press release of the presentation of the international antibullfighting network
TRANSCRIPT
PRESS RELEASE
INTERNATIONAL ANTI-BULLFIGHTING NETWORK MAKES WORLD PREMIERE IN ECUADOR
Quito 4 April 2015- The International Anti-bullfighting network, comprising more than 100
animal right organizations from different countries, made its world premiere in Ecuador.
The network is a global peace movement that seeks the eradication of the practice of
bullfighting in all countries where it is still legal.
Their rallying cry is to respond to the enormous international and local social demand that
urges removing the abuse and death of an innocent animal for entertainment bullfighting
represents.
The objectives of the International Anti-bullfighging Network are:
• Inform society about bullfighting by compiling the existing documentation on the activity
in the different countries.
• Promote the creation of laws to make animal rights a reality, including for those used in
public performances.
• Create a communication platform for all animal protection organizations working for the
end of bullfighting.
• Share experiences of antibullfighting progress in the countries where this practice is still
legal.
• Provide specialized counselling for the different member organizations.
• Spreading the global anti-bullfighting movement dimension to institutions and
authorities.
• Eliminate any direct or indirect support of bullfighting with public resources by
institutions and encourage the private sector to end the promotion and financing of this
activity.
• Protect children from the physical and mental violence associated with bullfighting as it
has been recommended the Child Rights Committee of the UN in its review of Portugal
and Colombia.
In this sense, the Red rejects any act of violence, including that whose excuse is the
abolition of bullfighting.
In parallel with this presentation the Forum “Anti-bullfighting International Experience”
has taken place in Ecuador’s National Assembly. Animal protection organizations from
Ecuador, Portugal, France, Holland, Spain, Colombia, Venezuela and Mexico have shared
achievements of the anti-bullfighting movement in each of the countries where this
activity is even legal.
These include:
• The growing rejection of society towards the cruelty of bullfighting, reflected in each and
every one of the surveys conducted in these countries.
• The general decline in public assistance to bullfighting events. For example, according to
a recent survey by Ipsos Mori in Spain only 7% of Spaniards go at least once a year to a
bullfight.
• The National Association of Bullfighting Entrepreneurs” in Spain (ANOET) recently
stated: "The world of bullfighting is bankrupt, the Fiesta is over."
• In Spain the number of bullfights has declined in almost 50% since 2007 and cannot be
attributed solely to the crisis, because other forms of entertainment such as cinema have
increased. Source: Statistics Bullfighting Affairs 2009-13. Spanish Ministry of Culture.
• The abolition of bullfighting in Catalonia, becoming the second region in which this
happens in Spain, after the Canary Islands
• Bullfighting has been banned in the states of Guerrero and Sonora in Mexico.
• Suspension of bullfighting in Bogotá, Colombia
• The majority of cantons in Ecuador voted to ban bullfighting.
• Existence of declared anti-bullfighting municipalities in all the countries where
bullfighting takes place, totaling 126.
• Several regions of different countries have limited in different degree the age of access
to bullfighting events, including Spain, Venezuela and Ecuador, a country where the
minimum age is set at 16 years.
• For the first time in Venezuela a municipality has been declared as anti-bullfighting by its
own mayor. This is the case of San Felipe, the epicenter of the main bullfighting
stockbreeding in the country.
• In its recent report on Portugal (2014) and Colombia (2015) The Committee on the
Rights of the Child of the UN has urged governments to protect children from "the
physical and mental violence of bullfighting". Organizations such as Amnesty International
have reported that this recommendation is not being respected in the case of Portugal.
• The prestigious British travel association ABTA has called on companies like STA Travel
to stop organizing trips to the Pamplona runs and to end promotion of bullfights among
tourist.
• An increasing number of animal-prevention institutions have declared that bullfighting
does not contribute to building a less violent society, but quite the opposite. For example,
several associations fighting against abuse have positioned themselves against what they
call "violence of species." Bogota Mayor Gustavo Petro said that "every show, culture, art
about life is welcome, except for those built around the death of animals [...] because it is
a bad message for Colombian society where violence against animals and people are on
the agenda. [...] The end of bullfighting in Bogotá is an important lesson of peace, because
there is no right to kill. “Likewise, the Ombudsman of Venezuela, Tarek William Saab said
that the practice of bullfighting "totally attempts against human rights, because it can
cause psychological harm to some people"
• European opposition to public subsidies to bullfighting is greater every year. In 2014,
323 MEPs were in favor of the end of European subsidies for bullfighting cattle, compared
to 309 who were against.
