DEFRA has finally launched its consultation paper covering the re-drafting of current legislation that provides protection for Halal and Kosher religious dietary needs. The consultation on Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing will see the final implementation of EEC Council Regulation (EC) 1099/2009 into UK law.
The consultation document is more than 6 months overdue and is now being pushed through and will kick into on the first of Jan 2013.
Both Jewish and Muslim communities have been left with just six weeks (from 13 Sept to 24 October 2012) to defend religious slaughter in an unfamiliar modern-day process for any real consultation or dialogue.
Mohammed Saleem Policy and communication director (Association of Non stun Abattoirs) said “This tactical manoeuvre by Defra and confirms suspicion of ulterior motives!”
The Jewish and Muslim communities has already called the consultation exercise a monologue, holding deep reservations and fears that its aim are to further curtail religious freedoms of expression, but this is disguised with bias, unproven science and often baseless animal welfare concerns.
The legislation obliges FBO's (food business operators) to ensure animals are spared avoidable pain, distress or suffering and requires measures to be taken to ensure key animal welfare concerns. Islam and Judaism both have this as a core concern and in principle would therefore would welcome this legislation if that was the real motive.
The good news is that both Jewish and Muslim communities are now reading the 132 page document and ANSA is compiling detailed response guidelines to advise all partners how to formulate to the point response.
ANSA is working together with over 70 religious organisations from all branches of Islam, including: MCB, Bradford Council for Mosques, M.U.S.E, Jewish Certification Boards and other Halal industry partners to protect the threats to Halal and Kosher ANSA has begun detailed in-depth analysis of the proposed regulations and consultation with partners and stakeholders:
The point to Note is that Defra is looking to change the definition of the religious slaughter to include recoverable stun.
The very definition of religious slaughter under which both jews and muslims dietary laws are safe guarded under is threatened.
Sadly some Organisation claiming to be the defenders of Non stun have tabled this motion of recoverable stun at Defra, which is the real back bone to the this threat.
Once they achieve this then there is greater risk of the non-stun to being banned.
ANSA has been working very closely with Jewish representatives to counteract the treat and agreed to work in partnership for number of common causes Molana Israr Hussain Kazmi M.U.S.E (Majlis-E- ulama Shia Europe)….said "Any interference with the current definition For Muslims, it is nothing less than a threat to our freedom to practice our religious way of life. So it is duty upon us all to unite respond to consultation and defend the prophetic method zibihah".
ANSA urges all branches of Islam to wake up to the real threat that this legislation is likely to have. British Muslims need to unite and realise that stunning is the start the end of which will there be ban on circumcision which may end in removing various other rights which we enjoy today under the freedom of religion act.
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