By Mike Andree Courtesy The Island

The Chilaw police filed a new report, before District Judge Jagath Kahandagamage, alleging that there was a likelihood, in the near future, that a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”bili pujaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ (animal sacrifice) would be performed at the Sri Badhrakali Amman Kovil where hundreds of animals, especially goats would be slaughtered. The news that the puja, involving animal sacrifice, would take place would lead to many Buddhist and other organisations protesting.

The police report further stated that the animal sacrifice was in direct contravention of the Fauna and Flora Act where slaughter of animals is an offence. Police sought an order from the Court, under 106(5) of the Criminal Procedure Code banning the slaughter. The ASP of Chilaw E. S. Dayaratne and Manoj Ranagala, OIC Chilaw appeared in support of the application.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, appearing for Rev. Omare Kassapa Thero, said the reason for the application, by the Chilaw Police, was due to the fact that Rev. Kassapa Thero had made a complaint to the police stating that the chief priest had made a public announcement that they would perform the ritual after the sacred Kapilavasthu relics leave the shores of Sri Lanka. Dr. A. I. Kamaladasa, the renowned dermatologist, had inquired from the Chilaw Pradesheya Sabha Chairman whether he had issued a temporary license under section 17 of the ButcherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Ordinance to perform Animal Sacrifices for Religious purposes.

The Chairman had very clearly stated that he had not issued one and neither had the Chief Priest of the Kovil made an application seeking permission to perform the said Puja. The Chilaw Police had recorded a statement and affirmed that no such application was ever made and that it was a ritual performed at the Kovil from the time of Ravana. Would that give sanction to any person to abduct the wife of another under the guise of Religious procedure, Counsel Warnakulasuriya asked. He then referred to Article 14 (1) (e) of the Constitution where one is guaranteed the right to practice his religion, but Article 14(7) states that it would be subject to “to such restriction as may be prescribed by law in the interest of national security, public order and protection of public health and morality”.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He said there had been many instances in the world where religious practices had been restricted or banned by law, for instance, the Sati sacrifices, made by a widow jumping on to the funeral pyre of her husband and child marriages, the forcing of the child, in the event of the death of her grandfatherly like husband, to remain a widow in a special house, imprisoned as result of the interpretation of Vedhas and in the Middle East, very few countries practices stoning to death of adulterous women and chopping the writs of thieves according to the dictates of Religious beliefs.

Even in India, in Kujaraho and Konrak, which depict the most naked exhibition of explicit sexuality, as decreed in the Tantric Buddhism, where the sect of the Tantric Mahayana Buddhists, believes one way of attaining niravana is over indulgence in sex and worldy pleasures which would make them lose the temptations. This is not practiced anywhere. When one, specially women and children, sees a goat brought and its head being chopped off and the blood drains and soils the earth, it would gravely injure their mental health and would even make them feel killing is fun.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ There has been a sinister attempt by some to state that the Butchers Act does not have any application as the act deals with not only killing of an animal, but with a person who enters the trade of selling the meat. But, they have conveniently and cunningly avoided the interpretation given to a butcher. The Butcher, is any person who kills an animal or sells its meat. And a licensed Butcher is person who has obtained a license from the appropriate authority to kill and sell the meat of an animal. Any person inside the kovil, who kills an animal in the plain and simple meaning of the Act, is a Butcher, whether he sells or engages in the trade of the selling of the meat. ButcherƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Ordinance and section 17 proviso is applicable to any person whether he is a priest or any other person employed by the priests to kill. Therefore, it is incumbent that they should obtain a permit or a licence from the appropriate authority. Otherwise, he is committing an offence under the ordinance. No one can commit an offence in the name of any religion, he said.

Counsel Warnakulasuriya then submitted two affidavits from the Chief priest of the adjoining Kovil and said this was not religious practice according to Hinduism, a religion of Ahimsa. Section 4 of the Cruelty to Animals Act clearly states that killing of any animal in an unnecessary cruel manner shall be punished with a fine. The whole macabre ritual comprises of wanton cruelty to appease the Gods or the Demons. The blood should ooze out and in the case of cocks and hens, the killing is committed by dashing the live bird on a rock, the scream that emanates engulfs the Kovil and would appease the Gods. It is not how the Police could measure the cruelty, the whole ritual and appeasement of God depends upon the cruel manner in which the animals are killed.

The whole ritual is barbaric inhuman and ghoulish. We have lived with a 2,500 year culture of ahimsa, whether we are Buddhist or Hindus. This ritual ignores the cultures of Hinduism and Buddhism and treats with contempt the morality and rights of freedom of our cultures, both Sinhalese and Tamils.

District Judge Jagath A. Kahandagamage said that he will make an order on September 11, 2012

ASP E. S. Dayaranta, in response, said he wholeheartedly agrees with the submission made by the learned PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Counsel.

PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Counsel Hemantha Warnakulasuriya, with Nihal Sumanadeera, Manori Wickremanayake, Miss Imali Jayakody and Jayampathi Charitha appeared for Rev. Omare Kassapa Thero.

Chilaw ASP E. S. Dayaratna with Manoj Ranagala appeared for the Police.

Courtesy: The Island ( Sept. 7, 2012)

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