Australia: anti-cruelty advocates target Islamic animal sacrifice

By Ben-Peter Terpstra

"Multicultural Australia" isn't what you think.

Currently, tensions are building between Islamic fundamentalists and anti-cruelty advocates with international implications. The dream of "integration" appears just that -- a dream.

In a recent demonstration of ongoing tensions, the RSPCA Australia (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) paid for a large open letter in The Weekend Australian (November 21-22, 2009) to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd (p.19):

Dear Prime Minister

Eid al-Adha, the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice, starts next weekend and again, you have allowed Australian sheep to be part of it. The sheer scale of the slaughter makes this one of the worst periods of animal suffering in the Middle East. Sheep are subjected to rough handling and transport then are sacrificed in homes, on footpaths and in overcrowded abattoirs. Animals are fully conscious when they have their throats cut.

[snip]

We urge you to invest in Australia's meat-processing industry, create jobs in Australia and stop sacrificing Australian animals to this cruel trade.

A reedited letter is also available online.