Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04ABUDHABI3937
2004-11-02 07:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
TOP ABU DHABI LEADERSHIP DECREES USE OF CHILD CAMEL JOCKEYS WILL STOP
how-tonull Diana T Fritz 02/05/2007 04:51:43 PM From DB/Inbox: Search Results Cable Text: C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 03937 SIPDIS CXABU: ACTION: POL INFO: RSO AMB DCM MEPI P/M ECON DISSEMINATION: POL CHARGE: PROG APPROVED: CDA:RALBRIGHT DRAFTED: POL:SRADDANT CLEARED: POL:JMAYBURY VZCZCADI821 OO RUEHC RUEHDE RUEHIL RUEHZM DE RUEHAD #3937 3070735 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 020735Z NOV 04 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6615 INFO RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 4446 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1294 RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003937
SIPDIS
STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/14
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, TC, PK
SUBJECT: TOP ABU DHABI LEADERSHIP DECREES USE OF CHILD
CAMEL JOCKEYS WILL STOP
REF: (A) DUBAI 5056 (B) ISLAMABAD 10839
(U) Classified by Charges d'Affaires, Richard A. Albright,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 003937
SIPDIS
STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/14
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, TC, PK
SUBJECT: TOP ABU DHABI LEADERSHIP DECREES USE OF CHILD
CAMEL JOCKEYS WILL STOP
REF: (A) DUBAI 5056 (B) ISLAMABAD 10839
(U) Classified by Charges d'Affaires, Richard A. Albright,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The UAE Ambassador to the U.S., Al Asri Saeed Ahmed
Al Dhahri, told Charge on October 31 that Abu Dhabi Deputy
Crown Prince and UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff General
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ) reviewed the HBO
camel jockey documentary with Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin
Zayed Al Nahyan (HbZ). MbZ and HbZ together took the
report to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan (KbZ). After reviewing the documentary, KbZ called
in the owners of camel farms located in Al Ain and ordered
them to stop using underage foreign boys as camel jockeys.
The reaction from Dubai's leadership to the HBO documentary
was equally strong (Ref. A).
2. (C) Noting that preventing underage boys from racing
camels would effectively end the practice of racing baby
camels, which cannot support the weight of heavier jockeys,
Al Asri said that the UAE would explore the use of small
robots for this purpose, which had been publicized during
the last racing season in Qatar. Charge encouraged Al Asri
to have the UAEG document and publicize its actions.
3. (C) Noting that the September 28 death of a five-year-
old jockey in Al Ain had stirred up indignation in
Pakistan, Charge recommended that the UAEG work with the
government of Pakistan to block the trafficking of underage
boys to the UAE. Al Asri agreed that cooperation with
Pakistan would be critical in making the ban effective, as
forged Pakistani documents and passports were a critical
component in the trafficking (Ref. B).
4. (C) Al Asri said the UAEG was still considering its
public posture and would discuss this internally first. Al
Asri also stated that he was arranging a meeting between
Ansar Burney, the head of the anti-trafficking NGO that
escorted the HBO videographers while in the UAE, and MbZ
and KbZ, scheduled to take place later this week. (Note:
Burney agreed to consult with Poloff after the meeting. End
note.) Al Asri said that the UAE leadership would offer to
work with Burney to eliminate this form of human
trafficking.
ALBRIGHT
SIPDIS
STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, AND NEA/ARPI
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/14
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, TC, PK
SUBJECT: TOP ABU DHABI LEADERSHIP DECREES USE OF CHILD
CAMEL JOCKEYS WILL STOP
REF: (A) DUBAI 5056 (B) ISLAMABAD 10839
(U) Classified by Charges d'Affaires, Richard A. Albright,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) The UAE Ambassador to the U.S., Al Asri Saeed Ahmed
Al Dhahri, told Charge on October 31 that Abu Dhabi Deputy
Crown Prince and UAE Armed Forces Chief of Staff General
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (MbZ) reviewed the HBO
camel jockey documentary with Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin
Zayed Al Nahyan (HbZ). MbZ and HbZ together took the
report to Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan (KbZ). After reviewing the documentary, KbZ called
in the owners of camel farms located in Al Ain and ordered
them to stop using underage foreign boys as camel jockeys.
The reaction from Dubai's leadership to the HBO documentary
was equally strong (Ref. A).
2. (C) Noting that preventing underage boys from racing
camels would effectively end the practice of racing baby
camels, which cannot support the weight of heavier jockeys,
Al Asri said that the UAE would explore the use of small
robots for this purpose, which had been publicized during
the last racing season in Qatar. Charge encouraged Al Asri
to have the UAEG document and publicize its actions.
3. (C) Noting that the September 28 death of a five-year-
old jockey in Al Ain had stirred up indignation in
Pakistan, Charge recommended that the UAEG work with the
government of Pakistan to block the trafficking of underage
boys to the UAE. Al Asri agreed that cooperation with
Pakistan would be critical in making the ban effective, as
forged Pakistani documents and passports were a critical
component in the trafficking (Ref. B).
4. (C) Al Asri said the UAEG was still considering its
public posture and would discuss this internally first. Al
Asri also stated that he was arranging a meeting between
Ansar Burney, the head of the anti-trafficking NGO that
escorted the HBO videographers while in the UAE, and MbZ
and KbZ, scheduled to take place later this week. (Note:
Burney agreed to consult with Poloff after the meeting. End
note.) Al Asri said that the UAE leadership would offer to
work with Burney to eliminate this form of human
trafficking.
ALBRIGHT