Month: June 2015

Please Shut Down the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in GuangXi China

Dear YuLin Governor Chen Wu:

We are writing you to request that the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government must cancel the “Dog Meat Festival” that is held on June 22 in Yulin. As foreigners who have great respect for the Chinese people and Chinese civilization, We are saddened to learn that the Yulin “Dog Meat Festival” still exists in a modern civilized society. We believe that this event has no place in the 21st century. We adamantly voice our strong opposition to this barbaric “festival” for the following five reasons:

First, China is the country with the second largest number of rabies cases in the world. The Yulin government itself admitted in 2007 that the city was one of the hardest hit by rabies outbreaks. According to a news report (http://gx.news.163.com/07/0102/14/33RCB62S006300CU.html), 338 rabies cases were reported in Yulin between 2002 and 2006. All of the infected people died from this disease. The annual economic cost to Yulin amounted to 6.67 million Yuan. Based on the toll the disease is taking on the health of the city’s residents, the authorities in Yulin should be doing everything they can to prevent the spread of the disease. Dogs transported for days in crowded conditions to Yulin, with compromised immunity systems, are known to be vulnerable to the spread of illnesses. Allowing the “Dog Meat Festival” to continue is a sign of a lack of vigilance at the very least. Given the national government’s policy on rabies prevention and control, it might even be construed as wanton contempt and total negligence of the public. In the interest of public health, disease prevention, and enforcement of the national government’s policies, the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government should put an end to the event.

Second, the “Dog Meat Festival” can potentially undermine social stability, aggravate existing social conflicts, and sabotage the central government’s efforts to build a harmonious society. A significant number of the dogs sold on the market, according to Chinese activist investigations, are stolen household pets or are watch dogs of rural families. The recent retaliative, brutal assault on dog thieves by victims of dog theft indicates the potentially explosive nature of confrontations between dog owners and the dog meat industry. Frankly, the violent action by the villagers in Guangxi was a reaction to the fact that local law enforcement had long failed to protect the interest of the dog owners. Allowing the “Dog Meat Festival” to continue is like endorsing dog theft, which supplies the dog meat industry. It could seriously damage the authority of the government and the credibility of state laws. If dog theft continues, violent confrontations between dog owners and animal lovers and the dog meat industry will escalate and intensify, potentially leading to mass unrest. The government can prevent such a situation from developing by ending the Yulin “Dog Meat Festival.”

Third, the Yulin “Dog Meat Festival” is a dangerous food safety issue. Dogs sold on the market are sick and dying animals. They suffer from horrendous conditions during the long distance, trans-provincial journeys. China does NOT have dog farms. There are no national or local standards to ensure the safety of dog meat since dogs are not raised for food. Sick or contaminated dogs can pass illnesses to humans in the course of transport, slaughter, and food preparations. It has also been reported that some dogs have been poisoned during their capture and carry toxins in their body. The govenment cannot afford to ignore this public health issue. It is therefore imperative for the government to shut down the “Dog Meat Festival” and prevent the onset of a SARS-like disease and massive deaths.

Fourth, the Yulin “Dog Meat Festival” exposes young people to violence. During the festival, the streets of Yulin flow with dog blood, since dogs are often slaughtered in public. Have the dog meat dealers ever considered the reaction of the people who walk by? Have they ever considered the feelings of the young children who witness the brutality on their way to school? The wanton imposition of bloody scenes on the public can cause severe mental distress and psychological trauma to people, particularly school children. Studies have long shown that exposure to violence can desensitize youth and cause them to later commit acts of cruelty and abuse. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government and its official Women Federation are obligated to stand up and to protect the young people from being forced to witness this brutal spectacle.

Fifth, although the “Dog Meat Festival” has been promoted as a local “folk custom,” it is not  really a local culinary culture. It is a commercial activity masquerading as a regional tradition.  No culture or local custom is a defense of a practice that runs counter to human progress. Despite strong resistance, foot-binding, opium-smoking, and arranged marriage — so-called Chinese traditional practices — were ended without jeopardizing the Chinese culture. In fact, Chinese civilization has since experienced a spirited rejuvenation and China’s pace of progress has not been slowed one bit.  To glorify the Chinese culture, the government must eliminate outdated practices that represent forces of the past and that damage the reputation of the mainstream Chinese culture.

Finally, Guangxi has breathtaking natural beauty that attracts millions of domestic and international tourists. The Yulin “Dog Meat Festival” is internationally perceived as a disgrace to this region. In June 2014, the festival was condemned by more than 100,000 people around the world within a short span of a few days. The event has already tarnished the reputation of Guangxi and will have a negative consequence on commerce and on the tourism industry.

We appeal to you to act in the interest of public health, food safety, child welfare, and the reputation of Guangxi and China. The Yulin “Dog Meat Festival” is not a regional “folk custom.” It is a business operation that undermines the national and public interest. The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region government is at a historical juncture. The “Dog Meat Festival” must end.

