AR-News: Brazil Farra Do Boi Ox Torture---Sample Letter

[DTanzer16 at aol.com]

PLEASE CROSS POST


Forwarded Message: 
Subj: [AGA] LETTER / Pls Write to Protest Barbaric Cruelty in the Name of 
Religion  
Date: 2/29/2004 4:49:59 PM Eastern Standard Time 
From: bizshows at att.net 
To: aga at lgal.org 
Sent from the Internet (Details) 
 


 
----- Original Message ----- 
From: AnimalAdvocacy Diane Artemus
Sent: Monday, February 23, 2004 4:23 PM


Pls Write to Protest Barbaric Cruelty in the Name of Religion; we don't need 
to teach our children this kind of behavior - Sample Letter Below

Forward widely and write today!  This unspeakable cruelty must be stopped 
immediately.

To view a flash 5 movie of this sickness go to:
http://www.farradoboi.org/farra/movies/farra.html

----------------------------------------------
WHAT IS FARRA DO BOI?
Ritual Savagery or Popular Culture?  

One of the most savage rituals of cruelty toward animals is Brazil’s Farra do 
Boi. Farra do boi, loosely translated as “ Festival of the Oxen” or “Ox Fun 
Days”, involves the torture- killing of several hundred oxen each year in more 
than thirty communities throughout the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. In 
other states of Brazil, the spectacle is denounced and has stirred violent 
protests.

Until recently, Farra do Boi occurred primarily during Easter week and on New 
Year’s Day 
in remote coastal villages.Today some communities hold weekly Farras to “
celebrate” 
weddings, birthdays, soccer games and other special occasions. Prominent 
businessmen, 
citizens, cattle breeders, restaurateurs, and politicians often donate the 
oxen.

Before the event, the ox is confined and starved for several days. To 
increase the ox frenzy, food and water are placed within sight, but out of reach. The 
Farra begins when the ox is driven from its pen and chased through the 
streets by crowds of villagers with sticks, knives, whips, stones, bamboo lances, 
and ropes.The attackers – men, women, and children – pursue the ox as it 
attempts to flee, even into the ocean.

After Days of Torture, the Relief of Death 

WSPA sources in Brazil have seen cattle tormented in every conceivable way. 
The 
helpless animals are doused with gasoline and set on fire. Pepper is thrown 
into their eyes, 
which are often then gouged out. Participants break the animal’s horns and 
legs 
and cut off their tales. Oxen may be stabbed or hit as many times as possible 
as long as the blows are not fatal, for the cattle must survive until the 
end. This torture may continue for THREE DAYS OR LONGER. Finally the animal is 
killed and the meat is divided among the 
participants to eat. 

Some say the ritual is a symbolic re-ennanctment of the Passion of Jesus, 
with the ox representing Judas. Other believe the animal represents Satan, and 
torturing the Devil washes away their sins. But nowadays the festival hasn't 
religious conotation. For the people from the little coastal villages, Farra do 
Boi became just an opportunity to party and for some, a source of extra money 
by selling drinks and food for the participants. 
-----------------------------------------------------
What you can do.

Write to the Embassy of Brazil in your country 
You can find embassies of Brazil to Other Nations at:
http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/brazil1.htm 

The address of the Embassy in Washington is:

Embassy of Brazil
3006 Massachusetts Ave
NW Washington, D.C. 2000
Phone: (202) 238-2700
Fax: (202) 238-2827
E-mail: webmaster at brasilemb.org  (brasilemb.org)

Send copies of your letters to the Governor of Santa Catarina at:

Mr. Luiz Henrique da Silveira 
R. José da Costa Moellmann, 193
88020-170 Florianópolis - sc
Telefone: (048 ) 221-3186
Fax: (048 ) 221-3137
Email:  camich at pm.sc.gov.br  (pm.sc.gov.br)

SAMPLE LETTER:  Please try to at least change some of the words 
in the sample to reflect your own feelings. Please keep it respectful. 
Remember to include your name, address and country.  Forward widely.
==============================================================================
=====================================================================
Dear Mr. Ambassador:

I am writing in reference to the cruel festival "Farra do Boi". I 
respectfully urge the State
of Santa Catarina to take immediate action and abide by the decision of the 
Supreme 
Tribunal Federal to ban the Farra do Boi.

The holy day tradition involves the population of each of the little coastal 
towns and villages. 
The day is spent beating to death an ox with knives, stones, sticks and 
piercing objects. 
The animals bones are broken and the eyes are poked out. Exhausted, tortured 
and 
suffering, they "comfort" the animal by giving him salt water to drink.

This barbaric "holy day" tradition has been posted on the Internet for the 
world to see. 
People in Brazil, as well as my friends and associates, are astonished by the 
lack of 
respect for the law. Your support is needed.

We've learned that right after the last Carnival, people in the city of 
Florianopolis have promoted Farra do Boi and none were arrested. The practice has 
been banned since 1997 but the Governor Esperidiao Amin does not take action in 
order to educate people or stop the torture.

According to Federal law number 9605/98, torturing animals is a crime. It's 
outrageous 
that violent people, such as the seven men who tortured and killed a horse in 
2000, are 
not in jail.

People throughout the world are waiting and hoping for you to stop this 
inexcusable barbarity in the State of Santa Catarina.

Sincerely
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