Target: Mehmet Falakali, former head of the tourism ministry’s Selcuk office
Goal: Stop the festival of camel wrestling occurring in Turkey.
The 40th year of the Camel Wrestling Festival has taken place in Turkey last week. This event takes place annually and thousands of people attend. This year, 152 camels wore saddles and cloths on their humps. The camels wear muzzles to prevent them from using their teeth on each other but nonetheless they fight in sandy areas for everyone to watch. There are referees present as well. The audience sets up tables to barbecue and celebrate the event on the sidelines. This event draws criticism nearly every year from animal rights groups since the camels endure abuse and many injuries during the event. The festival is even being called a criminal act.
The camels are also paraded through the streets for a “pageant” before the festival. They are not only being abused by wrestling but also exploited for the entertainment of humans. Allegedly, the camels are separated if things get too intense. It is said the camels cannot actually injure each other but, why in the world are camels wrestling? It should not happen at all. The festival organizers excuse the acts by saying it is a tradition and because the event has successfully gone on for years, it should not be stopped. This is not an excuse to put the camels through such abuse for the 40th year in a row.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear Mehmet Falakali,
Your support of this inhumane camel wrestling festival is unacceptable. An animal rights activist group has clearly expressed their concerns and yet, no one has spoken to them about the festival. It is wrong and the camels are in extreme danger due to the actions of the people participating in this event. You have the responsibility to listen to the opposition and ultimately keep your animals safe, and we demand you try to understand the perspective of those who oppose the event. Although it is a tradition, that does not mean it is right. Camels are being exploited and used for entertainment and that is unfair, unsafe, and inhumane. You must listen to the people who disagree and see the wrongdoings of the event. Think about the camels and how they do not deserve this abuse year after year.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Becker1999
Turkey. Why am I not surprised? SAVAGES. Why the heck did they even make it into NATO?
Mehmet Falakali, former head of the tourism ministry’s Selcuk office
Shame on Turkey for allowing this stupid irrelevant festival to take place for so long!!!! THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF COUNTRY I WOULD EVER VISIT….A COUNTRY WITH SUCH LOW REGARD FOR ANIMALS…..CHANGE YOUR WAYS NOW…YOU ABUSED THESE DEAR ANIMALS FAR TOO LONG!!!!
Camels are gentle souls….stop using them and abusing them in this horrendous fashion.
PEOPLE STOP GOING TO SUCH INHUMANE EVENTS!!!!!
They could still have the festival. A parade of the camels (clean and brushed) ( biggest, smallest, etc), people dressed as camels to celebrate all they have done for people, and pictures drawn and colored by children. So many ways without abusing and ‘wrestling’ camels.
Please stop this- the camels suffer — and if humans suffer they cry and wont accept it- so why should camels suffer ?
Humans today have a lot to answer for.
Sick freakin humans!!!
STOP ALL FESTIVALS WITH ANIMALS WRESTLING, FIGHTING, AND PERFORMING because ALL these are CRUELTY TO ANIMALS IMMEDIATELY!!!
YOU want a WRESTLING match use STUPID DRUNK HUMANS and NO CAMELS & ALL other INNOXENT ANIMALS.
I totally agree with Maria Bertrand
Mehmet Falakali,
“ former head of the tourism ministry’s Selcuk office
Shame on Turkey for allowing this stupid irrelevant festival to take place for so long!!!! THIS IS NOT THE TYPE OF COUNTRY I WOULD EVER VISIT….A COUNTRY WITH SUCH LOW REGARD FOR ANIMALS…..CHANGE YOUR WAYS NOW…YOU ABUSED THESE DEAR ANIMALS FAR TOO LONG!!!!
Camels are gentle souls….stop using them and abusing them in this horrendous fashion.
PEOPLE STOP GOING TO SUCH INHUMANE EVENTS!!!!! “ Stop such cruel treatment to precious CAMELS THIS IS “EVIL” ……
This stupid crap needs to stop!! Exploitation if Animals should be completely outlawed all over the planet!! Gross country!!
THIS IS NOT A FESTIVAL. IT’S AN ACT OF ANIMAL ABUSE AND CRUELTY.
All animal fighting organized by humans is cruel and barbaric. It all must be made illegal and stopped at once. Every single person involved must spend 5 years in prison with no early parole
I will never understand why so many traditions involve animals.
If the humans needs traditions they can do this traditions without animals. We are living in in 2022 not in those ‘good old times’ What ever humans think that they need to hold on those traditions they are free to do so, but PLEASE live the animals out of those traditions.
WTF, amazing what stupid, greedy and cruel people will do for entertainment. Hope someone makes them fight each other till one of them is best to a pulp.
Why do animals need to suffer for the entertainment of cruel inhumane heartless humans. Animals have feelings just as we do. They were not put here for the selfish cruel treatment they get from humans who have no compassion or love for anything but themselves. Stop the cruelty!!!
COWARDS LIKE THESE SICKEN ME!
What the hell is wrong with people? They do such crappy things to innocent animals. It’s sickening and appalling.
Agree all comments. Its abuse stop now.
All these countries are cruel and have no feelings. All a bunch if cunts
There are many countries that abuse animals for human entertainment. Spain tortures bulls setting them alight, running them through streets, and of course bull fights where these innocent creatures are tortured to the sickening sound off cheers. Dolphins butchered because of tradition, caught in nets, jailed and confined for humans to gawp at. Humans have dominated this beautiful world and now we need to change what we can. The slow process of change is happening but you will never change many humans morals or nature. Look back through history.
Camel wrestling is “entertainment” for IGNORANT and PRIMITIVE humans ONLY!
We live in 2022. UPGRADE your MORAL STANDARD!!!!!
Camel wrestling is for PRIMITIVE and IGNORANT humans ONLY!
We live in 2022! UPGRADE your MORAL STANDARD!
Such Horrendeous Cruelty!!!! People are so Cruel, This is Heartbreaking! We MUST BAN ALL OF THESE ANIMAL CRUELTY FESTIvELS!!!!!
Any and all those connected with the promotion of this horror need to be forced to fight each other every day for the rest of their lives….Animal cruelty must be severely punished… IN MY OPINION