28 March, 2024

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‘Ritual Sacrifice Of Animals Is Not Acceptable To The Hindu Community’ Says Lalith Weerathunga

By Colombo Telegraph

“Contrary to certain media reports, there is no agreement by the Government to allow animal sacrifices to be performed at the Sri Bhadrakali Amman Kovil, Munneswaram, in Chilaw.” says Lalith Weerathunga, the Secretary to the President.

“The Government is also aware that the ritual sacrifice of animals is not acceptable to the Hindu Community, which considers it a sinful act, as clearly stated by the All Ceylon Hindu Congress. Similarly, the majority of other faiths in the country do not accept animal sacrifice in their worship and rituals, and importantly, all faiths in our country are against cruelty to animals. The feelings of all these communities and all others, who are opposed to such cruelty to animals, will be taken into consideration in making a necessary decision on this matter. It will not be done on any political lines, but in keeping with the principles of ahimsa, and the compassionate and humane treatment of animals, which is an integral part of Sri Lankan culture. ” he further says.

We below reproduce the his statements in full; 

Cruelty to animals and ritual sacrifice

Contrary to certain media reports, there is no agreement by the Government to allow animal sacrifices to be performed at the Sri Bhadrakali Amman Kovil, Munneswaram, in Chilaw.

In my office as the Secretary to the President, I did convey the Government’s appreciation of the Kovil authorities acceding to the request of HE the President to stop animal slaughter at this Kovil, during the period of the exposition and veneration of the Sacred Kapilavastu relics of the Buddha, which ended yesterday. This is in no way an agreement for the ritual slaughter of animals to be carried out.

The media is entirely wrong in stating that I had visited these sacrifices several times. This is furthest from the truth. I have never visited such events at this or any other place.

Similarly, the statements that certain other high ranking personalities, close to HE the President, in family and office, had participated in these rituals are also completely wrong and without any foundation in truth. These statements allegedly made by Kali Mutta Shivapada Sunderam, the Chief Priest of the Munneswaram Kovil, appear to be tendentious and made for the purpose of clearing the way for these ritual sacrifices of animals to be continued.

Both in principle and policy the Government is against cruelty to animals that takes place in these ritual sacrifices. The Mahinda Chinthana has clearly stated opposition to all forms of cruelty to animals.

The Government is aware that the matter of Cruelty to Animals is at present before the judiciary. As such it would respectfully await the conclusion of these proceedings until further action is taken on this matter.

The Government is also aware that the ritual sacrifice of animals is not acceptable to the Hindu Community, which considers it a sinful act, as clearly stated by the All Ceylon Hindu Congress. Similarly, the majority of other faiths in the country do not accept animal sacrifice in their worship and rituals, and importantly, all faiths in our country are against cruelty to animals. The feelings of all these communities and all others, who are opposed to such cruelty to animals, will be taken into consideration in making a necessary decision on this matter. It will not be done on any political lines, but in keeping with the principles of ahimsa, and the compassionate and humane treatment of animals, which is an integral part of Sri Lankan culture.

Meanwhile, the Police have been clearly instructed to strictly implement the prevailing law against Cruelty to Animals, irrespective of the institutions, organizations or personalities that may seek to violate its provisions.

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Latest comments

  • 0
    1

    Those who want to prevent animal sacrifice must become vegetarians first then advocate Jeevakarunya.

    Sri Lankan state will do well if it prevents human sacrifice in the island forever in all its forms.

    Hypocrisy is a virtue in Sri Lanka.

    • 1
      0

      Dear Vadda,

      It is useless taking a stand on 2 extremes and discussing this topic. (to enlighten you on what I mean, the 2 extremes I meant are, being a fully fledged Vegan or a merciless Murderer) This is pretty much subjective, where you discuss the topic as a human living in the 21st century on the ethic of killing innocent animals to satisfy an intangible devil ??? If it was a practice in SL (or anywhere for that matter) for many years, that doesn’t mean that we should not evolve as humans to get out of such harmful practices / cruelty when we realize the base of such act. True, it is up to an individual to evolve / take the decision, but, in a democracy, you just listen to the masses and see how they have evolved too…

      • 1
        0

        Quite agree that such practices should not be allowed. If the govt does ban it,however, many will use it as an excuse to call the govt as being intolerent of religious freedom etc. So the call should be to ask all right thinking people to look at this issue devoid of such political bias and stand with the govt if it does decide to stop this.

        • 0
          1

          das says:

          “So the call should be to ask all right thinking people”

          Right thinking people from where?

          Call in the experts from abroad.

          Send in the white van. You can resolve it much quicker.

        • 1
          0

          @Native Vedda below.

