CAMEL JOCKEY REPATRIATIONS RECOMMENCE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004903 SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA AND NEA/ARPI E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PHUM ELAB AE SUBJECT: CAMEL JOCKEY REPATRIATIONS RECOMMENCE REF: A. ABU DHABI 4487 ¶B. ABU DHABI 4737 ¶1. (U) On November 24, the UAEG recommenced repatriations of camel jockeys to their countries of origin, sending 64 boys back to Pakistan. Repatriations were temporarily suspended in October due to the earthquake in Pakistan and the subsequent social upheaval (ref A). The repatriation of this latest group brings the total number of children returned home to 1,004, leaving only 69 children at the Beni Yas Social Support Center located outside Abu Dhabi. ¶2. (SBU) The UAE official news agency reported on November 25 that all the remaining children would be returned to their countries of origin by the end of December, but Colonel Najm Al Seyyar, director of the Abu Dhabi Social Support Center within the Ministry of Interior, stated that this report was inaccurate. Col. Al Seyyar stated that there are still a few Pakistani children left at the center among the 69, and perhaps the reporter misunderstood and was speaking only of the Pakistanis. He added, there are children from several countries remaining at Beni Yas that have not yet had family members identified in their home countries and will therefore remain at the support center until someone is prepared to receive them. Al Seyyar went on to note that even after the last child is sent home, the center will remain open for some time in case any further former child jockeys are located or identified. ¶3. (SBU) In May, the Ministry of Interior estimated that there were 2,700 to 3,000 underage camel jockeys in the UAE and used that figure in their service contract with UNICEF. With only 1,073 children identified to date, and no new children having been identified in over a month, it appears that the final number of child camel jockeys repatriated from the UAE will be far less than half of the UAEG's original estimates. When queried about the disparity, Col. Al Seyyar responded that the original estimate was based on a visual estimate of all the children located at a given location and then extrapolated to the country as a whole. However, once the identification and repatriation process began it was discovered that many of the children at any given location were actually either family members of other employees, or siblings of jockeys. When the use of underage jockeys was outlawed, it is conjectured that the family members simply left and returned home on their own. ¶4. (SBU) The UNICEF representative in Abu Dhabi, Buthayna Al Khatib, surmises that the original estimates were hastily done to make sure that shelters were opened as quickly as possible. She also said that the camel jockey numbers were likely overestimated as a way to make sure that sufficient resources were set aside to care for all the children who would be eventually located. She noted that UNICEF is fairly certain that there will be few additional children located in the UAE, and that the 1,073 children who have received treatment at the social support centers will be close to the final total. Gulf News, an English language daily, reported on November 21 that Rima Salah, Deputy Executive Director and Assistant Secretary General at UNICEF, stated during a recent visit to the UAE that UNICEF was "satisfied and happy" with the UAEG efforts to repatriate and re-integrate the child camel jockeys. ¶5. (SBU) Comment: On November 22, Pol Chief received a message from Ansar Burney claiming that children were seen training camels in the late evening and early morning hours in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, and Umm al Quwain. Several UAEG and NGO contacts question the credibility of these rumors, but promise to investigate further. Post continues to closely monitor all reports. Indications are that the problem is being addressed and that the UAEG is committed to abolishing the practice. End Comment. SISON