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YOUR VIEWS
John Evans
Welsh writer, and environmental activist, John Evans, author of
The Red Kite in Wales, gives his views on the Welsh Assembly Government’s decision
to cull badgers.
The Killing Fields of Wales
I am proud of my country, Wales. I am proud of it's history, it's
language, it's culture, it's landscape – from the rocky mountains
of Snowdonia in the north, to the green valleys and sandy coastlines
of the south.
I am proud of it's wildlife, like foxes, hares, weasels, polecats,
and of course, badgers. I am proud of the fact that birds and
animals, like the red kite and polecat, found refuge in Wales
when they were persecuted to the point of extinction in many other
areas of the UK. I am proud of all those people from Wales, like
William Condry and R.S. Thomas, who devoted their life to preserving
these endangered species, and helped them to survive and flourish
so that we are all able to enjoy them today. I am proud that people
travel to my country just to experience it's beautiful wild places
and to have an opportunity to see such a wide diversity of birds
and animals.
I am Welsh, and proud of it. Yet, I am deeply ashamed of the Welsh
Assembly Government, who seemingly ignored a large amount of scientific
opinion (and even the findings of the Westminster Government's
own five year study), turned a deaf ear to world famous environmentalists
like Sir David Attenborough, chose not to wait for the results
of the Judicial Review initiated by the Badger Trust, and instead,
have taken the outrageous decision to instigate the slaughter
of thousands of badgers in Wales.
The WAG somewhat ambiguously use the “cull”, but this is merely
a euphemism, a play with words, for what in reality is a five
year plan for the total extermination of a species from a very
large part of Wales. If they have their way, when they are finished,
there won’t be any badgers...none at all...within the area. Think about it for a moment; is there
any way this could be considered to be the responsible action
of a Government in present day Britain? No, it is what it is,
an act of horrific barbarity; a heinous crime against nature;
the mass murder of a species which up until now has rightly been
protected by the laws of the land.
I am convinced, if they are allowed to carry out their plan, future
generations will look back in horror at the actions of these politicians,
and also wonder why on earth they were allowed to get away with
it.
Of course this decision is a result of pressure from the farming
lobby. It would be easy just to blame the farmers, but abandoned
by successive Government's they face financial hardship and as
a result they are looking for, what they see as, an easy solution
to the problem of bovine TB. We must lay the blame firmly at the
feet of Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, and the coalition
of mainly Tory, Plaid Cymru and Labour AM's who support her decision.
(John Evans at the Badger Rally outisde WAG building, Cardiff)
In the Twenty-First Century, it seems everyone needs a scapegoat.
The name of the game is to blame someone. Anyone. Anyone, will
do. Someone to blame for all the problems, all the ills, of the
world. Sadly it appears that the Welsh Assembly Government have
decided to solely blame badgers for bTB infection in cattle.
Bovine TB. Yes, there's a problem. So, it seems we must find a
scapegoat – and, preferably one that won't cost much to deal with.
Vaccinate cattle (DEFRA themselves said that this was “the best
prospect for control of TB in the British herd”)? No, too expensive.
Vaccinate badgers? Again, too expensive. And, anyway, they are
only badgers; just animals; they don't vote, and they are hardly
able to voice their opposition, are they? OK, so let's blame the
badgers then; they are an easy target, they've got no voice, they
are weak, they are vulnerable, and they will be cheap to deal
with - "we'll just shoot 'em all". Yes, they have all the perfect
credentials for being a scapegoat!
"They will be turning the beautiful landscape of Pembrokeshire
and Ceredigion into the killing fields of Wales!"
The Welsh Assembly Governments decision to carry out the slaughter
of badgers is both an act of unspeakable cruelty and also one
of monumental stupidity. They will be turning the beautiful landscape
of Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion into the killing fields of Wales!
