ANIMAL CRUELTY PROTESTS CREATE DILEMMA FOR TOURISM IN JORDAN
Campaigners want an end to the abuse, yet locals depend on the creatures. Suha Ma’ayeh reports from Petra
Hundreds of mules, camels and horses plod daily along the hot, dusty trails to the ancient city of Petra, carrying visitors to Jordan’s biggest tourist attraction.
The revenue is sorely needed by the animals’ owners and Jordan’s struggling economy. But the practice has also attracted the attention of animal rights groups, who allege mistreatment.
Awad Suleiman, 23, a Bedouin, has for the past eight years provided mule rides up to the monastery, one of Petra’s major attractions. While he says he cares for his two animals, he uses a stick to direct them and occasionally whips them.
“Sometimes when tourists are in a hurry and they want to catch the buses, I beat the animal so it walks faster,” Mr Suleiman said. “Many times the mules walk fast and I don’t have to beat them.
“But I love my animals. I have two and each day I use a different one so that the other can rest. We do not torture them. They are our livelihood. I spend 30 dinars [Dh155] a week on feeding them, much more than I spend on myself.”
Most Bedu in Umm Sayhoun, a village overlooking Petra, depend on their animals to survive but activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals say the beasts are being treated cruelly.
“More than 1,300 horses, donkeys, mules and camels are forced to carry tourists or pull carriages in the city every day, and they are suffering terribly,” Peta said.
“Handlers routinely whip and beat the animals as they haul tourists on a gruelling 10-kilometre trek in the sweltering heat, and there’s no water or shade for them. Visitors who choose to ride one of these animals are directly contributing to their pain and misery.”
Yet poor locals do not believe they are mistreating the animals when they whip or beat them to move faster.
“There are people who think we beat them every day, but how can we hurt our camels and survive on them? It cost me 1,500 dinars to buy a camel,” Hussein Hafeth said.
Ghazi Mustafa, director of the Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (Spana), said the mistreatment of animals in Petra was mostly by children.
“It is part of the culture. Children are used to seeing their fathers holding sticks and whips when they ride their animals, but this should not be an excuse and child labour is not acceptable,” Mr Mustafa said.
“We have been educating children about the welfare of animals and we reached out to community leaders who are well aware how the mistreatment of animals affects tourism.
“But you still see locals carrying whips. Such scenes are disturbing for the tourists. We need to work more on raising awareness.”
Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism responded to reports of animal abuse in the old city, saying the issue was being taken seriously.
“Cruelty to animals is a crime punishable by law,” the ministry said. “The government has co-operated and continues to work with civil society organisations to raise awareness.
“We will follow up on the issues raised in the Peta report to ensure all violations are stopped.”
Jordanian law stipulates a fine of five dinars and seven days in prison for those who abuse animals. But activists say the law is rarely enforced.
Suleiman Farajat, deputy chief commissioner of Petra Archaeological Park and Tourism, criticised Peta’s call for tourists to boycott the site.
“We do not deny that mistreatment of animals takes place but they are individual cases committed by young people,” Mr Farajat said. “It is not fair to ask tourists not to visit Petra.
“Rangers are at the site and report such cases, and we take action that includes paying fines or a jail sentence.”
He said his organisation was raising awareness of animal welfare and allocating special trails.
Tourism in Petra picked up last year after struggling since the Arab uprisings that swept the Middle East in 2010. Visitor numbers dropped from 800,000 in 2010 to 464,000 in 2016. Last year, the government recorded 620,000 tourists in Petra.
Banning the use of animals is unlikely at a time when poverty and unemployment are on the rise and after the government adopted austerity measures and tax increases that angered the Bedu, most of whom work in the tourism industry.
“We have asked officials to find us other jobs but we are always told there are no vacancies,” said Haron Hammad, a camel handler.
“The report is damaging to our business. We cannot deny that the practice is taking place, but not everyone is doing it and it is not acceptable.
“We do not have any jobs and therefore the kids resort to using animals for work. Things are not regulated.”