          Your comment proves my previous point. What I said has nothing to with the politics which you seem to spend your entire time posting comments about. So why must you get worked and bring white vans into it?

          Getting back to my comment, where do you get right thinking people who endorse animal sacrifice?

        • 0
          1

          Its the grabbing the ancestral land did the trick
          Hence the confuse focus on white van

          I agree with Vadha, too much of a fuss, when there are bigger issues
          There is some ritual and slaughrt house mix up
          Is slaugher minus the ritual any better?
          Eat meat?, well eat plants? wear shoes?
          Plants also have a right to live, deforstation leads to loss of habitat for plants and animals, livestock and rice farming also cause global warming; methane sources

          Take the relic for instance; placed in only Siyampoli temples
          (Multy nikaya Gangarama only an after thought with weeks extension)
          I mean is this the fascism we want, second class Sinhala citizens ?
          (can imagine non-Sinhala minorities)
          Some more concerned about goats, behaving like mice !
          You care for the country, but the country dont care for you

      • 1
        1

        Humans by nature are not pure herbivores. The presence of the cannine teeth itself in the mandibular of human beings, shows that humans are omnivores, that is being both carniverous and herbivorous. When man lived by hunting, there was no issue of killing animals for food, which provided the animal protein for the growth of the humans. The present repulsive nature of some abhoring the killings of animals for food have come about with human development. The birth of Religions as Buddhism a couple of millenia ago has also contributed against the killing of animals. Yet there are other Religions that advocate animal sacrifice according to their beliefs. All in all there are some who do not eat any kind of meat, and I am yet to come across a Muslim who do not eat meat. Being a Vegetarian today is not solely for those fighting to stop animal slaughter, but is also a trend in society. Then there are those who do not make a fuss but eat it because it is available. The slaughterers justify they kill because there are those who consume. Hence the killing and eating continues with all the protests. Animal slaughter for meat is an Industry, where modern methods are adopted to kill the animals with the lease suffering and pain. I presume the debate will go on till man exists. So far no clinical research has been done anywhere, how a child’s growth and his immunity responds to being fed without animal Protein at all and how such person would be in later life, whether healthy or not? The reason is all these Vegitarians today are individuals who have had their share of animal protein in their formative years. It is only now that they have become Vegetarians. Therefore before all try to become Vegitarians, a medical study would be usefull, for being completely vegitarian. As otherwise it will spell doom to the whole human society.

        The only issue I have here is that the President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunge taking his stand to save the animals from sacrifice, but have no qualms, reference humans being white Vanned and made to dissapear or being killed in the present system under MR. This is the same character Lalith Weeratunge who was one of the signotaries to the Tsunami Account at the Standard Chartered Bank of MR.

    • 0
      1

      what did the trick was the grabbing of ancestral land
      hence the confused focus on white-van

      I agree with Vadha
      Theres some ritual and slaughter house mix up
      But is it better to slaugher without the ritual?

      Eat meat?, well eat plants?, plants also have a right to live, deforstation leads to loss of habitat for plants and animals, livestock and rice farming also big on global warming; methane

      Take the relic; placed in only Siyampoli temples
      (Multy nikaya Gangarama only an after thought with weeks extension)
      I mean is this the fascism we want, second class Sinhala citizens ?
      (can imagine non-Sinhala minorities)

      Some more concerned about goats, behaving like mice !
      You care for the country, but the country dont care for you

  • 1
    0

    Those who believe what they believe is absolutely correct MUST come out with their own identity rather than hiding behind fake names !!!

    • 0
      0

      Do you truly believe that the environment is friedly those who believe what they believe is absolutely correct ? I mean … in the country today, under MR, his brothers, henchmen and minions ?

      • 0
        0

        I mean can those expresse free and fair manner – as it is seen in western democracies…

        can those later be escaped from being whitevanned, abducted or murdered ?

    • 0
      1

      Kapila Kahapola, UAE:

      Play the ball not the man.

  • 0
    1

    Yes, sadly, it’s mainly the Sinhala Buddhist community who takes part in this barbaric act.. Shameful to know that we get stone age people still living in 21st century..

    • 0
      0

      It is all because today many are not aware of what they re doing. They have become a folk that just follow up. No matter what it is- they just do what their neighbour is doing. Buddhist monks, other religious leaders and professionals should play the leading role in awareness programs in which general public can be better informed. Media can also play a great role here, inevitably.

    • 0
      1

      Rohan is worried:

      “Shameful to know that we get stone age people still living in 21st century..”

      Do you want the stone age people to disappear into the thin air so that you could grab their ancestral land.

      Send in your white van.

  • 0
    0

    Well Rohan, I Know Someone Who was So Critical on SriLanka Before & Now Do Not Utter a Word as He Expects Diplomatic Post to Europe to Represent SriLanka !!!

