NP: Campaigners ‘deeply disturbed’ by Gadhimai killings

[Guest guest]

*Campaigners ‘deeply disturbed’ by Gadhimai killings*

 

 

 

*Birgunj/Kathmandu, November 26, 2009* – Animal campaigners are ‘deeply

upset and traumatized’ by the mass sacrifices that took place at Gadhimai

temple on Tuesday and Wednesday. ‘The organizers have violated every single

code of animal welfare. Despite worldwide protests they have not introduced

a single measure to alleviate the tremendous suffering of the thousands of

animals involved’, says spokesperson Manoj Gautam.

 

 

 

A team of campaigners from the Animal Welfare Network Nepal and Anti-Animal

Sacrifice Alliance returned to the capital last night. According to the team

the public beheading of some 16.000 water buffaloes ranks ‘among the worst

examples of animal cruelty in the world’.

 

 

 

The Gadhimai committee, despite countless promises, failed to provide a

space where animals could be left for *jeevandhan*, giving the animals a new

leash of life.

 

 

 

The team notes that none of the suggestions made by the Department of

Livestock or animal welfare groups have been taken seriously by the

organizers. The animals were transported in haphazard conditions, they were

not fed or watered before the sacrifice, they were not tethered during the

killing and there were no instructions for the sharpening of knives. The

animals were forced to witness the killing of countless other animals before

their turn came, including the killing of mother animals in front of their

siblings. Also, there were no facilities for the drainage of blood or the

timely removal of dead bodies.

 

 

 

Manoj Gautam: ‘The animals were not provided with any water and food in the

days before the sacrifice. Many young animals had in fact already died from

stress, exhaustion and dehydration before the killings started. Their bodies

were left among the live animals.’

 

 

 

The organizers failed to issue rules for the general sacrifices that were

carried out randomly in a radius of 3 kilometer of the temple. ‘Everyone

could kill anything, with whatever knife or sword. Many animals died an

unbearable slow and violent death because the butcher was inexperienced and

the knives were not sharpened properly.’

 

 

 

Up to an hour before the public killings of buffaloes started, campaigners

tried to convince the organizers to cancel the public killing of water

buffaloes and instead pierce their ears to let some blood flow.

 

 

 

According to the campaigners the ‘buffalo carnage’ was a ruthless and

traumatizing event. Manoj Gautam: ‘Thousands of buffaloes were standing in

an enclosure when butchers holding swords started hacking randomly at the

animals. Some heads could be severed in one cut; in other cases it took the

butchers a long time to kill the buffalo. No one was holding the animals –

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 butchers. Needless to say, not a single animal survived the

blood bath. After witnessing the suffering inflicted on these gentle, loyal

animals, I feel deeply upset and ashamed of my country.’

 

 

 

According to the campaigners the festival is being promoted as a ‘spectacle’

and a cultural event that enriches Nepalese culture. ‘The truth is that

Gadhimai legitimizes violence against the innocent. The priests make the

devotees believe that their wish will only come true when offering an

expensive buffalo, goat or other kind of animal. The Maoist-led organizing

committee, instead of abolishing these outdated beliefs promotes them to

collect more revenues and increase the vote bank.’

 

 

 

According to the team not only the organizers but the government at large

should be held responsible for the Gadhimai killings. ‘Not a single

government leader has had the courage to speak out against the mass

sacrifices. What kind of leader in this time and age wants to perpetuate

rituals that perpetuate superstition, drain the resources of the poor and

destroy the image of Nepal as an attractive destination?’

 

 

 

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Please find press release in Nepali attached.

 

 

 

For more info visit www.gadimai.blogspot.com

 

 

 

Or call Manoj Gautam at ++ 977 9841-496822

 

 

 

 

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Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Nepal - Netherlands