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A monthly
Magazine edited and published by Maria Lopes Dear Friends, For a change, we begin with some good news. Thanks to the thousands of letters sent against the "hog dog" rodeos, sheriff’s deputies in Clarke County, Alabama shut down a ‘hog-dog’ rodeo in the county and arrested its promoter, Johnny Hayes, for animal cruelty. This month sees one more disgusting and barbaric cruelty, a New York restaurant selling a dish of live lobster.
For the Animals Maria Lopes
"Nothing will benefit human health and increase chances for
survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. It is
my view that the vegetarian manner of living, by its purely physical effect on
the human temperament, would most beneficially influence the lot of
mankind."
Albert Einstein (Nobel Prize) NEPAL AGAINST SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS IN RELIGIOUS FESTIVALS Source: Terrienne At Nepal during the religious festivals several animals are sacrificed, some of these festivals are payed for by the government. - Khokana Festival, annually. A goat is thrown into a pond after which it is torn apart whilst still alive by young men. -Gadimai Festival, held once in five years, in Bara District which is 'celebrated' by sacrificing around 200,000 animals. - Sasarimaiko Mela, once every 12 years : 100 000 sacrificed animals. - Chaite and Kalratri Dasain, annually : in April, 108 buffaloes are killed in the Royal Palace in Gurkha, while in October the priests of Taleju Temple kill waterbuffaloes throughout the night, followed by the sacrifice of 108 buffaloes by the Royal Nepalese Army. Please send emails to the Prime Minister Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa,
Mr Prime Minister,
I would like to express our my deep concern about extreme cases of animal cruelty being conducted within the Kingdom of Nepal. One such is on the occasion of the Khokana Festival, held after Gaijatra (August), during which a terrified goat is thrown in the Deu-pond close to the Rudrayani temple, after which it is torn apart whilst still alive by a group of young men, fighting for the dubious and cowardly honour of becoming a 'hero'. Another is the Gadimai Festival, held once in five years, in Bara District which is 'celebrated' by sacrificing around 200,000 animals (including 6,000 young male buffaloes). Here innocent creatures are killed en masse in a very unorganised manner by drunk devotees who enter the temple area with knives to cut off the heads of frightened buffaloes.
A third similarly touching event
is the Sasarimaiko Mela in Mahottari which is held every
twelve years and witnesses the killing of 10,000 animals. Both
Terai festivals have been `transfered' from India, possibly
during the 11th century, and therefore are not indigenous
celebrations of Nepalese culture.
A fourth event we want to
highlight is the annual sacrifice taking place during Chaite
and Kalratri Dasain. With the support of your government, in
April, 108 buffaloes are killed in the Royal Palace in Gurkha,
while in October the priests of Taleju Temple kill
waterbuffaloes throughout the night, followed by the sacrifice
of 108 buffaloes by the Royal Nepalese Army.
No one can adequately explain
why these practices are carried out year after year and why
His Majesty's Government financially supports some of them –
except to say they are `traditional'. This however is not a
valid argument to continue these practices; Nepal, realising
the adverse effects, has abolished a number of 'traditions' in
the past, including human sacrifice and widow
burning.
We feel the time has come to
abolish the above practices for the following
reasons:
1. Nepal is concerned about the
welfare of its precious flora and fauna, and has signed a
number of international Wildlife Treaties followed by the
introduction of the Meat Act, which introduces humane killing
of livestock and poultry. The cruelty displayed in these
so-called traditions completely contradicts the spirit and
gestures of these treaties and acts.
2. As tourists are abhorred by
such practices, the festivals will have an adverse effect on
tourism, an industry which provides the country with
much-needed financial benefits. Those foreigners who
experience or come to know the extent of sacrifice in this
country leave Nepal confused and with a heavy heart, rather
than uplifted by its paradoxical beauty and
friendliness.
3. Cruelty against animals harms
society as a whole; it signals and normalises insensitivity in
children who can become numb to the suffering of living
beings. It is also known to influence certain people to commit
violence on other humans.
4. Sacrifices often strengthen
the vested interest of those who benefit from
superstition-based beliefs and rituals. As Nepal is moving
ahead to become a more fully democratic, egalitarian society,
it is crucial to challenge age-old beliefs which are not
beneficial and drain the resources of the poor and
needy.
We urge you to end the violent
practices and help Nepal move towards a truly peaceful
country, and in keeping with its international image. This can
be done by introducing and enforcing a much-needed Animal
Welfare Act to curb animal cruelty and by promoting genuine
animal welfare activities across the country.
We trust that you will support
these measures which are becoming more popular daily around
the globe and thus promote non-violent cultural practices in
the Kingdom.
