Kathmandu, August 25, 2010 – The Animal Welfare Network Nepal (AWNN) has requested the organizing committee and VDC of Khokana to develop an alternative for the cruel ritual involving the tearing apart of a baby goat in a pond. Khokana festival will be celebrated tomorrow on August 26.
During the festival a 4-6 months old she-goat is thrown into a pond where nine young men, one from each ward, attack it and bite it to death. The one who ultimately kills the goat is named the ‘hero’ and leads a dance procession. Khokana VDC sponsors the festival by contributing around NRs 100,000.
Seven animal welfare organizations coordinated by AWNN have send letters to the organizing committee and Village Development Committee requesting them to introduce alternatives. “The festival will have so much more appeal when no animal cruelty takes place. Khokana can actually taking a leading role in introducing non-violent rituals which will appeal to everyone, including children and tourists,” says Mahesh Sharma, Campaign Coordinator at AWNN.
According to AWNN the ritual started when people accidentally drowned in the pond. At first fruits and vegetables were offered and when this was not effective, a baby goat was drown. “Only since a few years the ritual has turned into a ‘blood sport’, in which youth are encouraged to bite a live animal to death,” says Sharma.
AWNN argues that the present Khokana festival is not part of Nepal’s heritage, religion or culture. Sharma: “Rituals that involve extreme cruelty generally have been introduced to attract more visitors and business. These are controversial developments as many community members are in fact against them. Community events and pujas should be a harmonizing, enjoyable experience for all members, including children. Introducing alternative, non-violent forms of sacrifice rituals will re-establish festivals as meaningful, fun and positive experiences.”
AWNN earlier this year launched a 5-year campaign against blood sacrifices and cruel sports. According to the campaigners animal sacrifices harm society as a whole as it signals and normalizes insensitivity in children who can become numb to the suffering of living beings, and it is also known to influence certain people to commit violence on other humans. “Now that the armed conflict has ended Nepal needs peaceful practices that educate the next generation for a harmonious society,” AWNN says.
For more information about the campaign go to www.stopanimalsacrifice.org