LETTERS SENT IN 2006-5
http://bz.berlin1.de/aktuell/berlin/060325/affen.html
From:
ActionAgainstPoisoning
To
info@volkswagenstiftung.de
Sent: Friday,
April 28, 2006 2:05 PM
Subject:
Intended animal experiments in Berlin
To the Secretary
General of the Volkswagen Foundation
Attention of Dr.
Wilhelm Krull
Kastanienallee
35
30519 Hannover,
Deutschland
Reference:
Intended animal experiments in Berlin
Dear Doctor
Krull,
Action Against
Poisoning fights animal poisoning in particular and
supports
animal
protection in general. We have been informed that a new
centre for
brain research
will arise in Berlin and we understand that the
Volkswagen
Foundation will
sponsor this research centre.
As it appears a
German scientist intends to research the function of
vision
in monkeys or
apes. We presume that you are well informed on the
protocols
and applied
methods for neurological experiments in the monkey
brain
region. We want
to remind you that similar research aimed at the
treatment
of human brain
disorders by Professsor Kreiter and his colleagues in
Bremen
allegedly led to
useless results for the past 8 years.
In our view the
only relevant result of such research experiments is
the
irrefutable fact
of tremendous suffering and subsequent death of the
apes
used in the
trials. So we suggest the termination of the Bremen
primate
research rather
than the start of the Berlin experiments, let alone
that
such research be
sponsored by a renowned foundation. As the popularity
of
animal
experiments - on apes most vividly identified by humans -
declines
rapidly, the
support of such experiments might reflect badly on the
image
of Volkswagen
AG.
Irrespective of
the exactness of the received information on the current
and
intended German
animal research efforts we strongly advise the
Volkswagen
Foundation to
refrain from any support of ethically controversial
projects,
especially those
violating animal protection ethics and
laws.
With kind
regards,
Drs P.M.
Donker
Action Against
Poisoning - Den Haag EU
*.*.*
Letter to UNESCO
by Action Against Poisning :
Sent by: Action
Against Poisoning
Date: Wed, 22
Feb 2006 17:00:52 +0100
To:
cnu@unesco.pt , ich@unesco.org , bpi@unesco.org
Cc:
ANIMAL miguel.moutinho@animal.org.pt
Subject: UNESCO
to reject the proposal for bullfights to be recognised as
cultural heritage
:: Action
Against Poisoning :: UNESCO :: BULLFIGHTS
::
LETTER TO UNESCO
- ARGUMENT AGAINST BULLFIGHTS ETC
From:
ActionAgainstPoisoning
To:
UNESCO
To the members
of the UNESCO
Subject:
Arguments against bullfights
Ladies and
gentlemen,
Action Against
Poisoning fights animal poisoning in particular and
supports animal protection in general.
We have been
informed by ANIMAL in Portugal that UNESCO will be
approached again to include bullfights in the Cultural
Heritage list. So we repeat our arguments as these are
still valid.
As we understand
such a listing protects or sponsors the cultural object or
tradition involved.
We are curious
what bullfight-jewels are in need of UNESCO
protection.
If any bullring
in the world would match the Coliseum we will understand
the recognition of a monument, although we wonder why that
did not happen before. So we surmise it is about the
traditional display of the bullfight. This tradition
involves the deliberate torture and subsequent killing of
bulls either inside the arena (Spain) or outside the arena
(Portugal).
If a mere
tradition is the measure we might as well have supported
and sponsored crucifixion, witch burning and scalping.
History abolished such publicly celebrated violent
traditions as very bad habits and not as cultural heritage
of humanity. Which is understandable as civilized society
regards violence as a public order risk. More advanced
societies understand that animal abuse is a potential
public (mental) health threat as well.
We are amazed
that so few people realize that festivals based on animal
cruelty create a joyful atmosphere of "having fun",
influencing children in their moral concepts on the value
of life.
Witnessing a
bullfight either creates disgust and depression, or
admiration for perpetrators of animal cruelty.
The
nature and sequence of the human acts in bullfights can be
defined as sadistic. Sadism is a certified if not
contagious mental illness that we do not want to
spread.
On the analogy
of Indian or African tribal war dances we have no
objections to the museological preservation of weapons and
costumes and the theatrical display of the artful music,
dancing and stabbing. But leave the bulls out of it as they
- like any other animal - have never asked to play a role
in an animal abusing human game.