These are areas which contain National Parks. These are areas
rich in wildlife. These areas sell themselves to the tourist market
as places of quiet, unspoiled, rural charm, but who is going to
want to wander in the countryside, walk the coastal paths, or
sit in one of the hotels to look at the view, when all the time
they are going to know that in one of those fields, on one of
those hills or mountains, badgers are being shot in their thousands!?
The WAG say that tourism is big business with tourists spending
£3 billion in Wales per year. Are the WAG's 'Visit Wales' team
going to mention to potential holiday makers that, virtually on
the doorsteps of many of Wales' country hotels, guesthouses, camping
sites and caravan parks, badgers will be being butchered on mass
in the holiday season of 2010?
I firmly believe that the WAG decision will have a catastrophic
impact on Wales' image throughout the world, and significantly
damage it's economy. Tourism, I feel, is going to be particularly
effected – I know I wouldn't want to holiday in a country engaged
in such a barbaric act, I believe others will feel the same.
(Illustration by Save The Badger supporter and artist, Marita Forss, from John Evans' latest book,
The Acid Real)
On the internet, social networking sites, blogs, chatrooms, and
forums are already buzzing with talk from people (from throughout
the UK and wider world) who are furious at the WAG’s decision
to kill badgers – a large number of these are also already calling
for a total ban on Welsh farm products in response to the role
of the farmers lobby and NFU in pushing for this action to be
carried out.
"There is no doubt, Wales' image has already been damaged significantly.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to exterminate badgers
places them alongside Canada with their seal cull and Japan and
Iceland with their whaling, and may well result in Wales also
becoming an international pariah in the eyes of many conservationists
and environmentalists.... the blood of badgers is going to be
on their hands – the blood of badgers is going to stain the green
fields of Wales, literally and metaphorically, for many years
to come!"
There is no doubt, Wales' image has already been damaged significantly.
The Welsh Assembly Government’s decision to exterminate badgers
places them alongside Canada with their seal cull, Japan and Iceland
with their whaling, and may well result in Wales also becoming
an international pariah in the eyes of many conservationists and
environmentalists.
Apparently, the Welsh Assembly Government's plan is to trap all
the badgers, then put them in cages so they can be blasted with
guns. I also hear they want to use cages which have a special
flooring to try to catch the bodily fluids of each badger. Well,
I'm sorry to tell them, whatever they try, whatever method they
deploy to in an attempt to tell the public that this slaughter
is some kind of unmessy and painless act, the blood of badgers
is going to be on their hands – the blood of badgers is going
to stain the green fields of Wales, literally and metaphorically,
for many years to come!
In a rather pathetic attempt to try to play to the public and
appear somehow caring, these politicians have also said they will
commence the slaughter once the breeding season is over. Are we
supposed to think that they are nice, warm, cuddly, people because
in an act of total hypocrisy they are going to wait for badgers
to be a few months old before they butcher them? Have they ever
heard the distress call of a badger? Have they ever seen a young
badger? Have they ever seen a badger, of any age, anywhere? Would
they be willing to sit and listen to the anguished cries of separation
between a mother badger and her cubs when either are trapped in
a cage over night, before being shot in the morning? I doubt if
any of them have have ever had any real personal contact with
badgers – too comfortable in their new fancy building in Cardiff,
I guess, to experience the wonder and joy of seeing these beautiful
animals – yet they are willing to unmercifully destroy them on
mass.
Mahatma Ghandi once said a nation and it's greatness can be judged
by the way it treats it's animals - well what does that say about
the kind of Wales these Welsh Assembly politicians want to create!?
Too date, this Welsh Assembly Government has made very few decisions
that have caught the attention of the wider world. Two in particular
have brought them the most attention. Firstly, there was the destruction
of Shambo, a holy cow which belonged to a group of Buddhist monks,
and now they have once again achieved infamy by ordering the destruction
of thousands of badgers. Are these the kind of politicians we
really need, or want?
