Importance of stringent animal welfare laws

One of the most important requirements at present in our country is appointing a responsible person or authority for Animal Welfare. According to some facts at a recent press briefing there is no responsible minister/ official or authority for animal welfare.

A Bill drafted on animal welfare is travelling here and there with no one to present it in Parliament. When the Bill lands in one place it stays there for a long period because the specific subject is not included anywhere.

There is a possibility of bringing this Bill into Parliament as a private Bill.

Since the newly passed Tobacco and Alcohol Control Act has paid back well, it is important to bring the Animal Welfare Bill into Parliament soon. The recently introduced Tobacco and Alcohol Control Act has done a significant service to the people’s moral and physical uplift.

This important matter was brought to the notice of the media by an NGO which works for animal welfare - The Animal Welfare Trust, Sri Lanka. Have you ever heard any positive comments on any NGO work in Sri Lanka? This is it. We have to see good as good and evil as evil. The Animal Welfare Trust is playing the game according to Sri Lankan culture and religions.

It acts according to the requirements of Sri Lankans and not according to their own agenda or an agenda set by a foreign agent.

The speakers for the Animal Welfare Trust pointed out the importance of putting a fullstop to cattle slaughter. According to the speakers, in Bhutan no cattle is slaughtered and beef is imported from other countries to meet the requirements of foreigners or persons who eat meat.

In India, cattle slaughter is prohibited. At the moment slaughtering cattle is on in a big way all over in Sri Lanka using very inhuman methods which is a shame for all Sri Lankans.

According to the speakers, at the moment there is only a Rs. 100 fine and three month imprisonment for persons who kill animals or ill-treat them. This law is very old and was introduced in 1907.

Even in the ancient times there were Sinhala kings who had taken steps to ensure animal welfare. They said that freeing cattle, paying thousands of rupees is only increasing cattle slaughter.

When persons rescue cattle paying thousands of rupees (to perform rituals or because of religious beliefs) the slaughter house owners spend the funds and get more and more cattle to slaughter houses. This has become a well organised business and a good income generating avenue for slaughter house owners.

Prohibiting cattle slaughter is very important to Sri Lanka as it is a State which has a very good reputation in the world as a Buddhist country. Sri Lankans are world famous for their kindness and hospitality.

No (original) religion approves taking life of another. The Tamil community is one of the main ethnicities in Sri Lanka and their religion, Hinduism treat cattle as holy and does not approve cattle slaughter. Hindus eat mutton. We should respect Hinduism.

In some religions sacrificing animals is a ritual. For example in Islam, cattle, goat and sheep are sacrificed according to different occasions such as pilgrimages, birth of a baby and when making a wish.

But they do not touch the pig. We should respect Islam. There were `bili pooja’ and `dola pideni’ in ancient Sri Lanka. (Those are included in the Sri Lankan culture and not in Buddhism).

No one can criticise, condemn or take action against any religion or religious practice unless it violates human rights or become a profitable illegal business for its mediators.

Therefore laws can be introduced prohibiting cruelty to animals, cattle slaughtering etc. Policy makers should not be misled by certain deceptive ideas spread by certain groups who cover up themselves by `religious clothes’.

Any devotee in any religion should be allowed to sacrifice an animal for a personal religious reason. But well organised killing sprees should be stopped immediately.

The need for amendments to existing laws and the urgent need for new laws were discussed in this column in several occasions in the past. This is another field, Sri Lanka needs modern practical laws, to uplift the ethics and morals of the society according to our culture and religions.