  • 0
    0

    Rather Sucharitha I Must Say…

  • 0
    0

    Can the learned secretray, or his advisor Babu sharma or the hypocratic charlatans of the Hindu Congress define who a Hindu is?.

  • 0
    0

    In India this discussion was joined by many intellectuals who saw it as the higher castes speaking ethics to the lower castes and ‘tribals’ who are much more partial to these practices.

    Remember Arumuga Navalar and Dharmapala both tried to clean up their so called religion to reflect what is in the books rather than what was in practice.

    The morons who do this today are nothing but Sinhala chauvanists thinking that Sinhala buddhism is superior to all religions.

    I would agree that buddhism is good but sinhala budhism is the most barbaric religion in the world. It practices cruelty to humans and animals regularly.

  • 0
    0

    suryagamage nilan

    is certain:

    “sinhala budhism is the most barbaric religion in the world.”

    Could you cite evidence for your above asertion.

    • 0
      0

      Native Vedda

      Must be disgruntled Engineer who pretends to be a socialist and a Vedda to boot.

      I know you cannot get away from your ‘evidence’ culture. Look for evidence in Rajapaskse and Gota’s pocket to see whether you will be recieving any evidence!

      • 0
        1

        suryagamage nilan:

        “Look for evidence in Rajapaskse and Gota’s pocket to see whether you will be recieving any evidence!”

        Buddhism is the essence of Buddha’s teaching and a way of life shaped by its philosophy. Therefore those who follow Buddha’s teaching should reclaim Buddhism from Sinhala/Buddhist.

        I am working on it.

        Sinhala/Buddhism has nothing to do with Buddha’s teaching but a sort of nasty nationalistic political force which is packaged in the name of Buddha, unleashed against other people and among themselves resulting in total destruction of all people including its ardent supporters.

        You assume all Sinhala/Buddhist are Buddhist.

        I beg to differ as they don’t deserve to be Buddhists.

  • 0
    0

    “”The Government is aware that the matter of Cruelty to Animals is at present before the judiciary. As such it would respectfully await the conclusion of these proceedings until further action is taken on this matter””

    BUT THE JUDICIARY IS DICTATED BY AN ALL POWERFUL “EXCECUTIVE” PRESIDENT.
    And everyone knows the outcome.

  • 1
    0

    Atrue Hindu does not condone animal sacrifice in the name of religion.One of the basic principles of Hinduism is not to kill and how can you justify animal sacrifice in the name of relgion.These are barbaric practises used by unscruplous individulas to enjoy themselves I would appreciate the Govt. puts a stop to these barbaric practises.Ram

    • 0
      1

      ram Subramaniam:

      I agree that these practices must stop only if the Hindus and Buddhists renounce meat eating.

      Otherwise we are talking nonsense, with large dose of hypocrisy.

  • 0
    0

    You can’t have one law for Chicken and another for goat and cow.Animal
    slaughter is commercialised.Even if it comes under religious rituals
    it must be allowed provided some rules are foloowed,such as some health
    inspection and slaughter carried out by professionals.Why politicizing
    and encouraging communalism to take root?Those who want to stop this, want to do this not because of their love to animals.They all eat animal flesh,and even if they don’t,it doesn’t matter to those who eat it because it’s not unlawful to eat meat.In the south,it’s the majority who sell animals to the minority for slaughtering for consumption.It’s high time that those in hot seats act with great
    responsibility,especially when it comes to different communities and
    different customs and habits.

  • 0
    0

    They are playing politics.If you are true why not stop killing Chicken? May be because it is tastier than the beef.Can any B/priest swear that they do not accept chicken for dana/

    • 0
      0

      You cant generalize eating meat by Bmonks in that way. I am known to many monks and even dozens of families that behave as if they are vegans. So, may be some Bmonks today like eating meats for their Dana. But earlier, three decades ago (now being out of the country), there were numbers of monks that ate only vegetarian dishes. Their protein intakes were fairly enough through beans, lentils and variety of other legumes.

      So, this cant be an argument – because not only buddhists, but also other religious adherents live in SL, so you cant expect them not to have meat for their meals. If they bann killing every animals in the country, there will be not butchers in the country, only imported meat will have to be found in the markets at high prices. This must not be.

  • 0
    0

    Sinhalese go to pansal and take sil. They also care a lot about animals. They respect minorities and other religions. But they also run prostitution rings, sell drugs and they are savage cold blooded killers.

    [Edited out]

  • 0
    1

    das

    You have missed the point.

