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Subject:

Salutation:

Comments: Honorable Officials Of Nepal, I am part of the global outcry against animal sacrifice in Nepal. Please permanently end blood festivals nationwide. I urge you to begin with the annual Khokana Festival, during which revelers pitch a frightened young goat into a pond. Men wade into the pond to beat, bite and tear apart the 5-6 month old animal. A "hero" who ultimately kills the goat then leads participants in a celebratory dance. Prior to this violent spectacle, the animal is transported without food or water. She is intentionally killed in a slow, painful manner thought to gratify deities. Like other blood rites in Nepal, the Khokana is outright cruelty posing as sacred tradition. Clergy leaders themselves have proposed fruits and vegetables in place of animal offerings. I call upon your mercy and integrity as fellow human beings: Please replace brutal animal sacrifice with non-living symbols such as cloth, flowers, fruit, banners, candles, flags... Bloodless rituals do not alienate tourists or cut revenue from Nepal's tourism industry. They stop a cycle of violence that desensitizes young participants to the suffering of others. Moreover, cruelty-free religion portrays Nepal as a modern nation in sync with the rest of the world. Nepal has made great strides to protect wildlife under international treaties. An enforceable Animal Welfare Law that shields animals from all forms of abuse, including blood rituals, would further enhance Nepal's image as a nation with moral fortitude. I respectfully ask you to spare goats in the August Khokana Festival and ban all events that skin, burn, behead, knife, or otherwise torment live animals as religious sacrament. Any tradition built upon the anguish of others contradicts the very essence of religion and is without merit or justification. Thank you,