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Kovil animal sacrifices to be banned from January
The Government is drawing up laws to ban the ritualistic sacrifice of animals in Hindu Kovils from January. An official of the Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry said a cabinet paper would be put up for public discussion. The move comes after animal rights activists appealed to President Maithripala Sirisena. The President, it is learned, had directed the secretaries of the Buddha Sasana and Hindu Religiou Affairs ministries to work out draft laws to ban the sacrifices.
The controversial ritual of animal sacrifice
Hindu Cultural Affairs Director Uma Maheswaran told the Sunday Times that many in the Northern Province indicated their support for the ban.
Meanwhile, animal rights groups praised last week’s Jaffna High Court order that prohibited the slaughter of animals in Hindu kovils.
High Court Judge M. Ilancheliyan, gave the ruling in a case filed by the All Ceylon Hindu Maha Sabha against the killings of animals at the Kavunawatte Narasimmar Kovil festival where mass killings are made as a ritual to the deities. He ruled that no animal sacrifice be made in the Hindu kovils in Jaffna forthwith.
The judge said the ritual did not comply with the Butchers Ordinance where it is stated that a permit is needed to kill animals and the slaughter should be done in a humane manner.
Around 400 goats and fowls are killed to mark the annual festival in May. The temple then sells the meat to the devotees.
In 2013, the Court of Appeal imposed a similar ban on animal sacrifices at the Munneswaram Bhadrakali Amman Kovil in Chilaw.
An appeal made by the temple authorities that the decree infringed on the fundamental rights of freedom of worship and that the practice is several centuries old was turned down by the Supreme Court, which said customs could not override the law.
However, animal rights activists said they had received information that the slaughter was continuing in secret places. Lawyer Lalani Perera said the recent court verdict in Jaffna was a powerful victory. She said there is a need for a law to prosecute those indulging in animal sacrifices in places of worship.
“Animal slaughter is not illegal. There are laws that have to be adhered to when killing animals,” she said. “It should be done under the Butchers Ordinance where a slaughter permit gives the licence to kill certain animals such as goat and fowl. It is subjected to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance to ensure the animal does not suffer much.”
Chamith Nanayakara, president of the Multi-Religious Alliance for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the the Jaffna High Court verdict was a landmark victory for animal rights activists who had been lobbying for a ban for decades.
“We are brutally killing the animals seeking favours from deities. What type of role models are we to our children,” he asked.
He said it is not only the Hindus, the Muslims also sacrifice goats in their homes, during the Haj festival.
“The mission will not stop here. We will be seeking for a law to cover the entire country,” Dr. Nanayakkara said.
The Animal Protection Trust also said every humane citizen should participate in the campaign to do away with animal killings. “They should report any illegal slaughtering of animals in their neighbourhood. If a report is made to the police, they are obliged to take action,” spokesperson Sharmini Ratnayake said.
“We are not against slaughter but only ask that it be done in a humane way,” she added.
Meanwhile, some Buddhist organisations have requested the people to refrain from eating meat on Mondays and during the Vesak month as part of a mission to protect animals rights.