In-depth
Expert urges Vietnam traditions to spare animals by embracing symbolic 'slaughter'
  • | CAND, dtinews | March 03, 2015 08:43 PM
 >>  Bac Ninh pig slaughter goes ahead despite protests

Growing international out cry over animal cruelty in traditional Vietnamese rituals has led one expert to suggest they become more symbolic events by using paper representations rather than actual living creatures.

Dr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan, head of the Institute for Religious Studies, said the ritual and often brutal killing of animals, though viewed by local villagers practicing such rites as perpetuating time-honoured traditions, are now being seen around the world as barbaric.


 Dr. Nguyen Quoc Tuan

Vietnam was criticised by animal rights groups for the pig slaughter festival in Nem Thuong Village, Bac Ninh Province, held on February 24. That criticism escalated after a clip appeared on Internet of a ceremony to commemorate female general named Xuan Nuong, which showed men using sticks to beat a tethered buffalo.


The pig slaughter festival in Bac Ninh Province

Tuan said such ceremonies were part of many cultures in many countries, but there had been movement away from using live animals, substituting in their place symbolic representations, which fulfilled the strictures of tradition.

He said it was reasonable to consider animal sacrifice as a way to maintain the cultural identity of a village or a people, and it would be wrong to impose one set of views upon another.

But a cultural activity should respect standards set by the international community, be they related to human rights, pursuit of sustainable economies, or protection of the natural environment, which were for the common good, as has been the condemnation of violence, and the inflicting of pain and suffering on animals.

Tuan said preserving culture and ritual must be based on international standards and should Vietnam rebuff international standards, it would only attract national shame and ultimately cheapen the traditions it holds so dear.

“Maltreatment of animals, despite under the shadow of spirituals or religions, is unacceptable and this goes against humanism. Vietnam should issue laws to ban such practices,” he said.

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