Save the Khokana Goats
The Khokana festival, Nepal, is held every year in August, the day after Gai Jatra. A 5-6 month old goat is thrown in a pond close to Rudrayani temple in Khokana, a village in the south of Kathmandu Valley.
Nine young men enter the pond and start to tear the goat apart by grasping its legs, ears, hoof or tail. The one who manages to kill the goat is the ‘hero’ and leads the Shinkali dance which is held afterwards.
Nine young men enter the pond and start to tear the goat apart by grasping its legs, ears, hoof or tail. The one who manages to kill the goat is the ‘hero’ and leads the Shinkali dance which is held afterwards.
Picture of a street in Khokana, a small Newari settlement rougly 10 kilometers south of Kathmandu, Nepal
Khokana residents have witnessed the barbaric scene year in year out and think it provides religious merit. It is not clear why and when the cruel goat-killing was introduced. Locals believe that when children started to drown in the pond in the 12th century, residents started to drown a live goat to appease the gods. However, there is evidence showing that devotees in former times offered fruits and flowers in the temple and that the act with the struggling goat was introduced to create a spectacle.
What Can You Do?
There are a number of things you do. You can sign the petition here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/...
Or, send the letter below to express your concern to the Nepalese authorities.
Or you can draft a petition and have friends sign, and hand over to your local authorities and/or media.
What Can You Do?
There are a number of things you do. You can sign the petition here: http://www.gopetition.com/petition/...
Or, send the letter below to express your concern to the Nepalese authorities.
Or you can draft a petition and have friends sign, and hand over to your local authorities and/or media.
Please protest!
SAMPLE LETTER, courtesy of Stop Animal Sacrifice
To Whom It Concerns,
I would like to express my deep concern about extreme cases of animal cruelty being conducted in the name of religion in Nepal.
In Nepal, animal sacrifice is widely practiced. There are no rules of regulation; rather, the government supports blood sacrifices by providing subsidies.
Apart from regular sacrifices at Goddess temples, extreme cruelty is conducted at certain festivals including the live skinning and burning of animals, slow killings through throat slitting, killing with unsharp knives, public beheadings, et cetera.
In particular, I refer to the Khokana Festival, held in August, during which a terrified goat is thrown in the Deu-pond close to the Rudrayani temple, after which the animal is torn apart whilst still alive by a group of young men.
No one can adequately explain why this practice is carried out year after year – except to say that it is ‘traditional’. This, however, is not a valuable argument to continue this practice. Nepal, realizing the adverse effects, has abolished a number of ‘traditions’ in the past, including human sacrifice and widow burning.
I encourage the government of Nepal to abolish the above practice for the following reasons:
1. It hurts the goats – contrary to what many believe, animals suffer tremendously before and during sacrifice. They are generally hurt during transportation, starved and dehydrated, and they are often purposely killed slowly and painfully, as it is believed that the goddess prefers slow deaths.
2. It hurts us - cruelty against animals harms society as a whole; it signals and normalizes insensitivity in children who can become numb to the suffering of living beings, and it is also proven to influence certain people to commit violence on other humans.
3. It strengthens vested interests – sacrifices generally boost the interests of those who benefit from superstition-based beliefs and rituals. As Nepal is moving ahead to become a more fully democratic, egalitarian society, it is crucial to challenge age-old beliefs which are not beneficial and drain the resources of the poor and needy.
4. It contradicts the spirit of laws - Nepal is concerned about the welfare of its precious flora and fauna, and has signed a number of international Wildlife Treaties. The cruelty displayed in this so-called tradition completely contradicts the spirit and gestures of these treaties and acts.
5. It is bad for tourism - As tourists are abhorred by such practices, the festival will have an adverse effect on tourism, an industry which provides the country with much-needed financial returns. Those foreigners who experience or come to know the extent of sacrifice in this country leave Nepal traumatized, disgusted, and deeply saddened, rather than uplifted by its paradoxical beauty and friendliness.
I urge you to end the violent practice at Khokana and help Nepal move towards a truly peaceful country, and in keeping with its international image. This can be done by introducing and enforcing a much-needed Animal Welfare Act and promoting genuine animal welfare activities across the country.
