Meat-eating issues
At present there is a massive campaign against cow slaughter. People
are demanding closure of meat stalls (including mutton, pork, beef and
chicken) and requesting Urban and Rural Councils not to renew licences
to operate meat stalls. This proposal is appreciated. However some
questions need to be answered.
a) What is the position pertaining to sea food (fish, prawns, crabs
etc)? Even the fish suffocate and die when kept out of water.
Fish undergo terrible agony when caught by fish hook. There are
instances where fish sellers clean the fish with a knife and cut them
while they are still alive.
Crabs are immersed in boiling water alive before cooking.
b) If one feels sorry for the aquatic species, our valuable sea
resources which create employment and income to millions of people will
be wasted.
c) If one is against meat consumption, even the use of leather
products should be avoided. It becomes necessary to find a substitute.
Plastic is condemned by health authorities and its usage should not be
encouraged.
If all Sri Lankans eat vegetables only, vegetable production cannot
be matched with the demand. Factually more than 90 percent of this
country's population are non-vegetarians, consuming fish, meat or both.
Country cannot plan its economy based on religious and sentimental
issues. At least the animals like lions, tigers etc in the Dehiwala Zoo
should be fed with meat. I hope the public at large agrees on this
issue.
- S R Balachandran
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