The presentation of the network has taken place simultaneously with the debate on the
Ley Orgánica de Bienestar Animal (LOBA) [Ecuatorian organic Law on Animal protection
(LOBA)] in Ecuador, an initiative introduced by a group of more than 25 animal protection
organizations in the country and the Popular Legislative Initiative in Quito, which seeks to
ban any kind of bullfights and circuses with animals as well as dog fighting and
cockfighting in the Metropolitan District of Quito, in compliance with the decision adopted
by the citizens of Quito in the national consultation of May 7, 2011.
In this context the International Network argues that the violence of bullfighting is
incompatible with the ethical progress of society, which requires respect for nature and
animals, and especially with the concept of "Buen Vivir” [Good Living] in balance with
nature versus "Living better” from an anthropocentric point of view, a concept with
which, according the antibulfighting network, the people of Ecuador have given the world
an example as to where to route the relationship between humans and the rest of nature,
for a sustainable future of the planet and its inhabitants.
The network wants to encourage public institutions in Ecuador to follow the Ecuadorian
Constitution of 2008 in relation to the encouragement of direct and active citizen
participation in the country's policies and to encourage initiatives like Loba and Quito’s
Popular Legislative Initiative mentioned above are discussed and treated according to the
original text as presented by the citizenship, remaining the claims that citizens wanted to
express them intact throughout the legislative process.
During the past weekend took International Antibullfighting has also taken place in Quito,
during which the member organizations discussed the situation of bullfighting worldwide
and developed strategies towards its abolition.
Felipe Oviedo Ogaz President of the People's Promoting Committee for the Popular
Legislative Initiative (#IniciativaAntitaurina) in Quito and Network spokesman for Ecuador,
expressed his "absolute happiness" by the presence of antibullfighting representatives in
his country, and highlighted the fact that there is much international interest in animal
protection processes that are born through a popular democratic process in our country
urging for a change in the relationship between humans and nature. "We are at a point of
no return, if the Board of Quito rejects or modifies our proposal, without the need of
collecting a single firm we can still call a new referendum." He finally expressed the
solidarity of the organizations promoting the antibullfighting initiative in Quito regarding
the approval of the Organic Law on Animal Welfare #LOBA.
Shady Heredia Santos, coordinator of the animal protection group ADLA was enthusiastic
about the worldwide progress on animal rights, and encourages to consider new models
of direct democracy, such as the Popular Legislative Initiative, benefiting not only the
animal protection proposals, but any proposal from the citizenship defending the Good
Living concept. She also thanked the presence and support of international
representatives to local processes such as LOBA and the Antibullfighting Initiative.
"The Network has chosen Ecuador because with its Constitution of 2008 and concepts like
Good living has set a precedent to be emulated by the rest of the world with regards to
humans’ relationship with nature" – stated Marta Esteban, president of the platform
Torture is Not Culture in Spain and one of the spokesmen of the network. "It is now
important that this does not remain merely on paper and that legislative measures are set
in place to make this happen, including the eradication of all forms of animal abuse,
including bullfighting."
"More and more tourists are drawn to the options offered by Eco Tourism in Ecuador but
are somewhat confused by the fact that bullfights are still legal as well as other forms of
animal abuse in the country”- declares Marius Kolff, director of Dutch antibullfighting
organization CAS International and one of the spokesmen for the network- "In this regard
we encourage the government to take the necessary legislative measures to remain a
global example in the relationship between humans and nature".
-ENDS-
Spokespersons:
Marta Esteban, coordinator and spokesman for the network and President of the Platform
Torture is Not Culture (Spain). [email protected] Tel: +34 606300906
Marius Kolff, coordinator and spokesman for the network and Director of the CAS
International (Antitauromaquia Committee) Dutch organization. marius@cas-
international.org Tel: +31 627023625
Sandro Zara, network spokesman and secretary of the Platform Torture is Not Culture
[email protected] Tel: +34 637227966
Stephanie Pampín, network spokesman and head of communications for the Dutch
organization CAS International. [email protected] Tel: +31 646373805
Network spokesmen in different countries.
Colombia: Carlos Crespo [email protected] Tel: +57 3005516264
Ecuador: Felipe Oviedo Ogaz [email protected]: +59 3984686641
Venezuela: Roger Pacheco [email protected] Tel: +58 4141481605
Mexico: Lizbeth Muñoz [email protected] Tel: +52 444444477633
Spain: Marta Esteban [email protected] Tel: +34 606300906
Netherlands: Marius Kolff [email protected] Tel: +31 627023625
Peru: Rita Oyague [email protected] Tel: +511 997892966
Germany: Martina Szyszka [email protected] Tel: +49 1704873596
France: Katherine Bourliascos [email protected]
USA: Alexandra Rothlisberger [email protected]
UK: Shely Brian [email protected]
More information:
www.redantitaurina.org
Facebook: Network International Anti-Bullfighting / International Anti-Bull
Twitter:RedIntAntiT