I trust that the government of Nepal will support these measures, which are becoming more popular by the day, globally, and thus promote non-violent cultural practices in Nepal. Until such a time, however, it will be necessary to boycott Nepal both as a tourist and via commerce as well as encourage others to participate in a boycott as well.
Yours sincerely,
.....................................................................
please sign with your name and address
email addresses
TO:
Nepali Congress Central Office
B.P. Smriti Bhawan, B.P. Nagar, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal
Email: ncparty@wlink.com.np
Fax: ++ (977-1) 5555188
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN ML)
Address: Maitidevi
Email: communistparty@hotmail.com
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Address: Buddha Nagar
Email: ucpnm.chq@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4602289
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)
Address: Dhobi Khola
Email: cpnunified@gmail.com
Ministry of Tourism
Email: info@tourism.gov.np, tourismnp@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4211758
Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Address: Chabahil
Email: rppnepal@enet.com.np
Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
Address: Baneshwor
Email: tmdp64@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4462383
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party
Address: Bhaktapur
Fax: ++ (977-1) 6613207
Madhesi's People's Right Forum
Address: Kupondole
Fax: ++ (977-1) 5541278
CC:
ncparty@wlink.com.np, communistparty@hotmail.com, rppnepal@enet.com.np, tmdp64@gmail.com, ucpnm.chq@gmail.com,
cpnunified@gmail.com, eon@nepembassy.org.uk, officesecretary@nepembassy.org.uk,
Nepali Congress Central Office
B.P. Smriti Bhawan, B.P. Nagar, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal
Email: ncparty@wlink.com.np
Fax: ++ (977-1) 5555188
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN ML)
Address: Maitidevi
Email: communistparty@hotmail.com
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Address: Buddha Nagar
Email: ucpnm.chq@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4602289
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)
Address: Dhobi Khola
Email: cpnunified@gmail.com
Ministry of Tourism
Email: info@tourism.gov.np, tourismnp@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4211758
Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Address: Chabahil
Email: rppnepal@enet.com.np
Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
Address: Baneshwor
Email: tmdp64@gmail.com
Fax: ++ (977-1) 4462383
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party
Address: Bhaktapur
Fax: ++ (977-1) 6613207
Madhesi's People's Right Forum
Address: Kupondole
Fax: ++ (977-1) 5541278
CC:
ncparty@wlink.com.np, communistparty@hotmail.com, rppnepal@enet.com.np, tmdp64@gmail.com, ucpnm.chq@gmail.com,
cpnunified@gmail.com, eon@nepembassy.org.uk, officesecretary@nepembassy.org.uk,
more addresses
Nepal Political Parties, Individual emails:
ncparty@wlink.com.np, communistparty@hotmail.com,rppnepal@enet.com.np,tmdp64@gmail.com, ucpnm.chq@gmail.com,
cpnunified@gmail.com , eon@nepembassy.org.uk ,officesecretary@nepembassy.org.uk
Nepali Congress Central Office
B.P. Smriti Bhawan, B.P.Nagar, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal
Fax : ++ (977-1) 5555188
E-mail: ncparty@wlink.com.np
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN ML)
C.P Mainali
Address: Maitidevi
Email: communistparty@hotmail.com
Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Head of Party: Pashupati Sumsher Rana
Address: Chabahil
Email: rppnepal@enet.com.np
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party
Head of Party: Narayan Man Bijukche
Address: Bhaktapur
Fax No: ++(977-1) 6613207
Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
Head of Party: Mahanta Thakur
Address: Baneshwor
Email: tmdp64@gmail.com
Fax No: ++(977-1) 4462383
Madhesi’s People’s Right Forum
Upendra Yadav
Address: Kupondole
Fax nr: ++ (977 -1) 5541278
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Head of Party: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Address: Buddha Nagar
Email: ucpnm.chq@gmail.com
Fax: 01 4602289
