Last minute appeal sent to halt animal sacrifice in Gadhimai

November 23, 2009

MASS ANIMAL SACRIFICE Last minute appeal made against Gadhimai

sacrifice

*REPUBLICA *

KATHMANDU, Nov 23: Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) and Anti Animal

Sacrifice Alliance (AASA) have send an emotional last minute appeal to the

organizers of Gadhimai Festival to halt the mass animal sacrifice on Tuesday

and Wednesday.

They also issued appeal to Gadhimai visitors to give the animals a new leash

of life by donating them to AWNN.

The letter was sent to the head priest Mangal Chaudhary and organizing

committee chairman Shiva Chandra Kuswa.

“We beg you on our knees to consider our plea. You as the main two

responsible persons for the world´s largest animal sacrifice have the

ability to show wisdom, compassion and courage by doing everything in your

power to abolish the killings of innocent creatures in the name of God,”

they wrote. “If you do so, the world will always remember you as the key

decision-makers in stopping the killings.´

The plea will be enforced during a symbolic ritual Monday at Gahawa Mai

temple in Birgunj.

The campaigners have set up a shelter together with the Department of

Livestock to keep the animals if the visitors donated them instead of

sacrificing.

Meanwhile, Australian campaigner Sarah Wilker speaking at Nepal Tourism

Board on Monday made a last minute appeal to the Nepali people and leaders

to stop such sacrifice.

" There is a danger that this will result in an international boycott of

trade and tourism that will cripple the economy of Nepal,” Wilker said. “If

the Government cares for the economic future of its people, it should show

the moral strength required to stop the sacrifice. "

Over 4000 people signed a petition requesting the government to stop the

mass sacrifice. The signatures have been handed over to the Ministers of

Tourism and Civil Aviation and Agriculture and Cooperative.

Published on 2009-11-23 12:07:52

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