Dear Friend

Greetings in the precious Name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Thank you very much for your e-mail concerning the Animal Alert which I wrote.

I am grateful for your positive feedback on the usefulness of most of our e-mails and articles sent out from Africa Christian Action. It is certainly our desire to be faithful to the Scriptures, edifying to Christians and practically helpful in the furtherance of the Kingdom of God in South Africa and further abroad.

I am sorry that you could not agree with my position on the appeal for the rabbits of Robben Island.

I am convinced that the doctrines of Creation and stewardship require us to fight against cruelty to animals and the destruction of the environment.

The main point is that the ANC government is inefficient, corrupt and destructive. The same ANC which came to power through land mines, limpit mines, necklace murders and riots, have overseen the largest deforestation in the country’s history. As I drove 4,000 kilometres around the country recently, I saw huge tracts of forest burned out and chopped down. I was informed by a man in forestry that the country is 60% deforested! And many of the fires have been on land targeted by land claims. Especially SAPPI and MONDI, major paper suppliers, have had their forests targeted for land claims and hit by deliberate arson.

Now, the same government that supported the shooting of the mountain goats on Table Mountain, and massive deforestation of the Cape Peninsula, including the destruction of the forests of Constantia Nek, are telling us that they need to kill the rabbits who have multiplied since they chose to kill off the cats on the island. I believe that this article helps to highlight just one more symptom of the big picture, which is part of our global crisis. Humanist governments are the problem – not the solution.

We are also hoping that those people who have not been that responsive to our Pro-Life initiatives may be galvanised into action by this clear and present threat to the rabbits on Robben Island. Our intention then is to persuade those same people that they should be even more concerned for the babies being killed by abortion in this country.

Africa Christian Action has for over 17 years been in the very forefront of standing up for the right to life of pre-born babies and in the campaign against pornography. We are sincerely seeking to apply the Lordship of Christ to all areas of life. I have organised, and participated in, literally hundreds of Pro-Life events and initiatives, written vast amounts of articles, tracts, letters to the Editor, against abortion and for the right to life of pre-born babies. Africa Christian Action organises the Life Chains, Sanctity Life Sundays, International Days of Repentance and many submissions to Parliament.

I am not aware of any other ministry in this country which has done more against abortion than Africa Christian Action. Nor am I aware of any organisation in South Africa which has done more to fight against the evils of pornography, or to promote the Biblical Worldview.

I agree with you about the logistics of 10,000 rabbit sterilisations, however it was the Robben Island Museum’s Acting Chief Executive that claimed that they would going to euthanaze the rabbits by capturing them, luring them into cages with food and then euthanazing them. The question many asked, and which we reported, was: if they were to be captured in such a way, why not use sterilisation injections rather than deadly poison?

We were personally far more in favour of the rabbits being relocated, or cats be reintroduced onto the island.

We do realise that with the complexity of challenges confronting us, there are bound to be many issues on which sincere Christians would disagree. I realised when I sent out this animal alert that numerous of our friends would object. Nevertheless, as a dedicated animal loving Christian, I could do no less.

I believe that the doctrines of Creation and the stewardship of nature justify our position.

“A good man is kind to his animals, but the wicked are cruel to theirs.” Proverbs 12:10

May the Lord continue to be your joy and strength.

Yours for all God’s Creatures

Dr. Peter Hammond