The Islamic Feast of Sacrifice being a hot news item all around the world the past few days, I was curiously awaiting how Belgian or European media would report on this, not so much on the pilgrimage to Mecca, but more so on the Islamic celebration in our region. And excuse me for being cynical, but given current issues about Islam in Europe, I was expecting statements as ‘Belgian or European grounds are not made for an animal blood shedding of this kind', and so on … Because the least we can say is that there are some cultural sensitivities when it comes to animal slaughtering in Europe. Since slaughtering at home is forbidden, no less than eighty temporary slaughterhouses were set up in Belgium for the Feast of Sacrifice where the Federal Food Agency made sure all rules were obeyed. Except from the waiting rows, no significant problems were mentioned. Muslims were happy with how the ritual slaughtering was organized and even felt recognition for their beliefs and feasts, and the authorities were also more than satisfied that all rules were obeyed. So far, so good. However, Belgian animal rights organization Gaia, short for Global Action in the Interests of Animals, did have their say, although not directly towards the Muslim community, about the animal slaughtering. A few days before Eid al-Adha began on Friday, the organization sent some very shocking video images taken in Belgian slaughterhouses to the world at a press conference in Brussels. Gaia is not accepting the cruel treatment that animals are getting in slaughterhouses where they are killed without sedation, which has been prohibited in Belgium since 1998. Exception is made for the practice of ritual slaughter, such as Muslims to perform for the Feast of Sacrifice. Gaia accuses the slaughterhouses of abusing this exception of the rule. They would kill more animals without sedation than they claim, supposedly to sell it as Halal meat, but in the end they don’t. Gaia’s spokesperson, Michel Vandenbosch, says “animals suffer and panic and it’s against the legal prescriptions†and adds that “animals shouldn’t suffer, not even for the purpose of Halal meat.†He therefore asked the Muslim community to allow for sedating the animals for ritual slaughter so that this exception can be removed. Vandenbosch would like Belgium to follow the example of New Zealand, Great Britain and Norway, countries that already allow sedation for ritual slaughter. Members of the Muslim community responded by saying that sedating animals isn’t an option. And even though this action wasn’t to point out Muslims or their traditions, having those images broadcasted two days before the big feast of Eid el-Adha, was perceived as a bit questionable and stigmatizing to the Muslim community. After Gaia had protested at the Muslim Executive headquarters against animal slaughtering at home, the latter pressed charges against the organization crying racism. Getting charged for racism is probably not what Gaia expected when defending animal rights, so I’m guessing that on the one hand they chose a very unlucky time for sending those images and comments into the world, whether or not directly pointed to the Muslim community, which is walking on eggshells lately when it comes to doing the ‘right’ thing in their non-Islamic environment. It is also a bit surprising that one day Muslims are happy with the way slaughterhouses were organized on the day of the Feast and even felt a certain recognition of their beliefs and another day the Muslim Executive press charges Gaia of being racist. So, as was the case in the headscarf ban story a while ago, one can ask themself: in what degree can this organization speak for the whole community? BM The beliefs and statements of all Bikya Masr blogumnists are their own and do not necessarily reflect our editorial views.
