The ownership mahout-elephant relationship is deeply embedded in Asian culture and life. The process of "subduing" an elephant's natural demeanour through horrendous torture is deemed necessary while they need elephants to work in logging/entertainment/industrial...
I stayed on an elephant sanctuary in helping nurse these magnificent creatures back to life after enduring a whole spectrum of cruelty and misfortune.
I have signed,
but more effective is for the "west" to stop exploiting the 3rd world for it's natural resources and cheap Labour so that things like elephant slavery are not deemed necessary.