A Balinese Religious Leader visits Turtle Pens and Slaughtering-Grounds and condemns the Slaughter and Trade.

A historic event was achieved through the efforts of Robin Marinos and allies to ban the Turtle Trade and Slaughter (this interview was documented on video tape).

June 7, 1998, was the first time since the existence of the Turtle slaughtering grounds at Tanjung, Indonesia, that a Balinese High Priest escorted by Robin Marinos and other concerned individuals, visited and condemned the area and the practices being committed there. This event was organized after a three hour meeting and discussion on June 3 between the High Priest Ida Pedanda Nyurah Kaleran and Mr. Marinos concerning the relationship between Balinese Religion and the current state of the Turtle in Indonesia.

The timing of the visit couldn't have been better. Newly arrived boats had earlier unloaded their catch, and morning normally is the slaughter time here. All the visitors could now witness the brutal truth concerning the daily practices in Tanjung, Bali, Indonesia.

One of the revelations was the complete disregard for size and maturity, thus a disregard for reproduction and survival of the species. The overwhelming small sizes of the new arrivals, also evidenced that the turtles are being caught by indiscriminate netting and hunting methods. Not only through selective poaching in mating and beaching areas (e.g.,. before or after laying eggs), many mature Sea Turtles are caught using spread fishing nets with hooks. This combined with the number of new arrivals also revealed the increase in demand and the decrease in supply, now that so many of the Mature Sea Turtle population has been practically wiped-out! None of these however will ever have a chance to mature or reproduce (all these estimated to be slaughtered within two weeks).

The High Priest admitted that the killing and consumption of the Turtle is not to be practiced nor is permitted by true Hindus, and that the systematic slaughter had very little to do with Balinese religion rather with human greed and exploitation at its best ! 'Any other interpretation is just an interpretation and does not reflect the religious truth, more like a lie, even 'sacrilegious'! This was the exact message coming from all the Indonesian visitors present. The fact that no major ceremonies were scheduled further asserted this claim .

All the visitors witnessed maltreatment, death, and the aura of death while viewing the main slaughter area. Their were body parts all over the floor as the butcher separated bits and pieces. The last victims head being cut away from its already opened shell full of its inner organs. Piles of already separated meat were being prepared for orders to the expanding Turtle Sate (Kebab) market, it was revealed that the consumption market had expanded due to successful marketing plus little resistance by 'others' including Conservation organizations already present in Indonesia. Approximately ten empty shells were the only existing identity markings of the morning turtle slaughter.

Each death being witnessed by the other plus 60 helpless fin-tied victims of this systematic form of murder, painfully awaiting their turn to be slaughtered.

While in the Slaughter house a chalk board exposed the sliced Turtle meat orders for that period, again evidence of a blatant contradiction of holding turtles for religious sacrificial rites; the major excuse used to defend this trade by even some well known 'conservation organizations' as well as the Indonesian Government. A preferred meat by many Balinese and Asians, but by no means a Need according to the Turtle dealer Mr. Hasan as well. Also written on the board was a plea by the butchers requesting more time off, because of endless work!

The group then moved out to the shore to observe the turtles in the holding pens. Our immediate observation was that Mr. Hasan's pens were holding about 100 Turtles as compared to approximately 500 (five Hundred) less than one week earlier! A second observation was that some of the Turtles were dead or close to death. Some were crushed during transport, others over-exhausted and malnourished.

As a sign of good will, the two healthy Turtles were bought, and transferred to a remote beach, and freed. All the members of the group shared the purchase price of the large mixed sex Turtle and the smaller female Turtle.

Before freeing the Turtles the High priest performed a symbolic ceremony and prayer for the Turtles, inscribing the Hindu 'Ohm' symbol of Long and Prosperous life.

The Ceremony, final blessings, and release of these Turtles ended the most important seven hours, to date, in demonstrating the Highest Balinese Religious standard that should be upheld when dealing with the 'Sacred' Turtles throughout Bali.

We hope this important event might be the beginning to end the Turtle holding, trading, and slaughtering in Bali, Indonesia, and throughout the archipelago.

With the help of all others,
this campaign will become
a reality in which the
Sea Turtles may
enjoy this fate...

...instead of this!

Help us to make this a reality.

Share our concerns and support our campaign.

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