Petition/online protest to stop the Gadhimai Slaughter Festival in November!

[Catherine]

I am hoping it is stopped, but realistically there is not much time. If it does go ahead, this time the world is watching and there will be a strong surge of public opinion against it.

We need to watch for any publicity for or against and respond to it. Public opinion is powerful and the internet give us the means to express that opinion. Maybe it is not too late for this year.

[Janay]

I am still trying to do my best to bring this urgent issue to as many people's attention as possible.

Thank you so much to the people here who have already signed.
Remember, along with signing the petition, if anyone would like to be at the peaceful protest (in spirit) with us on Saturday 11th October - remember you can download and print out an A4 placard from this page (or make your own): http://action.ciwf.org.uk/ea-action/acti...arded=true and email a photo of you holding it to: londonevent@ciwf.org.


There is another petition to stop the Gadhimai Slaughter here: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/313/940/7...cre-2014-/
(The photo is very upsetting, like photo in the first petition).

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[Catherine]

I have signed the petition and shared it on Facebook.

If I can do something with the picture I will. I still have to get my new printer. I need to have a ride home. I brought the last one home on public transit and it was too much for me. It seemed to get heavier every step I took.

I really hope public opinion will be enough to stop this. The whole thing is just sickening.

[Janay]

Thanks again Catherine, and good idea about sharing on Facebook - I'm not on Facebook, so I wouldn't have been able to do that myself.

If you want to add your presence, you don't need to print one out - people can make their own aswell. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, it can be straight forward and simple. Just an A4 piece of paper with "Stop the Gadhimai Slaughter" hand written on it in big writing would be perfect.


Janay x

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[Catherine]

I can't get the link to the download to work. I can probably make my own sign and photograph myself with it and send it. Or, I could use an existing picture of myself and add a sign to it and send it.

I would like to be present at the protest even if it is only my picture.
I hope they get a really good turn out. That would send a strong message.

[LPC]

I said that I would return to this thread later - so I have! This appalling mass slaughter of innocent animals is attended mostly by people from the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar & Terai - where, ironically, such sacrifices are (rightly) banned. But the Nepalese Government seems unwilling to stop this mass slaughter, carried out by people with no training in proper slaughter methods. The Government refused to ban the slaughter last time in 2009 - but let's hope that wider public awareness will result in many more protests this time. Perhaps travellers could make comments on the Nepalese Tourism Facebook (I assume there is one) saying that they will not visit unless the slaughter is stopped?

This cruel mass slaughter is another example of the hypocrisy of some organised religions. How can one claim to be "holy" or pleasing some Deity, whilst hacking sentient creatures to a slow and painful death? Such behaviour has nothing to do with true spirituality at all. Love and compassion are the way forward, not barbaric superstitions involving painful death.

Here are some articles which provide the background to the "festival" in 2009:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world...eferral=PM
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadhimai_festival

May 2014 be the year when this terrible "festival" was stopped!

[Catherine]

The whole thing is appalling. Why would you want to please a "god" that would be pleased with animal sacrifice. I know people don't think or use reason, but why can't they feel how terrible it is.

Seriously, if the guy had sacrificed 104 animals instead of 105, would he have had a daughter. How many animal deaths does it take to get twins. Can people really believe this stuff!

True spirituality is of the spirit and has nothing in common with animal cruelty. This festival is so off the mark.

Right now it brings in money so they want it to go on. How can it be made to be unprofitable?

[Catherine]

I came across a new article about the slaughter.
There is certainly a lot of thinking going on. Maybe because the protests started so early some good can be done.
http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/10/13/top-...96254.html

Even reducing the number of animals that can get to the slaughter site has got to help. There are still six weeks to go. We need to keep up the pressure.

[LPC]

Good find, Catherine. Yes, public pressure will help.

[Catherine]

I am noticing a trend. The response to animal rights/animal cruelty issues is so strong no one wants to trigger it. Right now groups respond to the public reaction. We will have succeeded when someone rejects cruelty before it happens because they know the public response will be strong.

Hopefully we will at least help curb the slaughter if we can't actually stop it.