Youth Protection

I take the liberty to write to you not only in my capacity of Head of the local committee of the FLAC (Fédération de Liaisons Anti-Corrida), but also as a retired teacher as well.
Many inhabitants of Saint-Rémy have communicated their disgust to me when they discovered that the children of the shools were invited to assist to a "capéa" in the Saint-Rémy de Provence arenas, on Friday, June 24th in the afternoon.

This invitation to a simulated corrida (bull-fighting), organised by the " école de tauromachie espagnole" of St-Rémy (school where teen-agers are taught to use knives), represents a propaganda in the school environment for a barbaric entertainent, unacceptable by civilised standards.
A "capéa" (demonstration of bull-fighting without kilking, but during which young toros are placed in conditions identical to a corrida), can deeply shock young children and means vulgarising violence against animals. These are the conclusions of e recent report from Madame
Blandine Kriegel, psychologist. This report, written upon request from the Ministry of Culture, insists on the fact that showing violence to youngsters can have dangerous consequences.
Furthermore, taking children to such an "entertainment" to the recommendations of the Bulletin Officiel of the French Education Nationale (16th may 1985) a document that specifies that teaching has a goal of "educating to the respect of life under all of its forms".
This is why we hope, within our committee against bull-fighting, as many inhabitants of St-Rémy do, that common sense will prevail, and that teachers of St-Rémy will dare to say "no" to this invitation that is a pernicious propaganda for corridas and its cruelties.

We remain at the entire disposition of the teachers and of the pupils' parents to complete their information. We even wish that a constructive dialogue is established: your suggestions and potential criticisms are welcome. Hoping that our warning will be take seriously, we remain

We wish to inform you of our strong concern about the fact that once again the partisans of bull-fighting are using ambiguous ways to get support from schools and colleges, and to enroll the youth in their movement.

In effect, within the frame of the "XXème semaine taurino-culturelle" (20th cultural-tauromachic week), children from the schools of the Saint-Sever Urban community will be invited to paint small "toros" (taureaux) that will subsequently be exhibited, the argument being that tauromachy in the broad sense is part of their "cultural" environment.

We know that paradox is part of the human nature, but it remains very odd to tolerate a cruel activity just because it has been practiced during a long time in a given region.

Spreading knowledge is one thing, but doing propaganda is another.
Let's remind that, invited by Peace Nobel Prizes and organised by the UNESCO, the UNO declared the years 2001-2010 "Years of culture, non-violence and peace, at the profit of the Children of the World".
All the French school system is invited to work in this direction, by putting in place tools and adapted pedagogic programs.

On another hand, we remind the declaration of the LFDA at the UNESCO offices in Paris October 15th, 1980 : " tauromachy is the vile and greedy "art" of torturing and kiling animals according to some rules, legally and in public. Il encourages the most horrible instincts of men, traumatise children and sensitive adults, it deteriorates the condition of psychopaths attracted by this spectacle, it denatures the relationship between man and animal, and it is a feast for pain and death. For this reason, tauromachia is a major challenge to morality, to education, to science and to culture. "
As a consequence, it seems of the highest to take all necessary measures to avoid a banalisation of violence.

Voices raise from all parts to reject violence, it is now more than time to walk the talk.

UNICEF
Operation : "Children-friendly Towns"
Letter to the "Association des Maires de France"

Association des Maires de France
41 Quai d'Orsay
75343 PARIS Cedex 07

Children-friendly Towns

Dear Sir, Dear Madam,

We have learned that in partnership with the UNICEF your association has launched the "Child-Friendly Towns" initiative. We would like to congratulate you and to express our satisfaction for such an initiative which aims at the improvement of the safety, of the environment, and of the culture and education of Children.

On our part we have been working for more than ten years against useless violence and suffering, and in particular against all cruelty exposed or taught to Children.

It is with a great shock that, through the French daily newspaper "La Provence" (nov/8/2004), in an article about Arles, we learnt that this town was requesting the label of "Child-Friendly Town". You may easily imagine our astonishment when one knows that the town Arles subsidises a "Spanish tauromachy school" (school of Spanish animal torture), where children are taught to torture animals and to use the knife to kill them ! Such a teaching of cruelty, which is an obvious invitation to violence seems totally incompatible with the "Child-Friendly Town" label.

