The Government has not approved animal sacrifices – President’s Secretary
Posted on September 27th, 2012
Courtesy: ITN News
The Government has not reached any agreement with regard to granting permission for the conduct of animal sacrifices at the Munneswaram Kovil in Chilaw. All religions in the country do not endorse animal cruelty. The Presidential Secretariat emphasized that clear instructions have been issued to the Police to strictly enforce the law against those who breach the Animal Cruelty Act.
The President made a request to halt the animal sacrifice at the Munneswaram as a mark of respect to exposition of the Kapilavastu Sacred Relics. Lalith Weeratunge says that as the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Secretary he expressed the GovernmentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s appreciation on the agreement reached by the administration of the Kovil not as an endorsement to the animal sacrifice.
In a statement, the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Secretary notes that reports with regard to neither he nor individuals very much closer to the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s family or the position participated in animal sacrifices are totally false and unfounded. It seems that the Chief priest of the Munneswaram Kovil had made this statement with a view to continuously conducting the animal sacrifices.
As a policy, the Government totally objects to cruelty towards animal committed through animal sacrifices. The Mahinda Chinthana also explicitly mentions opposition to any form of cruelty towards animals. Animal cruelty is an issue which is already before Courts. As such the PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Secretary points out that the Government is awaiting the Court verdict before initiating further action.
The All Ceylon Hindu Congress also does not endorse cruelty towards animals. It should be kept in mind that all religions of the country are against animal cruelty. A decision in this respect has to be reached not according to any political opinion but based on the virtuous policy, humane treatment and kindness towards animals which is an integral parts of Sri LankaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s culture.
The PresidentƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Secretary in his statement has endorsed that the Police have been instructed to enforce the law to the letter against institutions, organizations or individuals instigating transgressing the Animal Cruelty Act, irrespective of their positions.
September 27th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
“The President made a request to halt the animal sacrifice at the Munneswaram as a mark of respect to exposition of the Kapilavastu Sacred Relics.”
Now what?
This REQUEST time has passed.
We are back to how things were before when the animal sacrifice was CARRIED OUT with or without police intervention.
Just BAN this dirty thing. Stop playing cat and mouse.
September 27th, 2012 at 6:37 pm
What about the barbaric ritualistic sacrifice of animals by Muslims annually? I suggest these people make a genuine sacrifice such as giving away their wealth to the needy or if the god requires a bloody sacrifice a personal object – cutting of a finger or a toe every 5 years as an offering to their god rather than get an innocent animal to pay up with its life. Then it will be a true and very personal sacrifice!
September 27th, 2012 at 11:32 pm
@Ratanapala – All Life are sacred in the sight of the one and only Creator, however there is difference between human life, plant life and animal life. For some plant life is permitted to sacrifice and some others it is permitted to sacrifice animal life HUMANELY. Sacrificing Food for human consumption is a Divine Decree. One is free to accept or reject but not to Ban it. THIS IS PART OF AN INDIVIDUAL RIGHT IN EVERY CONSTITUTION. The beginning of conflict when mutual rights of one another is violated. (SriLanka paid the price for more than 30 years) So your philosophy is for you to practice and mine is my right to practice for the sake of Peace between each others beliefs. This is the essence of a true philosophy or a religion.
September 28th, 2012 at 4:36 am
Hussain I wonder what you mean by humane killing. I have seen in Indonesia how this is done on Id Ul Adah. I have seen how the animals waiting their execution cringe in fear hearing the dying voice of others being killed; they urinate and defecate in fear. I have seen how the animals strain at the ropes somehow sensing death. There is nothing humane about bleeding to death! It is horrible my friend. Just imagine if you were at the other end instead of the animal! You would do worse!
In the end however you may try to couch this dastardly act in the name of whatever religion it is the animal who is doing the sacrifice not the butcher.
September 28th, 2012 at 6:43 am
Animal slaughter HUMANELY for Food is acceptable. But, not ANIMAL SACRIFICE ! It is an ANCIENT practice, perhaps acceptable to those who lived in that time, but certainly NOT NOW.
September 28th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Hussain,
What do you mean “SriLanka paid the price for more than 30 years”?
SL emerged VICTORIOUS STRONGER THAN EVER in those 30 years. I say Tamils paid the MOST PRICE for CLAIMING to have been discriminated!!
89,000 Tamil war widows, tens of thousands of Tamil child soldiers dead, etc, etc. FACTS.
The point is you can’t JUSTIFY “paying the price” for a minority taking up weapons against the majority.
SL has nothing to fear in war because SL WINS it and those jokers who justify violence on “discrimination” LOSE MORE than when they started it!!
In a PEACEFUL democracy, the majority DECIDES, the minority COMPLIES.
If this is disturbed, there will be war. And the majority wins it and gains more power than ever.
If Tamils had let go their alleged “discrimination”, Tamils would be better off today. Some of them will not cry genocide, war crimes, etc, etc.
SL constitution does NOT award any such right to “sacrifice” animals.
