Well Done – Daily Mirror Editor asks Communities to unite in support of Ban on Cattle Slaughter
Posted on May 30th, 2013
Shenali D Waduge
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In an age when editorials are irrelevant as information is electronically available within seconds of events happening, the role of editors need to transform into one of championing causes, bringing people together and not dividing them and working towards the integrity and sovereignty of the nation. The Daily Mirror Editor has led the way by its 30th May editorial calling for all communities in Sri Lanka to unite in solidarity against cattle slaughter. It is a magnanimous gesture and one that needs to give the editor applause.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The calls for people to seriously review the issue of cattle slaughter and animal welfare was triggered with the self-immolation of Ven. Bowatte Indrarathana Thero though neither the media nor the Government were sensitive to the cause that forced the Thero to take his life.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ His death should not go in vain. The issue of cattle slaughter has been championed by numerous people and institutes over a long period of time. It was not simply the religious element and as the Daily Mirror editor says the health of Sri Lankans gives further impetus for people to move away from eating meat. Nutritionists are confident that the nutrition of children will not suffer by not eating beef.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Daily Mirror editor says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-The Catholic and Christian community in Sri Lanka also needs to seriously consider the need to avoid cattle slaughter as a first step to move towards vegetarianism as an act of unity with the Buddhist and Hindu peopleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚. The editor goes on to urge the Catholic Bishops Conference to consider possibility of supporting a ban on cattle slaughter as a first step to stopping the killing of any animal for human consumption.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ We commend the Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo who appealed to Christians to avoid meat eating during the Vesak season.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ No Buddhist, Hindu or modern day Christian would oppose legislation to provide environment for the better treatment of animals and if this number more than 89% the Government has to listen to the majority voice and immediately ENACT THE ANIMAL WELFARE BILL.
We need a new culture of compassion, good morals and values and schools in particular must encourage children to treat animals with compassion.
Once again, we say well done to the Daily Mirror Editor, who has shown that editorials need to give good messages and bring communities together.
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May 30th, 2013 at 1:32 pm
Very good.
Now we have wide consensus on preventing cattle slaughter.
May 30th, 2013 at 2:50 pm
“May 30, Colombo: Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhist organization Sinhala Ravaya has vowed to launch a fast unto death urging the government to implement nine demands.
According to a statement of the extremist organization, the demands of the planned fast unto death are abolition of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, stopping animal slaughter, bringing in a constitution based on Buddhist law, equality of law, guaranteeing the Sinhala ownership in Northern and Eastern Provinces of the island, stopping the conversion of Buddhists to other religions, eradication of Muslim terrorism, closure of all liquor outlets and rejection of all religion concept.
Sinhala Ravaya says that the date, venue and the participants of the fast unto death will be announced soon.
The organization further says that the aim of the fast unto death is not to destabilize the government but to safeguard the rights of the Sinhalese.
A Buddhist monk of the Sinhala Ravaya organization recently self-immolated near the Temple of Tooth in Kandy in protest of cattle slaughter.”
Not every demand can be given. But MOST demands should be given. SR should work with JHU and BBS to SCRAP 13 amendment. TIMING is crucial.
May 30th, 2013 at 5:49 pm
being a pescatarean – (partial hypocrite) I applaud this move. editors seem to have the notion that they are there to report and not to mold the ‘thinking’ of a nation. this is a good lesson for the 3 idiots at sunday times, observer and island. a petition should do.
May 30th, 2013 at 10:15 pm
Better than The Island Editor who is biased and an Anti Sinhela, Anti Buddhist!
May 30th, 2013 at 10:17 pm
Buddhists need not copy other nations, which have selectively banned the slaughter of certain animals only. For instance, Hindus in India have banned the slaughter of Cattle (but kills goats even in backyards), whilst many Muslim Arab nations have banned the slaughter of Pigs (but make death a very painful experience for other animals).
In this world, the flesh of almost every type of animal (elephants, rats, whales, dogs, cats, horses etc) is consumed by some society in some part of the world. This is the nature of the animal kingdom for its survival. Recently the UN had in fact advised poor people to eat insects to provide the nourishment they need to improve their health.
What we have to focus is, not making blanket bans of killing selected types of animals, but educating people to refrain from killing any animal, including fish, if the people have vegetarian foods to survive on. A well prepared vegetarian meal certainly could be delicious to the tongue and nourishing to the body and brain. In fact there are many people in all countries, who refrain from eating meat and fish, but even they are compelled to purchase meat to feed their pets like dogs and cats. Buddha Himself did not ban the slaughter of animals for consumption, but explained its repercussions.
If banning is the easy way to drive the message, then, I suggest, the banning of abattoirs and meat and fish stalls within a certain distance from temples and other religious places of worship, as well as the banning of meat sales on Full Moon Poya days only. It is not fair to deny those who need meat to stop eating it. I for one is happy to continue as a vegetarian but would not force others not to eat meat.
May 31st, 2013 at 12:02 am
No banning of eating. Banning of slaughter only. Imported food is OK.
May 31st, 2013 at 5:57 am
Questions to ask :
* If we consume milk & milk products (popularly considered vegetarian food), as in India, what do we do with a vast number of aged cattle ?
* If we consume hen eggs (unfertilized eggs are considered to be in part vegetarian), what do we do with a huge number of aged hens ?
May 31st, 2013 at 8:15 am
The first is for the majority of the population, the Buddhists to refrain consuming beef. This will greatly reduce the number of cattle slaughtered.Beef which is a red meat can result in colon cancer and heart disease
May 31st, 2013 at 8:33 am
Hindufied Buddhism!
How long will it be before Sri lanka becomes a Hindu nation.
Sucide is the worst action according to Buddhist teachings.
Fasting unto death is also not Buddhist.
These are all Hindu actions.
May 31st, 2013 at 9:06 pm
well in heladeepa what most practice is hindu Buddhism with emphasis to poojas by both foolish monks and laypersons. now the nagasalen culture has turned into a chicken culture. a business in Anuradhapura is responsible for killing 40,000 chicken a day and he calls himself a Buddhist. this fool will rot in hell.
why do we have all this crap in sri lanka? when the leader worships gods, goes to mandirs in india and seek astrologers for advise and consume liquour and meat and what not(?) what would the rest follow who worship him and venerate him?
June 1st, 2013 at 8:47 am
ANSWERS TO THE QUESTIONS POSED BY FRAN DIAZ
The answers lie in ethics NOT economics. Gratitude is a key component in ethics. It is taken to the fullest extent in Buddhism. What do we do with our aged parents when they are no longer able to look after themselves? Both law and ethics protect them until they die of natural causes. Are we also going to kill the aged, the infirm, the bedridden, the crippled and the mentally retarded because they of no use or of little use to society. This is NOT an economic issue. Utilitarianism is an Abrahamic (Christian and Islamic) line of thinking when it comes to dealing with other species. In contrast Buddhism teaches that Life is dear to all. Likening others to oneself kill not nor cause to kill. (Dhammapada). The problem in the world is increasing human population rather than the animal population.
If we extend the logic of Fran Diaz’s thinking then we are confronted with a moral question whether excess humans too should be killed? Why make a difference between humans and animals since both are living creatures of the earth? Intelligent and compassionate people no longer subscribe to the view that animals are here to serve human needs and therefore fit for human consumption?
It was unthinkable to kill a cow in ancient India after having got so much service from the animal. Cow was treated as part of the family because of the benefits derived.
Christian way of thinking in dealing with other species destructively is the real problem that has made Fran Dias ask these questions. The root cause is their absurd theory that animals are here to serve man and for him to consume.