[Cyber action] The horror of the indian leather trade / L'horreur du commerce du cuir en Inde

[Guest guest]

FR / Merci d'écrire aux adresses mél figurant au bas du message

pour protester contre le traitement scandaleux des animaux entrant dans

la chaine de fabrication du cuir.

http://www.petaindia.com/feat/f-leathertrade.asp

 

 

 

EN /

 

Abuse and Murder

For seven years, PETA India

and its affiliates have conducted undercover investigations into the

transport and slaughter conditions that are endured by the cows,

buffaloes, sheep and goats who are used in the Indian leather trade.

The leather produced from the skins of these animals is exported

throughout the world, including to the US and Europe.

The

investigators have gathered graphic evidence of the widespread illegal

abuse of these animals as well as evidence of unhygienic and dangerous

conditions in slaughter facilities. The animals are subjected to

cruelty that includes being crammed into lorries in such large numbers

that many become severely injured when they are crushed or gouged by

the horns of other animals. Many of them die en route. The evidence

also reveals that most of the animals are dragged into abattoirs before

they are cut open – often with dirty, blunt knives and in full view of

one another – on floors that are covered with feces, blood, guts and

urine. Some animals are even skinned and dismembered while they are

still conscious.

Broken Promises

The

investigations have also brought to light the fact that – despite the

directives that top Indian government officials gave to state

governments and the assurances that they made to the public regarding

improvements in animal welfare six years ago – virtually no

improvements in the treatment of animals have taken place. Abattoirs

continue to be unsanitary and to pollute the environment; unlicensed,

illegal abattoirs remain in operation; animal-transport conditions

remain deplorable; and even though it is required by law to do so, the

government has failed to form enough branches of the Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to enforce the Prevention of Cruelty

to Animals Act of 1960 and its rules governing the transport and

slaughter of animals.

Blatant Crime

India’s own minimal animal protection laws regarding transport and

slaughter are blatantly ignored, and although it claims to have an

Animal Welfare Reform Programme, the Indian Council for Leather Exports

(CLE) refuses to take any action to prevent leather-selling businesses

from obtaining hides and skins from unlicensed, illegal abattoirs.

Animals of all ages, including small calves, are illegally killed and

used in the leather trade.

The Supreme Court

PETA India has a case pending before the Indian Supreme Court against

the Union of India, each state-level government and the Animal Welfare

Board of India (AWBI) for their failure to enforce animal protection

laws and for allowing the unnecessary and extreme suffering of animals

who are used for leather and meat. The Court has publicly expressed its

shock at the evidence of cruelty that PETA India has submitted.

In

fact, more than one year ago, the Supreme Court directed the AWBI to

inform it, within a month, about steps that the Board was taking to

prevent cruelty to animals.

The AWBI was then to set up an

inspection plan for abattoirs throughout the country. To date, there is

still no suitable abattoir-inspection system in India. The Supreme

Court has also directed the government of Tamil Nadu to address and

rectify the illegal abuse of animals used for meat and leather there,

but it has not done so.

The Skin Traders

The CLE’s supposed Animal Welfare Reform Programme lacks the vigour and

commitment that are required in order for concrete and long-lasting

improvements to be made in animals’ lives. Almost one year ago, PETA

India and its affiliates called upon the CLE to come to the negotiating

table by offering it a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

The

MoU raises issues that are considered crucial to animal welfare. It

asks that the Indian leather industry end its support of abattoirs that

are operating illegally; end its support of municipal abattoirs that

have been condemned for animal welfare violations; undertake at least

three reform projects a year in order to improve the animal-handling

process from the market through transport and slaughter; and move

towards procuring hides and skins only from markets, transporters and

abattoirs that adhere to India’s animal protection laws.

After sitting on the MoU for nine months, the CLE ultimately refused

to even negotiate with PETA.

Support for Animals Abused in the Indian Leather Trade

When PETA’s campaign to alleviate the suffering of animals used for

leather was first launched in 2000, about 40 major companies stated

that they would not use leather sourced from Indian animals. An

estimated US$68 million was reportedly lost by the Indian leather

industry as a result of these companies’ decisions not to support

unlawful cruelty. The campaign also gained the support of celebrities

all around the world, including His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson, Jackie Chan and others.

Recently,

US retailer Liz Claiborne – which has annual sales of US$4.8 billion –

has assured PETA US that it will not use leather from India. Kenneth

Cole, another US retailer, which has annual sales of US$518 million –

has also weighed in, giving its commitment to PETA US that it will not

sell leather produced from Indian animals.

You Can Help

 

The

best thing that you can do to help animals is not to eat or wear them.

Let others know about the abuse that animals endure and ask them to say

no to meat and leather too.

 

 

 

Write to the CLE and ask that

Indian leather traders stop supporting the illegal treatment of animals

who are used in leather production and that the organisation initiate

and adhere to a plan that will have a real and positive impact on the

lives of the animals used in this trade:

 

 

Dr K. Elangovan, IAS

Executive Director

Council for Leather Exports

3rd Floor, CMDA Tower II

Gandhi Irwin Bridge Road

Egmore, Chennai 600 008

+91-44-28594367

+91-44-28594363/64 (fax)

cle; cle

 

 

Write

to government officials and ask them to take steps to stop the illegal

cruelty that animals endure during transport and slaughter:

 

 

His Excellency Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister of India

Room 152

South Block

New Delhi 110 001

+91-(0)11-23012312

+91-(0)11-23016857 (fax)

http://pmindia.nic.in/write.htm

(e-mail available via Web site)

Shri Kamal Nath

Minister of Commerce & Industry

Government of India

Udyog Bhawan

New Delhi 110 011

+91-(0)11-23061008

+91-(0)11-23061492 (fax)

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