National swimmer Alper Sunaçoğlu reacts strongly to the 'euthanasia' law for stray animals: He is starting a hunger strike at sea
National swimmer Alper Sunaçoğlu has announced that he will swim 160 km and then begin a hunger strike in the sea in protest against the AKP's legislative proposal that mandates the euthanasia of stray animals. Sunaçoğlu stated, "We will teach you to be good people, to respect the right to life, and that only God can take the life that God has given, by hammering it into your heads."
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Deliberations on the legislative proposal prepared by the AKP, which mandates the euthanasia of stray animals, are continuing in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
A strong reaction to the controversial legislative proposal came from national marathon swimmer Alper Sunaçoğlu.In a statement made on his social media account, Sunaçoğlu announced that to protest the legislative proposal, he would first attempt a record-breaking 160 km solo swim and then initiate a hunger strike.
Sunaçoğlu shared the text of the press release he prepared in a post on his social media account.
Sunaçoğlu, in his statement on his social media account, 'Both a record attempt and a hunger strike!' he wrote, adding this note to the press release he shared.
'MY GOAL IS TO DRAW THE ATTENTION OF THE WORLD PUBLIC'
Sunaçoğlu included the following statements in his announcement:
"THIS IS A PRESS RELEASE!
HE WILL SWIM FIRST, THEN START A HUNGER STRIKE
Activist and national marathon swimmer Alper Sunaçoğlu, who became the first and only marathon swimmer to successfully complete the 82 km open-water course from Turkey to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus solo and without a cage in 2010, last year
achieved one of the best marathon swimming records in recent years by swimming 30 km from Çanakkale to Gökçeada in 8 hours and 12 minutes on Veterans Day, with the support of the Çanakkale Governorship, in memory of veterans and martyrs.
This time, Alper Sunaçoğlu will swim and begin a hunger strike to protest the stray animal bill currently being discussed in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).
He states that the proposed law is flawed, far removed from science, Turkish customs and traditions, and our religious beliefs, and also far from providing a solution. He emphasizes that the increase in the stray animal population cannot be prevented by killing animals, and that the solution is possible through the practice of 'catch, vaccinate, neuter, rehabilitate, and release back to where they were found'.
If killing were a solution, 100,000 animals would have been slaughtered in the Hayırsız Ada massacre, but it is clear today that killing is not a solution. The Hayırsız Ada massacre is proof of this.
Throughout my life, I have always taken care to defend what is right and lived accordingly. However, it is evident that all the press statements and protests by animal lovers are unfortunately being ignored and disregarded by Ankara.
Therefore, I want to state clearly and unequivocally that I will begin a hunger strike to draw the attention of the global public and send a clear message to Ankara. In this fleeting life, where I have come for a test, I cannot and will not remain silent in the face of such ugliness, massacre, and cruelty. I would also like to state that if the hunger strike does not provide a solution, I will begin a death fast in front of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM)."