Hanoi’s peace birds ill-treated, killed for meat
Last updated: 11/30/2010 15:05
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Pigeons donated to Hanoi’s millennial anniversary in October are being killed by the hundreds, as city officials sit by and twiddle their thumbs.
In the meantime, the pigeons have been protected by a local arist, who donated the creatures to the city for its celebration.
On Sunday, Hanoi police apprehended six people who had stolen hundreds of pigeons and sold them to restaurants,VietNamNet said Tuesday.
The men allegeldy had 460 pigeons in their possession, police said.
Artist Pham Tai Thu of Da Nang raised and trained the birds starting in April and donated them to the capital city of Hanoi for their millenial celebration.
Two hundred of the birds were released on the capital celebration as a symbol of peace.
Most of the rest have been poached from Bach Thao Park for their meat.
People started stealing the birds two days after the celebration ended on October 10, said Thu, who have been staying in a small house at the park to take care of the birds since.
“I myself saw some of the thieves,” he said.
Some of the birds have been killed by the northern cold, he said. Others died after drinking water polluted by cement dust. Still others flew away after being scared by loud noises produced by ongoing construction projects at the park.
When there were still 800 birds left, Thu said he spent VND600,000 (US$30.75) a month to provide them with clean drinking water.
Of late, the population has been reduced enough that he can afford to pay a boy to carry clean water to the park.
“They (Hanoi government) told me that after the celebration, some of the birds would be left at Bach Thao and the rest would be brought to Hoa Binh (Peace) Park and the herd would be expanded.
“Now almost all the birds have been killed or stolen, but the promise has not been realized,” the artist said.
He said less than 200 pigeons are left but they might not survive long.
Thu said he once intended to add a further 500 pigeons to the planned pigeon herd at Hoa Binh Park.
“I was so wrong," he said. "Even the birds from the giant celebration were stolen and killed, there’s no reason to believe that people would spare the new birds.”
He said he would still donate more birds to the city if the rest from the first donation receives clean water, good protection from thieves and a better environment with more trees.
Reported by Tran Dan - Le Quan
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