Even the Westminster Government has resisted pressure from the
farmers lobby, and Secretary of State, Hillary Benn, has listened
to scientific opinion and refused to cull badgers. It is shocking
to know that the Welsh Assembly Government’s treatment of badgers
is in total contrast to the policy in England, where there are
plans for badgers to be vaccinated against bovine TB in six pilot
areas.
The Welsh Assembly’s planned cull of badgers is unscientific,
unethical and unworkable.
And, lets not forget for one second that those who currently hold
high office in the Welsh Assembly Government regard this as a
“test”, a “pilot scheme”, and so, presumably, if they judge it
to be “a success” they then intend carrying out the mass slaughter
of badgers throughout Wales.
Can we really allow this to happen!?
"The Welsh Assembly’s planned cull of badgers is unscientific,
unethical and unworkable....We cannot allow them to carry out
the mass extermination of a native species, we cannot allow them
to carry out acts of cruelty to these animals, and we cannot allow
them to damage the reputation of Wales any further."
I am proud of my country. I am proud of the badgers that live
near me and how, against all the odds, they manage to survive
– even somehow getting through harsh winters like we've just experienced.
I am not proud that these politicians hold office here - not one
bit!
These are our badgers. They live in our country, Wales – quietly going about their business while giving
joy to anyone who encounters them. We have a duty of responsibility
to protect these animals from acts of cruelty, just as we would
for any vulnerable person living in our community. If any badgers
here have actually been unfortunate enough to catch bovine TB
from cattle, they also deserve to be vaccinated – just like in
England – not shot. Let’s don’t forget this is bovine TB, it’s the cattle that are spreading the disease, not the badgers
who are largely sedentary and remain close to their setts. The
WAG would do far better if they enforced better regulations for
the control of cattle in order that they can be less at risk from
spreading the disease amongst themselves. We simply cannot let
our badgers be made scapegoats by these politicians.
I feel the Welsh Assembly Government are bringing great shame
on our land. I know the people of Wales are proud of their native
animals and birds, like the Red Kite and Badger, and I'm sure
many will share my horror at the actions of these politicians.
Let's join together to defeat them. We simply cannot allow them
to carry out the mass extermination of a native species, we cannot
allow them to carry out acts of cruelty to these animals, and
we cannot allow them to damage the reputation of Wales any further.
Save the badger! Arbed y broch! Stop the slaughter!
(Please feel free to quote from John Evans' feature)
 ON THIS SITE
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With the Welsh Assembly Government declaring that they intend
carrying out the mass slaughter of Badgers within the next few
months, time is of the essence. All those who oppose their actions
need to start talking to each other. We need to join together.
We need to plan a a coordinated response. And, we need to do that
now!
Save The Badger was set up as an umbrella group to coordinate the campaign against
the Welsh Assembly Government's plan to slaughter badgers by the
thousand in Wales in early 2010. It will of course also fight
any similar plans by the Westminster government or any of the
other devolved powers in the UK.
Please take the time to look through the pages on our site.
We will try to bring you any up to date information and news
which is of particular relevance – if you want more general information,
please go to one of the other sites where you will find a lot
of background information.
We will also periodically feature the views and opinions of prominent
individuals who oppose the WAG decision. We begin with a piece
by Welsh writer and environmental activist, John Evans. This is
a must read!
Don't forget, we want to hear your news, and we also want you
views. We must unite together to fight this premeditated act of
barbarity.
Please contact us by clicking the link at the side of the page.
"The evidence is that a badger cull on a scale or level of efficiency
that seems feasible will not solve cattle farmers' problem – that
problem is truly serious. Understandably, the feeling is that
something must be done, but the evidence is that it should not
be a badger cull." Sir David Attenborough
“We must not make badgers scapegoats for bovine TB”. Joanna Lumley
"I say no to this or any other badger cull and I urge all caring
people to do the same. Get rid of ignorance, not badgers.” Benjamin Zephaniah
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OTHER ORGANISATIONS AGAINST THE CULL
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