As the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) prepares to fully open on Saturday, animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has called on the country’s president to allocate part of the museum’s revenue to support animal rides for tourists visiting the museum and historic sites around Giza.
Today, PETA Asia sent a letter to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, informing him of video footage recently released by PETA showing horse and camel carcasses piled outside the walls of the new museum.
“Every day, they are dumped like garbage and the world is shocked,” PETA senior vice president Jason Baker wrote in the letter. “While millions of visitors will be drawn to GEM for Egypt’s cultural achievements, they may also witness animals being beaten, deprived of water, and forced to work until they are physically weak, while their lifeless carcasses pile up outside the walls of the pyramids. This suffering is devastating to the animals and damages Egypt’s international reputation as a leading compassionate tourism destination.”
Video showed bodies dumped on the side of the road, with many looking emaciated and injured. PETA has documented their treatment over the past six years. The animals were kicked, kicked, whipped, starved and forced to carry people in hot conditions without shade or adequate water, then were left to die or slaughtered when no longer used, according to the group.
To rectify the situation, PETA writes: “We urge you to allocate a portion of the museum’s profits to create a sanctuary that will relocate and decommission every horse and camel in the Pyramids area.” It adds, “Creating such a sanctuary would demonstrate Egypt’s moral leadership and signal to the world that kindness and tradition can coexist in harmony.”
Since PETA’s efforts began, more than 50 travel agencies and tour companies, including Airbnb, Marriott, British Airways Holidays, Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group and TCS World Travel, have stopped offering camel rides to the Giza Pyramids.
PETA is also asking members and supporters to sign a petition asking Egyptian officials to ban the use of horses and camels to transport tourists to the pyramids and other tourist sites.
The letter ends with PETA’s appeal to President Sisi to “use this historic moment to honor Egypt’s past and its boundless capacity for kindness and progress.”