We have no
objection against the preservation of whatever beautiful or
silly traditions as far as they are harmless to people and
animals alike. Consequently we are totally against any
support of the bullfight, let alone an addition of this
traditional game to a cultural heritage
list.
With kind
regards,
Action Against
Poisoning
http://www.actionagainstpoisoning.com
*.*.*.*.*
From:
ActionAgainstPoisoning
Date: Monday, 07
Mar 2005
To: UNESCO -
bpiweb@unesco.org
Fax number: +33
(0)1 45 67 16 90
To the members
of the UNESCO
Subject:
Arguments against bullfights
Ladies and
gentlemen,
Action Against
Poisoning fights animal poisoning in particular and
supports animal protection in general.
We have been
informed by FLAC that UNESCO is approached to include
bullfights in the Cultural Heritage list. As we understand
such a listing protects the cultural object or tradition
involved.
We are curious
what bullfight-jewels are in need of UNESCO
protection.
If any bullring
in the world matches the Coliseum we will understand,
although we wonder why that did not happen before. So we
surmise it is about the tradition. This tradition involves
the deliberate torture and subsequent killing of bulls
either inside or outside the arena.
If a mere
tradition is the measure we might as well have supported
and sponsored crucifixion, witch burning and scalping.
History abolished such publicly celebrated violent
traditions as very bad habits.
It should be
noted that festivals based on animal cruelty create a
joyful atmosphere of "having fun", influencing children in
their moral concepts on the value of life. Witnessing a
bullfight either creates disgust and depression, or
admiration for the perpetrators of animal cruelty.
The
nature and sequence of acts in bullfights can be defined as
sadistic.
Sadism is a
certified if not contagious mental illness that we do not
want to spread.
On the analogy
of Indian or African tribal war dances we have no
objections to the museological preservation of weapons and
costumes and the theatrical display of the artful music,
dancing and stabbing. But leave the bulls out of
it.
So we ask you to
decide if the bullfight, i.e. a bad habit forming a mental
health threat is a worthy addition to the list of cultural
heritage.
With kind
regards,
Action Against
Poisoning.com
Letter sent by
Action Against Poisoning 2 March 2005:
Action Against
Poisoning
The
Hague
to Portuguese
League Against Cancer
Ms. Maria
Manuela Bandeira de Melo, chair of the
Board
E-mail:
info@ligacontracancro.pt
Address: Av.
Columbano Bordalo Pinheiro, n.º 57 - 3.º F,
1070-061 Lisboa,
Portugal
Phone: 00 351 21
722 18 10
Fax: 00 351 21
726 80 59
2 March
2005
Ladies and
gentlemen,
We were informed
that you have staged a bullfight in a small town called
Coruche in the southern region of Portugal on 26 February
2005 to sponsor your work on behalf of people with
cancer.
We applaud your
work as we know that - although the acceptance of and care
for people with cancer has greatly improved - there is much
to be done yet.
However, we are
saddened by the fact that you have chosen for a bullfight
as it reflects the opposite of your goal: fighting
cancer.
We are saddened
by the fact that a welfare fund collects its money by
torturing animals. Apart from this ethical aspect we
thought that bullfights are illegal in
Portugal.
We hope that you
have not invited cancer patients to attend the bullfight
and warmed them to the art of torture and subsequent
killing. They probably are too gentle and caring to take to
it.
Anyway, we hope
to have made it clear that welfare and care are totally
incompatible with the abuse of animals. Where your
association tries to fight a lethal disease, we see cruelty
towards animals as a growing mental health
threat.
So please
refrain from such bullfights in the future as it will harm
your good cause in general and your organization
especially.
Yours
sincerely,
Action Against
Poisoning
Subject:
Killing of Army guard dogs from the Matacan
Base.
From:
ActionAgainstPoisoning
Date: Thu, 03
Mar 2005 19:59:21 +0000
To:
minisdef@ext.mde.es
Cc:
infodefensa@mde.es ; atencionclientes@prisacom.com ;
administrador-web@psoe.es ;
Bcc:
brighteyes@brighteyes.dk
Subject: Killing
of Army guard dogs from the Matacan
Base.
Ladies and
gentlemen,
Action Against
Poisoning fights animal poisoning in particular and
supports animal protection in general.
