RIYADH, 23 October 2007 — The Shoura Council yesterday held the Ministry of Agriculture responsible for the deaths of over 2,000 camels in Saudi Arabia over the past few months. The council asked for those responsible in the ministry to be punished and named for their shortcomings, which caused the loss of animal life and harmed livestock owners across the Kingdom.
A special committee, which had been assigned by Shoura President Sheikh Saleh Bin-Humaid to probe the reasons behind the death of thousands of camels in Saudi Arabia, submitted its findings in yesterday’s council session.
In order to avoid criminal activity or foul play, the committee recommended that a government company supervise the production and distribution of camel fodder. It also recommended that fodder be manufactured according to the specifications of the Saudi Arabian Standards Organization.
According to the Agriculture Ministry findings, contaminated fodder, rather than diseases, was blamed for the death of 3,000 camels, cows and goats in different parts of the Kingdom.
The results of tests sent to laboratories in Europe showed that camels were fed on contaminated fodder, which contained salinomycin — a compound to which camels are highly allergic. A type of fungus known as aspergillus clavatus, which affects animals’ nervous system, was also found in the fodder.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had ordered that farmers be compensated for their losses.
The committee also recommended that camel beauty contests that are held in tribal areas be stopped and that they be included in the annual Jandriya Culture and Heritage Festival.
“The idea is not to encourage tribal prejudice, but include these beauty contests in a national festival in which everyone with a beautiful camel can participate,” Shoura member Dr. Muhammad Al-Zulfa told Arab News.
“It is unfortunate that these tribes often spend huge sums to organize these contests. And in the end, the fame goes to the tribe rather than the camels themselves,” he said.
During yesterday’s session, several members requested that the council summon a number of herdsmen who have suffered losses to better understand the conditions in which the camels died and the measures taken by government officials. Other members questioned why Wadi Al-Dawasir was the most badly hit region in the Kingdom.
The recommendations were sent back to the committee for further study.
Meanwhile, while discussing the annual report of the Foreign Ministry, several council members urged the ministry to provide more care to Saudi students abroad.
Members noted that students were facing difficulties in receiving fair treatment. They also urged the ministry to stand up for Saudi citizens, who face prejudice and discrimination in foreign countries. They also mentioned that students were experiencing financial difficulties, as stipends were often not paid on time.