    • 0
      0

      Oh! OK. :-)

  • 0
    0

    We do not dispute Kapila Kahapola’s comment of Sept 14 if the country was normal. But look at the real scenario. Many journalists were kidnapped, beaten, tortured and more than a few chose to run for their lives overseas. The daring Lasantha Wickramatunga was savaged during morning traffic hour while many were watching, suspectedly by men from the armed forces, and died a pathetic premature death. Therefore, in this fascistic climate let us look at those wanting to write under psedonyms in perspective. After all, there is little point in being dead heroes as some will argue.

    Senguttuvan

    • 0
      0

      Senguttuvan

      Well said.

      Those who demand writers’ personal details should remember to attach their CV with each and every comment they type in these forums.

      As usual they are not interested in the message but in the messenger so that they can shoot the messenger at will if they don’t like the message.

      I wonder why Kapila Kahapola has not defended MR’s extended family? Perhaps his metabolic system is changing due to frequenting this forum which has a civilisational effect on him.

  • 0
    0

    Man is a carnivorous animal.
    In the beginning,he ate wild animals & plants and later learned to domesticate animals for food & labour,and to grow plants for food.
    Killing land animals,and sea life forms,for food, is by itself cruel. The method of killing varies.
    Fish struggle for sometime,before death – this is cruelty.
    The muslim ‘halal’ method is cutting the blood vessels of the neck to allow the animal to bleed to death- the animal is alive first,later comatose & finally dead.
    Hindus cut the spine & flesh at the neck at one blow, there is no pain as the spinl cord is severed.
    A killing may be part of a ritual,in public or in private.
    Flesh of animals killed in temples is sold for food.
    Banning killing of animals only in temples,while allowing it elsewhere,for food,is hypocrisy.
    During Ramzan,goats are ‘sacrificed’ on private premises, for food.
    Does it matter where the killing is done,or why – as long as it is hygienically done?
    Only total vegans avoid cruelty, but only to some life forms.

  • 0
    0

    Well, why then is the Nepali government spendig millions for the anual sacrifice???

    Buffalo, goats and chickens are killed by the thousands
    Strangely, its illegal to kill cattle, sold as ‘feline’ in the black market
    Nepal is the world’s only Hindu state (90% Hindu), India is a multy-faith state
    Eastern India too follows this ritual, both Budha’s areas.

    I once gave up meat for a decade
    Untill I saw a sick pigeon being consumed alive slowly by a batch of ants
    Now I believe a quick cull for food is good even for the animal, any animal.

    How about eating eggs, patatoes and wearing leather slippers?

  • 0
    0

    Sanathana Dharma (“the law eternal”) is the religious philosophy that embraces billions of Hindus all over the world. This is colloquially referred to as Hinduism. The latter is a tradition that submits itself to change with the passage of time without losing its identity or core values. One might recall the practise of Saati, in which the widow of a Hindu in many North Indian societies dies in flames after her husband, was gradually done away with. Today’s Hindus view the practise of animal sacrifices within Temple premises with disfavour and the ritual will gradually die soon.

    One wonders under what law the Most Honourable Mervin Silva, burdened with the high office of Minister of Public Relations – far too heavy a weight for his mental, educational and familial history – orders his monitors to invade all Hindu Temples in the country whereas one would have thought matters of this nature come under the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Hindu, Christian, Muslim etc) As a Hindu I vehemently condemn this creature’s insulting attitude towards my religion and appeal to the President to put a stop to this half-animals insults to a great religion. Hindus in the country are pained and tortured by this mans atavastic antics.

    Senguttuvan

  • 0
    0

    Senguttuvan has showed his Sanatana Dharma culture. .Why not also include the notion of Varnashramadharma

    Among enlightened Hindus or Buddhists we know what the priests and higher castes really get up to in the name of religion…

    No body cares a flying pan about whether it is hinduism or budhism or islam ..

    the point is this foool of a Sinhala politician is making capital on the bones of the dead tamils by beating his tom tom over the animal sacrificie after officiating over the sacrifice of 40,000 human beings but then again according to buddhism they are not humans but animals.

  • 0
    0

    The vermin is not theatrical, again, for the sake of Buddhism. He is trying to avoid the adverse publicity due to public anger against him and his drug-trafficker and violent son.

    The people are watching anxiously as to what their patrons – MR & GR – will do this time now that both father and son are caught with their sarongs/pants down.

    Senguttuvan

  • 1
    0

    yes, its ok to have slaughter-houses
    get tourist money
    but wrong for Hindu temple to do it

    abortion fine
    deforestation fine
    white-van v fine
    assaulting/killing journalists v v fine

    Mervin’s Dura people are the big Kali people; http://www.ceylontoday.lk/59-12313-news-detail-a-unifying-force-turned-divider.html

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