Sincerely,
Name/Country/Email
__________________________
Please also sign the
petition SPAIN FOR A BAN ON BULLFIGHTS IN BARCELONA Source: International Movement Against Bullfights
Next 6th April will be a
vote on whether to ban bullfights in Barcelona ,
Catalonia. You can also sign the Barcelona's City Hall guest book in the following direction: http://www.bcn.es/cgi-bin/pt.pl?url=/castella/llibre/ellibre.htm&i=e
just
click on the button "escribir" and then leave your comment
on line.
Name Email address Comments and then click "Envia" alcalde@mail.bcn.es;jportabella@mail.bcn.es; moranich@mail.bcn.es;imayol@mail.bcn.es;gruppsc@mail.bcn.es; gruperc@mail.bcn.es;grupicv@mail.bcn.es;grupciu@mail.bcn.es; bi@mail.bcn.es;fmascarell@mail.bcn.es;infoicub@mail.bcn.es; opinio@gencat.net;president@gencat.net; consellerencap.presidencia@gencat.net; conselleria.drip@gencat.net;conselleramieras@gencat.net; consellermila@gencat.net; portaveu.govern@gencat.net;psc@psc.es;
gpc.ciu@convergencia.org;
fedbcn@esquerra.org;futbcn2004@yahoo.es; UNITED KINGDOM
IMPORTATION OF TROPHY
PARTS
Please send the
following message to European Union Environment Commissioner
Margot Wallström, demanding that the EU ban the importation of
trophy parts from all CITES-listed endangered
species.
Source: The League Against Cruel Sports
Sample letter in English and French. Dear Ms WallströmName/Country/Email
_________________________________ Bonjour Madame, Name/Country/Email U.S.A.
NYC restaurant serves lobsters to be eaten ALIVE
Source: Animal Rights Activist Resources We have learned that at least several New York restaurants are engaging in a horrible practice of serving what is called "Whole Live Lobster Sashimi". Please call this restaurant and their corporate to demand that they CEASE THIS CRUEL PRACTICE. http://www.sushisamba.com/top.html Name of Restaurant: Sushi Samba Address: 245 Park Ave. South, cross street is 46th, New York, 10003 (plus other branches in NY and US) Phone: 212-475-9377 Manager, day time Evelyn Solorzano Executive Chef (since they keep saying this is his decision): Hero Corporate Phone: 212-604-0600, extension 4942 (goes to Leah, assistant to owner) Owner: Shimon Bokovza Corporate address: 37th W. 17th St., Suite 7E New York, New York, 10011 guestrelations@sushisamba.com, paul@sushisamba.com, celebrate@sushisamba.com, stefanie@sushisamba.com, businessopportunities@sushisamba.com
I was sickened to read that you are serving lobsters to be eaten alive in your chain of restaurants as a "delicasy".
Reknown invertebrate zoologist Jaren G. Horsley states, “The lobster does not have an autonomic nervous system that puts it into a state of shock when it is harmed. It probably feels itself being cut. ... I think the lobster is in a great deal of pain from being cut open ... [and] feels all the pain until its nervous system is destroyed”.
The belief propagated by some chefs that
lobsters feel no pain when boiled alive is clearly
disproved by the desperate manner in which they thrash
wildly in a frantic attempt to escape the boiling
water.
Slitting a lobster down the middle so that it can be eaten alive over 20 minutes or so whilst suffering unimaginable pain, curling its claws in agony, defies belief. To attempt to justify this atrocious torture by calling it an Oriental "tradition" is inexcusable. This practise has already been banned in many countries where it has surfaced, and I strongly urge you to voluntarily remove this obscenity from your menu.
Yours sincerely Name Email address
PETITIONS Stop Greyhound hanging on Castilla -La Mancha y Extremadura http://www.pi21.org/PI.asp?PI=123
Stop Tesco-owned supermarkets selling whale meat in
Japan!
http://www.petitionthem.com/?sect=detail&pet=961
Against cruel exploitation of bears in china
91 Wolves Killed & Counting! Stop the Slaughter!
Today we ask that you help stop "scientific" killing of
whales by the
Stop the
cruelty and poisons in pet foods
Municipal
Corporation of Bombay proposes mercy killing of stray
dogs
against the
ivory trade
ELEPHANT TORTURED TO DEATH IN
INDIA
Disclaimer: All items published in this magazine were received by us and we pass them on in good faith. We are not responsible for incorrect email addresses, errors, omissions etc. by the originators.
INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT AGAINST BULLFIGHTS
This Magazine published by Maria Lopes |
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