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)
Head of Party: Ram Singh Shris (Rajbir)
Address: DhobiKhola
Email: cpnunified@gmail.com
POSTAL
Honarable Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister, Singha Durbar
Faxes: + 977 1 227 286 or 428 570
Honarable State Minister for Foreign Affairs
Address: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
Tel: 977-1-4416011, 4416012, 4416013, 4416014, 4416015
Fax: 977-1-4416016
Right Honarable President Dr Ram Baran Yadav
Office of the President
Sheetal Niwas, Kathmandu
Fax no ++ 977 – 1 – 4416495
Honarable Minister
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives,
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: 4211706,4211950,4211981,4211898,4211841,4211648,4211961, 4211905
Fax: 977-1- 4211935, 4211839
Hon’ble Minister
Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel.: 4211992, 4211669, 4211846, 4211847, 4211711, 4211685, 4211825, 4231196, 4211909
Fax: 977 1 4211758
Honorable Minister
Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Tel: +977 1 4211189, 4211090, 4211176, 4211092
Fax: +977 1 4211186 and 4211173
Ministry of Law and Justice
Address: Singha Durbar, Kathmandu
Tel: 977-1-4223727, 4224633, 4220672
Fax: 977-1-4220684
Ministry of Home Affairs
Address: Singha Durbar, Kathmandu,Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4211261, 4211212, 4211274, 4211249, 4211224
Fax: 977-1-4211264
Source of these addresses: Compass
ncparty@wlink.com.np, communistparty@hotmail.com,rppnepal@enet.com.np,tmdp64@gmail.com, ucpnm.chq@gmail.com,
cpnunified@gmail.com , eon@nepembassy.org.uk ,officesecretary@nepembassy.org.uk
Nepali Congress Central Office
B.P. Smriti Bhawan, B.P.Nagar, Sanepa, Lalitpur, Nepal
Fax : ++ (977-1) 5555188
E-mail: ncparty@wlink.com.np
Communist Party of Nepal (CPN ML)
C.P Mainali
Address: Maitidevi
Email: communistparty@hotmail.com
Rastriya Prajatantra Party
Head of Party: Pashupati Sumsher Rana
Address: Chabahil
Email: rppnepal@enet.com.np
Nepal Workers and Peasants Party
Head of Party: Narayan Man Bijukche
Address: Bhaktapur
Fax No: ++(977-1) 6613207
Tarai Madhesh Loktantrik Party
Head of Party: Mahanta Thakur
Address: Baneshwor
Email: tmdp64@gmail.com
Fax No: ++(977-1) 4462383
Madhesi’s People’s Right Forum
Upendra Yadav
Address: Kupondole
Fax nr: ++ (977 -1) 5541278
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Head of Party: Pushpa Kamal Dahal
Address: Buddha Nagar
Email: ucpnm.chq@gmail.com
Fax: 01 4602289
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified)
Head of Party: Ram Singh Shris (Rajbir)
Address: DhobiKhola
Email: cpnunified@gmail.com
POSTAL
Honarable Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister, Singha Durbar
Faxes: + 977 1 227 286 or 428 570
Honarable State Minister for Foreign Affairs
Address: Maharajgunj, Kathmandu
Tel: 977-1-4416011, 4416012, 4416013, 4416014, 4416015
Fax: 977-1-4416016
Right Honarable President Dr Ram Baran Yadav
Office of the President
Sheetal Niwas, Kathmandu
Fax no ++ 977 – 1 – 4416495
Honarable Minister
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives,
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Phone: 4211706,4211950,4211981,4211898,4211841,4211648,4211961, 4211905
Fax: 977-1- 4211935, 4211839
Hon’ble Minister
Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation
Singha Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel.: 4211992, 4211669, 4211846, 4211847, 4211711, 4211685, 4211825, 4231196, 4211909
Fax: 977 1 4211758
Honorable Minister
Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction
Singh Durbar, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Tel: +977 1 4211189, 4211090, 4211176, 4211092
Fax: +977 1 4211186 and 4211173
Ministry of Law and Justice
Address: Singha Durbar, Kathmandu
Tel: 977-1-4223727, 4224633, 4220672
Fax: 977-1-4220684
Ministry of Home Affairs
Address: Singha Durbar, Kathmandu,Nepal
Tel: 977-1-4211261, 4211212, 4211274, 4211249, 4211224
Fax: 977-1-4211264
Source of these addresses: Compass
The petition
Please help to put an end to this cruel tradition and add your signature to the petition by clicking HERE!
The cause on Facebook
If you like to actively help to stop animal sacrifice or simply to stay up to date about actions to take, please join the group on Facebook
