THE BUDDHIST STATEMENT ON LIVE EXPORT TRADE OF ANIMALS
The Buddhist community of Australia believes that the live export of animals for slaughter is needless and cruel, and we call for a ban on this trade.
Since our Statement of 12 June 2011, it has come to our attention, through a recent April 2018 Channel 9 expose on 60 Minutes, that the animals are inhumanely transported. Australian laws against cruelty to animals were and are being blatantly ignored.
The secret cameras on the sheep vessel revealed the severity of the suffering was so extreme that many sheep were just thrown overboard, others died of severe heat wave. Only the stronger animals had access to food and water. The sheep were transported in horrific conditions with standing room only and stacked to ten storeys high. The high temperature caused hundreds of sheep to die. According to the Mr Ullah, who risked his life to make a secret recording: “it is same as putting live animals into the oven… and they died one after the other”. https://www.9now.com.au/60-minutes/2018/extras/clips/clip-cjfqblr2d003q0ql9dyfho98x
This deliberate cruelty must and will end with the ending of live-export.
Animals are living beings just as we are. The main difference is that they have no voice and so our responsibility as individuals and as a community is to speak and act on their behalf. We believe this is one of those issues where governmental leadership has to be shown to bring us all forward on this matter which has touched the hearts of all Australians. We commend Animals Australia and Mr Ullah for his brave secret footage.
This video footage has rightly caused a public uproar and has again generated debate about whether the live export of Australian should be banned i.e. live export should be replaced by the exportation of carcasses.
The Buddhist position in Australia is that if any animal is to be transported for live-export then it should be transported humanely in accordance with Australian laws. However, as it would be impossible to ensure the compliance of Australian laws on a vessel away from Australian borders, live-export must end.
The Buddhist community is aware and respectful of the economic importance of the animal trade to Australia and would like to see changes that can be introduced that will mean a win for our farmers as well as a win for the animals.
14 May 2018