CC:

Mr. Li Keqiang

Prime Minister, State Council, People’s Republic of China

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Ministry of Agriculture

State General Administration of Food and Drug

State Commission of Public Health and Family Planning

Ministry of Public Security

State General Administration of Tourism

请关闭玉林广西狗肉节，中国

亲爱的玉林省长陈屋：

我们写信给你方要求广西壮族自治区政府必须取消“狗肉节”，是六月二十二日在玉林举行。他很尊重中国人民和中国文化的外国人，我们悲痛地获悉，玉林“狗肉节”仍然存在于现代文明社会。我们认为，这一事件已在第二十一世纪没有地方。我们坚决的声音，我强烈反对这种野蛮的“节”有以下五个原因：

第一，中国是世界第二的狂犬病病例最多的国家。玉林政府本身承认2007的城市是由狂犬病疫情重灾区。据新闻报道（http://gx.news.163.com/07/0102/14/33RCB62S006300CU.html），报告狂犬病病例338例玉林2002和2006之间。所有被感染的人死于这种疾病。玉林每年的经济成本达6670000元。基于收费的疾病正在对当地居民的健康，玉林当局应该尽一切所能来阻止疾病的蔓延。运在拥挤的条件下天玉林狗，受损的免疫系统，被称为是易受疾病的传播。让“狗肉节”继续是缺乏警惕的迹象至少。鉴于国家政府对狂犬病的预防和控制政策，它甚至可能被解释为肆意蔑视和公共总疏忽。在公众健康的利益，预防疾病，并执行国家政府的政策，广西壮族自治区政府应该结束事件。

其次，“狗肉节”可能会破坏社会稳定，加剧现有的社会矛盾，破坏中央政府努力构建和谐社会。市场上出售的狗数量可观，据中国维权调查，被盗的家庭宠物，或是看农村家庭的狗。最近的报复，狗狗小偷盗窃的受害者，野蛮攻击表明，狗主人与狗之间的对峙的肉类行业潜在爆炸性。坦率地说，广西的村民的暴力行动是事实，当地执法部门一直未能保护的狗主人的兴趣反应。让“狗肉节”继续像背书偷狗，供应狗肉行业。这可能会严重损害政府的公信力和国家法律的权威。如果偷狗的暴力冲突不断，狗主人和动物爱好者和狗肉产业升级和增强意志之间，可能导致大规模骚乱。政府可以阻止这种情况的结束玉林的“狗肉节的发展。”

第三，玉林“狗肉节”是一个危险的食品安全问题。狗在市场销售是生病和死亡的动物。他们遭受可怕的环境中长距离，跨省旅行。中国没有狗场。没有任何国家或地方标准，以确保狗肉的安全因为狗不会引发食品。生病或受污染的狗可以通过病症的人在运输过程中，屠宰，食品的准备。还有报道说，一些狗被毒死在捕获和在他们的身上携带的毒素。政府不能忽视这一公共卫生问题。对于政府关闭的“狗肉节”和防止类似非典的疾病和大量死亡的发生势在必行。

第四，玉林“狗肉节”，让年轻人暴力。节日期间，狗血玉林街头流动，因为狗经常被宰杀在公共。有狗肉经销商曾经考虑的人谁走的反应？他们曾经被认为是年轻的儿童目睹暴力上学路上的感受吗？血腥的场面对公众的肆意征收可以导致严重的心理困扰和心理创伤的人，尤其是学校的孩子们。研究表明暴露于暴力脱敏的青年，使他们后来犯下的残忍和虐待行为。广西壮族自治区政府及其官员妇女联合会有义务站出来保护年轻人免受被迫目睹这残酷的场面。

第五，虽然“狗肉节”被提升为当地民俗，“这不是一个真正的当地饮食文化。这是一个商业活动，伪装成一个区域的传统。没有文化或风俗习惯是一种实践，违背了人类进步的防御。尽管有强大的阻力，缠足，吸鸦片，和包办婚姻——所谓的中国的传统习俗——结束了无危害的中国文化。事实上，中华文明以来经历了精神的复兴和中国的进展速度并未放慢一点。赞美中国文化，政府必须消除过时的做法，代表着过去的军队，损害中国主流文化的声誉。

最后，广西拥有令人叹为观止的自然美景，吸引了国内外数以百万计的游客。玉林“狗肉节”是国际上对这一地区的耻辱。2014年六月，这个节日被全世界超过100000人在短短的几天。该事件已经损害了广西的声誉，也会对商业的负面后果及对旅游业。

我们呼吁你的行为在公众健康的利益，食品安全，儿童福利，以及广西和中国的声誉。玉林“狗肉节”不是一个区域性的“民俗”。它是一个商业操作，损害了国家和公众利益。广西壮族自治区政府正处于一个历史关头。“狗肉节”必须结束。

CC：

李克强先生

总理，国务院，中国人民共和国

外交部

农业部

国家食品药品总局

国家卫生和计划生育委员会

公安部

旅游总局

https://www.change.org/p/mr-chen-wu-yulin-governor-please-shut-down-the-yulin-dog-meat-festival-in-guangxi-china