Officially, 7 of theses "schools" of barbary exist in France. A very complete study has been published in February 2004 about these "shools of shame", and we will send a copy to you if you would like to read it.

In addition, the Town of Arles has just created a "passeport for the arenas" (passeport pour les arènes), to encourage children to attend animal torture shows called "corridas" (photocopy included).
This means that for a very limited amount of money, youngsters below the age of 20 can attend 20 shows - 10 of which include the killing of animals. What a scandal ! Please note that even in Spanish Catalunia, arenas are forbidden to children below the age of 14.

We do hope that all Towns encouraging this barbarian practice ("tauromachie espagnole"/Spanish tauromachy) will never get the "Child-Friendly Town" label. Furthermore, we wish that the Association des Maires de France as well as the l'UNICEF denounce this enrollment of youth, encouraging to violence and cruelty.

We would be grateful that you could understand our arguments in the interest of the Children of this country.
Dear Sir, Dear Madam, please be assured of our consideration.

In Agde June 6, 2005
The representant of the "Commission Protection Jeunesse"
(commission of Youth protection) of the FLAC
Joël LUNEL

UNICEF: Arles classed "Friend to Children" Town

to the President of UNICEF
3, rue Duguay-Trouin
75282 PARIS Cedex 06

Mr. President,

It is with stupefaction that we learn that Arles has been declared "Friend to Children Town" by UNICEF. We are profoundly shocked by this honorary status.
Arles is a city that provides public funds for a school of "Spanish bullfighting". In this "school" children from the age of 10 are taught to use daggers to kill. What a disgrace! What an incitement to cruelty!

Furthermore, Arles encourages its young inhabitants, including children of difficult areas, to attend bullfights, by regularly granting them free entrance.

Yet two recent studies show the pernicious effects of cruel and violent spectacles on children:

A study drawn up by Ms. Blandine Kriegel, psychologist, condemns violent spectacles as having a dangerous effect on young people. (This study was commissioned at the time by Mr. Jean-Jacques Aillagon, then Minister of Culture).

More recently, Ms. Claire Brisset, Defender of Children, delivered a study to Mr. Dominique Perben, Lord Chancellor, in which she proposes a reinforcement of measures for the protection of minors in regard to violent shows.

For your information: In Spanish Catalonia, bullfights are prohibited to children under 14.

Furthermore, in these "schools of barbarity", which also exist in Nîmes, Béziers, Hagetmau, young children are made to confront calves and young cows often much bigger than themselves. This obviously represents a physical danger for them, considering their size.

Another paradox: The city of Arles raises the torero Mehdi Savalli to the status of an exemplary hero, because he comes from an immigrant family living in a disadvantaged area of town. In our opinion this is far from being the best example to follow for the youth of Arles. Moreover, for the majority of Arles' inhabitants, to "integrate" by becoming a "torturer of animals" is a failure and a disgrace for the town and its area!

We had already put you on guard against such a classification of Arles, having heard rumours at the time to that effect, in a letter sent on November 9th 2005. On November 23rd 2005, we sent a similar letter to Ms. Rita Cristofari, then Coordinator of the Service "Friend to Children Town". In an email, we received from her the following response:
"I will be sure to transmit your remark to the Commission concerned, who will decide what attitude should be adopted on this issue".
To date we are extremely disappointed by the unjust position taken by UNICEF, an organization to which several of our members are donators. Its reputation can only be tarnished by this.

As far as we are concerned, we will do our best to make known this very disappointing fact.

Despite our feeling of disgust, we send you our sincere pacifist greetings.

Written in Tarascon on November, 15th 2006
by the representative of the FLAC Committee for the Arles Area Joël LUNEL.

International Convention on the Rights of the Child

Madam Louise ARBOUR
Office in United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights
UNOG - OHCH
1211 GENEVE 10
SUISSE

Object: International Convention on the Rights of the Child

Madam,

We would like to bring to your attention certain practices perpetrated in Southern France which are prejudicial and even very dangerous to the well-being of children:

In many towns of bullfight tradition, access to these same spectacles is encouraged by providing free entrance to children.
In certain places, children are regularly invited to attend bullfights.