We are informed
that plans are made to kill trained army dogs in the
process of closing-down the Army Dog Training Unit at the
Matacan Base. Allegedly the Army refuses to cooperate with
animal protection organizations to re-home the dogs, and
insists to kill those dogs.
We expect from a
professional military unit to search for non-killing
solutions for their obsolete enlisted dog personnel, as
they have most likely served their country with the
greatest loyalty, devotion and honor.
We can
understand your concern about the possible aggressive
attitude of trained attack dogs. However, we also know that
professional animal protectors have come forward to handle
that potential problem and who are willing to take over the
full responsibility. As we have never met a dismissed army
dog betraying state secrets, we believe that there are no
obstacles to offer those dogs a new civil life.
So
please do not execute your servants but give them a medal
for rendered services and transfer them with a respectful
farewell to the proper organizations for
re-homing.
With kind
regards,
See also in this
web site European Union
URGENT
- ACTION NEEDED
Protest against Article III-121 in the current version of
the proposed EU-constitution!
Please send an urgent letter to the relevant executive
bodies in any European country
see model letter below
English
http://europa.eu.int/constitution/constitution_en.htm
German
http://europa.eu.int/constitution/constitution_de.htm
French
http://europa.eu.int/constitution/constitution_fr.htm
English: The
Union's policies, article III - 121
German:
Politikbereiche der Union, Artikel III -
121
French: Les
politiques de l'Union, article III - 121
"Traditional"
animal cruelty is a remnant of ignorant and barbaric
times.
Subject: EU
disregard for animal rights
Ladies and
gentlemen,
Expecting a
solid animal welfare paragraph in the EU Constitution we
are upset by the proposed exceptions for "traditional"
animal cruelty such as festive bullfights, dog races or
fox-hunts and the ritual slaughter of conscious animals. We
are surprised that a contemporary Constitution includes
harmful remnants of ignorant and barbaric times. It should
be clear that animal cruelty can never be excused by
folkloric, religious or tribal traditions. We might as well
legalize torture of prisoners, blood revenge, sexual
oppression and other culturally based forms of violence
that civilized Europe tries to get rid of. Traditions
involving animal cruelty simply are very bad habits that
should not be "cultured" but erased.
It is a thin
line that divides animal cruelty from violence towards
people.
We like to
stress the point that for instance the joyful atmosphere -
with traditional music and artful dancing and stabbing -
around a traditional bullfight breeds the conviction that
animal torture is acceptable if not laudable.
Without blinking
an eye, probably thanks to this acceptance, some Spanish
dog owners discard their dogs traditionally by hanging them
on a tree. The young boy riding a horse in a demonstration
against the banning of fox-hunts wearing the text "born to
hunt" might turn out to be born to kill. Why should we be
surprised by the emergence of new traditions like beating
up a random bystander as part of "having a good time" on a
night out?
Consequently, we
regard tolerance for animal cruelty as a public order
hazard and a mental health threat.
Considering the
harmful nature of aforesaid traditions it is embarrassing
to see the proposed EU Constitution giving its blessings to
traditional animal cruelty by their member states. If the
EU makes exceptions for animal rights, why not make
exceptions for human rights? What authority for the EU is
left to dispute human rights anyway?
As mentioned
before, it is a thin line that divides the violation of
animal rights from the violation of human
rights.
The following
quote of the Eurogroup for Animal Welfare reflects the
sorry state of EU interest in the welfare of the category
of stray animals that is in highest need of human
protection:
"There is no
legal basis to have legislation purely on animal welfare
grounds in the EU, it is why legislation relating to the
way stray animals (considered as companion animals) is the
responsibility of the Member
States. To
change that, there needs to be a specific article in the
Treaty (the Constitutional Treaty, just passed and not yet
ratified) making animal welfare an objective of the EU.
This is not the case at the moment and it will not be the
case in the near future". We regard such callous legalistic
opposition to animal protection as a serious and contageous
mental health problem.
It is obvious
that the expressed EU attitude on animal rights calls for a
clear rejection of the EU Constitution proposal unless this
offending amendment on Article III-121 is withdrawn.
With kind
regards,
(write your name
with complete address)
You can forward
your letter to for instance:
agri-library@cec.eu.int
;
sanco-mailbox@cec.eu.int
;
sg-forum-convention@cec.eu.int
;
Ariane.Moret@cec.eu.int
;