even after the agreement ends,” he said, citing Clause 7.3.
Clause 10 prohibits either country from taking disputes to international courts or involving third-party mediators. “It’s like asking a rabbit to negotiate with a tiger,” Jagoda quipped, drawing parallels to the complications of the 1987 accord, which eventually saw Indian peacekeeping troops refusing to leave until a change in the Indian government.
Jagoda accused the NPP-led government of hypocrisy, pointing out that the JVP, the main component of the current regime, had vehemently opposed Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. “Now they’ve gone and signed an even more dangerous deal,” he said.
Citing Clause 12, which allows either party to withdraw with three months’ notice, the FSP called on the government to act immediately to exit the pact. “We urge the people to unite and defeat these underhanded, sovereignty-eroding deals. The FSP stands ready to lead that fight,” Jagoda said.
The police yesterday arrested a group of students, including the Convener of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), Madushan Chandradith, during a protest held by the Allied Health Science Graduates’ Union in front of the Health Ministry yesterday.
The police obtained an order from Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court, earlier in the day, to prevent protesters from invading the Colombo Hospital Square and the Health Ministry.
Inspector General of Police T.M.W. Deshabandu Tennakoon is set to face formal questioning on Monday (19 May) over serious allegations of misconduct and abuse of power, parliamentary sources said yesterday.
A special Committee appointed to investigate the claims will commence formal proceedings next week, following several rounds of preliminary discussions held within the parliamentary complex in recent weeks.
The IGP has been officially notified to appear before the Committee and is expected to face the inquiry for the first time at 2:00 PM in Committee Room No. 8.
The Committee, which met again on Thursday (15) to finalise arrangements, is investigating allegations that Tennakoon misused his official powers in a manner deemed severe and improper.
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