Nevertheless, two recent studies reveal the harmful effects of cruel and violent spectacles on children:

A study conducted by Madame Blandine Kriegel, psychologist, holds violent spectacles responsible for having dangerous effects on young people. (this study was commissioned by Monsieur Jean-Jacques Aillagon, at that time Minister of Culture of the French Government.)
More recently, on the 10th of December 2002, Madame Claire Brisset, Defender of Children, delivered a study to Monsieur Dominique Perben, Lord Chancellor, proposing a reinforcement of measures to protect minors from violent spectacles.

For information’s sake: in Spanish Catalonia entrance to bullfights is prohibited to children under the age of 14.
Still more serious is the fact that towns such as Arles (Bouches-du-Rhone), Nîmes (Gard), Béziers (Herault), Hagetmau (Landes), host and fund schools known as “Schools of Spanish Bullfighting”. In these “pseudo-schools”, children from the age of 10 and up are taught to wield daggers to kill animals. Besides that, what is practiced in these schools represents a serious physical danger for them, since the calves and young cows with which they are confronted are often much bigger than the children themselves (please refer to the accompanying article of the newspaper “La Provence” of October 21st 2006).

We believe that such practices are in total violation of Article 24, Clause 3, of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which states:
States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children.

Furthermore, to our great disappointment, UNICEF, which is an organism of the UN, recently designated Arles “Child Friendly City”. For the last two years we have warned this organism against such an aberration: bullfighting is not a sane culture! During this period, we furnished proof of the indoctrination of the children of Arles and of the functioning of its “School of Spanish Bullfighting”.

Considering this incoherent state of affairs, and confronted with the indifference and even the complacency of French politicians and associations for the protection of children, we call upon you with your international influence, in the belief that you will take action in order that:

schools entitled “ of Spanish bullfighting” be prohibited in France
access to bullfights be forbidden to minors
UNICEF no longer accord the distinction of Child Friendly City to towns practicing bullfighting indoctrination of youth or maintaining schools of Spanish bullfighting.

In the hope of receiving a reassuring response from you and thanking you for your attention, we send you our most respectful pacifist greetings.

Jean POIGNET - Joël LUNEL
Co-delegates of the Commission for the Protection of Youth of the FLAC (24th January 2007)

Letter to the President of the
"Groupe d'études pour la Protection de la Jeunesse"
(Study Group for the protection of Youth).
Denouncing the invitation of youth to violence.

Mr Député,

We just learned that you belong to the "Groupe d'études sur la protection de l'enfance et de la jeunesse", of the Assemblée Nationale. Congratulations for this noble involvement that can only have positive consequences for our society and for its future.

Furthermore, we think that it is necessary to inform you of certain serious breach of ethics arising in our Southern Regions where children and teen-agers are spectators and sometimes actors in organised violence and cruelty.
Among those are the corrida and bull-fighting events, very traumatic for children. But it is a fact that these children and youngsters can attend for free (or at discounted rates) these cruel shows. It is the case, among other places, in Arles with the "passeport pour les arènes" (Passport for arenas).
In Spanish Catalunia these events are forbidden to children below 14.

Even worse ! This barbaric activity is tought in so-called "schools of Spanish tauromachy". In these abject "schools", children (from the age of 9) are taught to use knives and swords to kill animals.
Without any hesitation, the adults organising this are putting childre at risk, since they are often conftronted to animals taller than themselves!

This "cruelty schools" receive funding from Town-Halls but also from Conseils Généraux, Conseils Régionaux and even sometimes form the Social Security (Caisses d'Allocations Familiales). Such "Schools of Shame" exist in Nîmes, Arles, Tarascon, St-Rémy-de-Provence, Cardet (near Alès), and in the Department of Landes in Hagetmau and Campet-et-Lamolère.

All these unhealthy propaganda and enrollment activities are clearly going against the recent report written by Mamdame Madame Blandine Kriegel, psychologist, in which the danger of showing violent activities to youngsters was recognised as a real threat for youth (Report requested by Monsieur Jean-Jacques Aillagon, the then Ministry of Culture).

