It still haunts me and I decided to write to the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council and I did. I also wrote to our MP, Dr Ng Eng Hen and even to AVS. It has been more than two weeks and I have received no reply from them. None at all. And this is how a world-class nation looks like.
I can’t just sit here and do nothing or blame everyone. I’m in the mist of creating some videos that is related to the pigeons of course. I want to be their voice and I found out that there are people who care did the same thing as well in Singapore. It’s such a joy!
I thought she was going to walk towards me but she turned to the side instead:). Cute!
I don’t know why most humans are intolerant owards animals. Accepting them brings us so much joy. Being kind to them is cultivating a good heart – a heart of being gracious and the generosity to share. We need not even have to spend a cent for such happiness!
I was contemplating what was happening after the whole killing episode.
I’ve come to realise that…
1. We are made to believe that the bird feeders are the killers. After witnessing the whole episode, I’ve awakened to the fact that those who poisoned the pigeons were the actual killers.
2. I found that there is not even a single plant or tree that provides food for them. Basically, they depend on us for food. Food that we accidentally spill or throw away. I remember I saw them eating a packet of hot and spicy rice. I’ve observed that they even eat soil, tiny stone, dust etc…
3. We label them as pests, make them one and find all excuses to get rid of them.
4. The one who carries kind intentions by offering them food becomes an offender or criminal but the one who kills them has done a lawful thing. It makes me wonder what kind of message we are sending our next generation.
5. People are disgusted by the birds’ droppings but nobody realise that ours are inside our intestines 24/7 which is equally disgusting. The truth is always awful but it is still the truth.
All I can say is it’s not “fair trade”! What I mean is, we could have planted food for them but we did nothing about it. The pigeons had nothing to eat but are forced to survive by scavenging food from the trash bins. In the end, we blame them for being dirty, labelled them as pest, rats with wings, diseases carrier etc… which we jolly well know none are true!
I didn’t know I was traumatised by the whole episode until I went to the same place where they were being poisoned and the episode repeated itself. The minute they were alive and hungrily eating what was fed and next, they were dead.
What they want is only to survive just like us. Is harming them really necessary? If we’re afraid of their diseases, then we should really stop eating meat because it’s a matter of when the next pandemic is going to hit us again!
In order to help myself to recover from the unpleasant experience, I gathered all the pigeons in the afternoon, told them there are people who care for them, I care and to live one moment at a time and I want them to understand I’m trying and have been trying to do whatever I can to help. I hope their presence at that moment (being alive and lively) could help me erase the inhumane episode…
I was doing some packing at Blk 194 multistorey carpark when I saw an indian man spreading breads all over the floor in broad daylight and I thought to myself, “What a kind man he is, to be feeding the hungry pigeons”. Seeing the hungry pigeons had food to eat, I smiled and carried on with my packing.
There were 3 to 4 vehicles parking where the pigeons were eating. I peeped and see if the kind man was still offering food to the pigeons
From far, I saw a pigeon lying near the edge of the drain. She tried to fly but couldn’t and I thought to myself, how careless the pigeon was to have hurt herself. I quickly packed up and went towards her, wanting so much to lift her up. When I was nearing, I saw dead pigeons lying all over the floor. I turned my head to look at the Indian man. The first thing that came to my lips was, “You killed the pigeons!” He said yes, he was taking order from Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council. There was completely no shame and fear in him.
Without hesitation, I took the dead birds and also those who were still struggling to the side of the road as I didn’t want them to run over by vehicles. Some were at Blk 196 and some behind Blk 195.
I kept warning the indian man that there will be consequences for killing any beings intentionally. However, he stood tall and proud with the work he had done.
I called ACRES for help. The cleaners began sweeping the dead pigeons as well as the ones who were still struggling. I demanded them to release those who were still struggling. I left them in a box waiting for ACRES to pick them. Thanks ACRES for coming.
I was all alone in the whole process and nobody seems to be concerned about it.
These were “victims” who got poisoned. I didn’t want to post all of them.
The killer vehicle
I have the photo of the arrogant Indian man who poisoned the pigeons but I think everyone deserves a chance. He may or may not repent but I hope he does and that’s for his own benefit.
The final moment was the arrival of ACRES. They swept over the whole place and made sure no pigeons were left behind. And my job was done on that day…
“Bhikkhus, dwell with yourselves as an island, with yourselves as a refuge, with no other refuge; with the Dhamma as an island, with the Dhamma as a refuge, with no other refuge. ~ SN 22.43
“Enough, Vakkali! Why do you want to see this foul body? One who sees the Dhamma sees me; one who sees me sees the Dhamma. For in seeing the Dhamma,Vakkali, one sees me; and in seeing me, one sees the Dhamma.” ~ SN 22.87
A place to discover and explore the discourses of the Buddha.
I highly recommend reading the sutta translated by Piya Tan. His "Laymen Saints" has been an inspiration to many lay people.
Cats who teach me to fly... 