September 28th, 2012 at 10:59 pm
@Lorenzo – Please Identify the ROOT cause of Terrorism. We can deny reality and bury our heads in the sand. It’s not going to go away. If the past is a guide to the future. we can learn from it and avoid grave consequences. Our focus should be to put the the country’s prosperity and development first. Kindly Revisit the Constitution on the Freedom to “Practice of Religion” for all Communities and read further on the World UN Charter. (BTW, SL is a signatory) Terrorism can only be rooted out by respecting the rights of all communities. Please Do not be Confident in exterminating Terrorism and the deception of the evils of Terror. It could show its ugly head if we are not careful with our Policies. We know first hand the SriLankan Rulers recognise ground realities and the sensitiveness of its minority citizens. Progress and Productivity should be the objective of all citizens irrespective of each others belief system. Failure to recognise the Natural Disposition of our civilisation is returning to the stone age. Logic and Rationality are the Language of the Mind. Love and Wisdom are the Humility of the Spiritual Soul.
September 29th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Hussain,
The root cause of terrorism is TERRORISTS.
Once exterminated, it is gone (until the need to exterminate arises again).
“It could show its ugly head if we are not careful with our Policies.”
It is a matter for DEFENCE. SL need NOT change policy to avoid terrorism because SL CAN EXTERMINATE them which is less expensive than GIVING INTO them.
“Terrorism can only be rooted out by respecting the rights of all communities.”
Not true. SL continued to respect rights of all communities but did that root out terrorism? NO. But extermination WITHOUT ANY POLITICAL SOLUTION worked very well. Also please tell that to Saudi which bans religious freedom. In your logic Saudi must have MANY forms of terrorism. Unfortunately it does not have enough.
UN charter does NOT allow for animal sacrifice. India is a signatory but “The Prevention of Cruelty Act (India) states it is not an offence to kill any animal as required by the religion of any community, and must not be based on superstition or belief, and the onus to prove that such killing is required by religion is on the person committing the act. Failing to do so would amount to committing an offence.”
Same should apply to SL.
“Love and Wisdom are the Humility of the Spiritual Soul.”
Only a person without ANY wisdom or love will do animal sacrifice in the 21st century!!
If Saudi is a Muslim country, SL is a Buddhist country. Can you practice all the practices of Buddhism in Saudi? No. Similar reciprocal arrangements should apply in SL.
It is time SL bans the other dirty practice of one man marrying many women. By definition it forces women to “legal forced adultery” and prostitution (marrying, etc. an already married man). Adultery is not illegal but prostitution (marrying, etc. a married man) is illegal. It is totally uncivilised as it does not belong to the 21st century.
September 29th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Also note that Jihad, Fatwa are religious practices.
SL CANNOT allow these either!!
September 29th, 2012 at 11:06 pm
@Lorenzo – Your version of The root cause of terrorism is TERRORISTS; is like saying The root cause of a tooth ache is the tooth. It should Sound absurd to all those who read it. In desperation your logic is way off course. Logically if we respect the right of others there should not be any conflict. In other words nothing to fight about. Your complacency in exterminating Terrorism is shocking, however the Rulers of Sri Lanka does not think so. You have no idea who supported the cause to exterminate the evils of terror. Lack of knowledge in History is appalling. Lacking comprehension in a simple topic on “Rights”. will not graduate you to discuss other issues. It seems you Lack the faculties to grasp the complexities on other topics which you are trying to bring into the debate. Dishonesty in diverting what I referred to the UN charter of “Practice of Religion” to “The Prevention of Cruelty Act (India) is unbelievable. These are the signs of a human being not having the capacity to learn either from his Own mistakes, or from the Mistakes of others. In conclusion, There is no point in debating with Ignorance.
September 30th, 2012 at 6:05 am
Hussein,
Tell that to Saudi Arabia the DIRTIEST and MOST INHUMAN country on earth supporting terrorism.
When Saudi allows other faiths to practice, I will take what you say seriously. Not otherwise as it is OPPORTUNISM.
It is called hypocrisy isn’t it?
Remember a SL Tamil woman was charged for a fake offence punishable by MURDER recently by Saudi for wearing a Hindu hand band and “looking at” a Saudi woman?
Remember a SL Buddhist worker was arrested and facing MUREDR by Saudi for worshipping a Buddha statue?
All these happened in the last 6 months.
So tell that to Saudi first. Lets see how they respond. :))
September 30th, 2012 at 10:02 pm
Lorenzo – Be Not a Victim of Mass Media. and please Be fair to the 250 odd thousand Sri Lankan’s employed there. Accusations without proper evidence can haunt all in this day and age of monitored communication. Remember freedom pf speech in most parts of the world carries responsibility and sensitiveness.
September 30th, 2012 at 10:07 pm
Hussain,
These are FACTS not media nonsense. So I take it that you cannot challenge these FACTS?
October 1st, 2012 at 11:39 pm
Lorenzo – Take your FACTS to an international court of Law with supporting evidences and demand Justice just like the Tiger Terrorists.
October 2nd, 2012 at 12:45 am
Hussain,
No need. Not worth it. Tamil speaking Tigers go to courts because they have NO other option.
I prefer extra judicial settlement of such matters!! :))
I’m not the only one supporting it.
Plenty of examples from the world scene with Russia (heavily praised for its conduct in Chechnya), USA, UK, China (fantastic peace building work in Uigir province), France, India, Israel, SL (Puttlam, Beruwala, etc.), Pakistan, Saudi, Iran, (infighting), etc.
BTW it doesn’t mean I approve ALL their action.