NP: Statements by Gadhimai Campaigners and Other Observers

[Guest guest]

Birgunj, November 24, 2009

 

Statements by Gadhimai Campaigners and Other Observers

 

Manoj Gautam, Representative of Roots and Shoots Nepal : ‘I am in

total shock after watching the killing of the buffaloes. I have no

words to describe the scene. Thousands of buffaloes were standing in

an enclosure when butchers holding swords started hacking randomly at

the animals. No one was holding the buffaloes – many tried to escape.

Baby buffaloes were bleating and searching for their mothers. Soon

they were walking around in a pool of blood. They were hunted down by

the men. Needless to say, not a single animal survived the blood bath.

In fact, some animals had already died before the sacrifice from the

transport and the lack of food and water. They were left in the same

spot with the living ones. It was a scene I will never be able to

forget. Now I just want to go home and wait for the courage to

continue our campaign.’

 

Krishna Singh, Programme Manager Animal Nepal: ‘I visited Gadhimai

before the killing started and what I saw made me very sad. There was

a baby goat that died from a lack of food and water. It just lied

there – no one seem to notice it. The baby buffaloes came up to me,

and wanted to be petted. They were scared and needed some comfort.’

 

Bibi Funyal, photographer: ‘I was assigned to film the festival. At

first I seemed okay but when the killing started I suddenly found my

knees shaking. In the beginning the butchers were able to cut the

heads of the buffaloes in one stroke. Later they seemed to get into a

frenzy and did not kill properly. I would take them a long time to

severe the heads. The buffaloes were mooing – it was a terrible sound.

The babies were searching for their mothers, not understanding what

was going. At some point a baby buffalo came up to me and it touched

my tripod. That was when I felt I would be passing out if I continued

filming. When I left the place I had to step over thousands of bodies

and heads and wade through animal blood. It was something I will never

do again, even if they offer me an award.’

 

Lucia de Vries, Director Animal Nepal, international campaigner: ‘Now

that I observed the festival I am convinced that these killings are

among the worst forms of animal cruelty in the world. I pray that when

the images come out the international community will agree that we

have to stop this. To kill thousands of buffaloes without any

humanity, by starving them for 2/3 days, by not tethering them, by

carrying out the beheading publicly by butchers in a frenzy, and by

mixing the dead with the living, is something unimaginable and totally

unnecessary. I have a sense of failure and feel we have let these

beautiful, loyal creatures down entirely. I appeal to all concerned

citizens to do whatever is in their ability to stop the killings at

Gadhimai.’

 

Pramada Shah, President of Animal Welfare Network Nepal: ‘After being

at Gadhimai I now have an even stronger determination to continue the

campaign as long as it takes for them to stop. No other country would

allow such a massacre. I feel the government should have taken a

stronger stand or at least appealed to the people to worship in a non

violent manner. They used the lame excuse that this is an ancient

culture that should run its course. I don’t blame the innocent

devotees but rather the organizers and the educated who do not seem to

care. We intend to work in coordination with the Indian groups to

raise awareness among the visitors, of whom 60-80 percent are Indian.

We also want to work with the local communities with the hope that the

next Gadhimai will be a different one.’

 

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Nepal - Netherlands