|
|
 |
|
|
Jangsa
Animal Saving Trust |
| |
Lam Kunzang Dorji, the abbot
of Jangsa Gonpa in Kalimpong, who became known for saving hundreds
of bulls, cows, yaks and goats from the clutches and blades of
the butchers is the inspiration and driving force behind the Jangsa
Animal Saving Trust, a non-profit organization formed with the
sole aim of assisting and promoting the tshethar initiative in
Bhutan. "The ultimate aim of the trust is to prevent killing.
In the cycle of life, animals have been our parents and we should
treat them with respect and sympathy," the abbot said.
The idea for a trust developed when donations started pouring
in from Sikkim, Kalimpong and Bhutan as news about Lam Kunzang's
act of compassion spread in the region. After the movement reached
Thimphu in early March this year, contributions rose substantially.
In little over two months, the trust had collected about Nu
400,000. Members as well as non-members had contributed generously.
One member had even donated a truck. Others had given money
running into hundreds of thousands singly and collectively.
They plan to rely more on awareness and sensitization campaigns
in the future. They have proposals to print, publish and circulate
books, pamphlets, cartoons, comics and make films "on the
demerits of eating meat". They even plan to publish vegetarian
cookery books and distribute them to the public.
"Bhutanese have the habit of saying ‘we
can't cook without sha sey'," an active founder member
of the trust said. "We want to show and tell people that
it is possible to cook meals without meat and to enjoy them.
Researches and studies have also shown that meat is not necessarily
the best or the healthiest food." The abbot stated that
the Jangsa Trust did not intend to criticize or censure those
who ate meat.
|
|
Jangsa Animal
Saving Trust, Jungshina, Post Box No. 314, Thimphu, Bhutan
Tel: ++975 (2) 323949/325157/323587/323893/321177; Fax: 324619;
E-mail: jast_tsethar@hotmail.com
|
|
| |
|
|
