Eddie Bauer reiterates boycott of Indian leather

Ahmedabad, Aug 25 (UNI) US retail giant Eddie Bauer has reiterated to the US branch of PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) that the company will not use Indian leather.

Eddie Bauer, a catalogue and online apparel business with more than 400 stores in the US, Canada, Germany and Japan and with 2004 sales totalling more than 1.1 billion dollar, said that 'incredibly'' abusive treatment of cattle is continuing in India while its skin is turned into leather. Eddie Bauer now joins US-based Liz Claiborne and Kenneth Cole which had recently given PETA US their fresh assurances that they will boycott Indian leather, a PETA release says.

When PETA US launched its original boycott of Indian leather in 2000, more than 40 major retailers around the world signed on. As a result, the Indian leather industry lost an estimated 68 million dollars. PETA India and its worldwide affiliates have relaunched the campaign which was put on hold in good faith when the Indian government and the Council for Leather Exports (CLE) promised to take significant steps to ameliorate transport and slaughter horrors for cows and other animals used for leather - promises which have not been honoured.

According to the statement, animals are transported in such crowded conditions that their bones often break and many suffocate en route to slaughter house. The animals are routinely dragged, beaten and otherwise cruelly and illegally mishandled. At all municipal abattoirs, animals are slaughtered in full view of each other, which is illegal, it said.

The CLE refuses to initiate any action which would prevent leather businesses from obtaining hides and skins from suppliers which mistreat animals - even from unlicenced illegal abattoirs, said PETA India coordinator NG Jayasimha.

PETA India's campaign has gained the support of Dalai Lama, Sir Paul McCartney, Pamela Anderson and Jackie Chan, the statement added.

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