Worldlog week 26 – 2014
Last week, we and our youth organisation PINK! held a demonstration at Royal Bank of Scotland in Amsterdam, a bank that scores well below standard on all components of The Fair Bank Guide. At the request of our scientific bureau NGPF, The Fair Bank Guide examined how the bank scores on social issues, such as human rights, animal welfare and the environment, and sensitive sectors, such as the arms trade, agriculture and mining.
PINK! was dressed in Scottish kilts and destroyed images of animals and nature in a shredder in front of the Royal Bank of Scotland building.
Like our Ministries, the Lower House banks with Royal Bank of Scotland. The Party for the Animals believes that the government has a social responsibility and should not bank with a bank that is harmful to humans, animals, nature and the environment. In addition, the Lower House has indicated it is committed to environmental sustainability and social enterprising. That requires a principal banker that scores well on the criterions of The Fair Bank Guide. During the debate on financing of the Lower House this week, we will suggest changing banks!
This robin breeds in a cycle bag of the Party for the Animals. Good people 😉
Unfortunately, it became clear last week that this Cabinet will continue to give hunters every opportunity to keep shooting ducks, pheasants, hares, rabbits and pigeons for pleasure. This is evident from the new Nature Protection Act, which the State Secretary for Economic Affairs presented to the Lower House last week.
The only change compared to the current situation, is that a shooting plan must now underlay shooting for pleasure. The shooting plan is prepared by “fauna management units”, in which hunters have a major vote.
The Cabinet plans instigate deception of the electorate. During the elections, the Christian Democratic Alliance (CDA), Freedom Party (PVV), People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD), Democrats 66 (D66), GreenLeft (GroenLinks), Labour Party (PvdA), Socialist Party (SP), ChristianUnion (ChristenUnie) and Party for the Animals indicated that “shooting for pleasure in the Netherlands should be prohibited”. This means there should be a majority of 145 Members of Parliament in the Lower House who want to end shooting for pleasure based on their election promises.
With her bill, The State Secretary is telling hunters ‘to continue doing what you have been doing, but write it down briefly beforehand”. With the aid of a Parliamentary majority, she could have made a big step towards the protection of animals in the wild, but she chose to maintain shooting for pleasure.
I submitted a private member’s bill to prohibit shooting for pleasure, and will now request for a debate, following the State Secretary’s disappointing proposals!
Have you seen this one yet? Give bees a chance! Confronting viral about the massive bee deaths because of the use of pesticides and its dramatic consequences.
In the Netherlands, 600 children are in danger of being deported. Too many children are refused a residence permit because, for example, they were not always under the supervision of central government or they were just too old according to the law. This must change! We therefore supported proposals in the Lower House to prevent deportation of children who deserve protection.
We believe the interest of a child should come first and that more children have the right to a pardon to stay in the Netherlands in spite of everything. Unfortunately, the proposals were not supported by a Parliamentary majority. It is downright poignant that we reject children who have lived here for a long time, go to school and have friends. These children should also be covered by the Children’s Pardon!
This is one of the best long reads of 2014: about why people pay big money to shoot an elephant. Spread this long read and help to stop the hunt for this magnificent animal.
Don’t miss this film! Speciesism, the movie And here is another thing you must see: a 13-year old boy made this touching clay animation about pigs in the bio-industry!
And check out these flowers of which you won’t believe that they can exist without Photoshop J And yet…
Have a good week!