More recently, Madame Claire Brisset, Defensor of children, forwarded on Oct 12, 2002, to Monsieur Dominique Perben, Garde des Sceaux (ministrer of Justice), a report proposing to improve the protection of the youth regarding violent shows and cruel entertainment activities.

The contradiction between the needs of the Protection of the Youth, established by these reports, and the actual facts that take place, is very serious. We would like that, until these cruel activities are forbidden, laws should be voted against all promotion, encouragement and practice of violence by children and teen-agers in France.

From our part, we have alerted the UNICEF of this propaganda and dangerous enrollment of youngsters. We did this when we learned that the town of Arles requested from the UNICEF to be labelled "Children-Friendly Town" ("Ville amie des enfants") ; this is outrageous for a town that subsidises a school of "Spanish tauromachy". Such a paradox really seems not tolerable!

We thank you in advance for your involvement and for the help that you might give us in this difficult but really crucial struggle against violence and cruelty.

Please Monsieur le Député, be assured of our deepest consideration.

Done in Agde on May 18, 2005
The Delegate to the Commission Protection Jeunesse of the FLAC
Joël LUNEL

Support letter to Mme Claire Brisset,
Children defender

1st June 2005.

Madame la Présidente,

Mr Jean POIGNET gave me today a collection of photos and press articles relating to the violences to which children are exposed when they attend animal-torture shows ("corridas").
I wish to thank you.

This document highlights the cruelty of those spectacles, and the severe conséquences for the young spectators, and denounces proselytism.

Worried by the danger for the youth, I consider that your approach goes in the right direction. Acting in orde to avoid for the children the witnessing (or participating in) cruel activities against animals seems not only useful but necessary. Their mental and emotional balance is at stake and the preservation of the moral values that we have to teach them.

It is interesting to note that Spain has already laws on this subject, forbidding access to the arenas to children under 14.

In France, a proposition for a new law in the same direction has been recently presented to the the Assemblée Nationale. I am confident that our elected Members of Parliament will be favourable to this law.
With all my encouragements for the continuation of your action, please accept, Madame la Présidente, my deepest consideration.

The Children Defender.
Claire BRISSET
104 bdAuguste Blanqui - 75011 Paris

Lettre to the director of Calvisson (département of Gard / 30)

Monsieur le Principal
Collège de Calvisson
Vignet Bas
F-30420 CALVISSON

Dear Sir :

Several parents of students of your college have informed us about their surprise/astonishment and their indignation the apologia of Spanish bull fight in your school.

This disapproval extends to 2 recent events : a performance of "capéa" by young apprentice toreadors which took place last year at your school.

An assignment given to pupils of the 5th form (12 years old children) by certain teachers of French this year. Among the subject of cultural heritage was bull fight reported to be found with presentations by bull fight associations.

We fully understand and share these parents' concern :
First of all, unlike the race typical of the Camargue, bull fight is not part of our cultural heritage. It was introduced to France in1853 by the Spanish empress Eugénie de Montijo after her marriage to Napoléon III.

Second, because of its cruelty bull fight is a violence-initiating performance, very traumatising for children and adolescents. Praising bull fights in a secondary school is breaking the law of the Bulletin Officiel de l'Education Nationale of 16/05/1985 which professes:"education to respect any form of life".

Indeed, two recent reports provide evidence of the disastrous impact on children of performances of cruelty and violence: One of them was written by Madame Blandine Kriegel, psychologist, who performances of cruelty for having a dangerous impact on youths.

(The report had been requested Monsieur Jean-Jacques Aillagon, then Minister of Culture).
The other one by Madame Claire Brisset, defender of children, was handed out to Mr Dominique Perben, Minister of Justice, on 10/12/2002. This report proposes to improve the system of protection of minors from performances displaying violence.

In front of all these arguments and in order to calm down a growing concern among the pupils' parents, we believe that it would be wise to ban all intrusion and doctrine of the so-called Spanish bull fight in your scholl.

Expecting your hopefully comforting and reassuring answer, we remain
with best regards

Agde, Octobre 5th, 2005
The Delegate to the Commission for Protection of Youths of FLAC Joël LUNEL