The Jathike Hela Urumaya (JHU) yesterday moved an adjournment motion in parliament proposing to ban the slaughter of cattle in the country, and the Government promised to bring forth legislation to ban the slaughter of cows at least in the near future.
JHU monk parliamentarian Venerable Kolonnawe Sumangala Thera in the evening said that Sri Lanka with a large Buddhist population should not tolerate the cruel manner in which cattle are slaughtered. "We have a long tradition of compassion. A nation like ours, which was named the Dhamma Deepa, should stop inhuman practices like this. Or we will protest on the streets very soon," he said.
The Thera's views were supported by CWC member V. Puthirasigamoney, who said that September was a month where the Hindu community refrained from the consumption of meat, and appreciated him for making the proposal during this month.
In a lighter vein, UPFA MP Mervyn Silva said, "Any person who consumes the flesh of cattle slaughtered in the cruel manner they are, with so much anger and pain, could not have any good feelings inside them. It is such consumption that is responsible for the incidents that happen inside here".
Making the reply speech, Agriculture Minister Anura Dissanayake said that around 600,000 cattle are being slaughtered annually, with at least 15% being cows. "We would soon face a problem with dairy production. We have arranged for three farms to buy cattle from farmers before they sell them to the slaughterhouse. The farms were allocated Rs. 30 million and they will look after the animals and give them back to the farmers," he said.
He also said that laws alone will not stop the slaughter, and that a public dialogue on the matter was needed. He promised to bring laws to ban the slaughter of cows at least very soon.
(http://www.newswire.lk -News Wire 23 Sept )
