US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI507

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UAE INTERIOR MINISTER COMMITTED TO CAMEL JOCKEY SOLUTION

Identifier: 05ABUDHABI507
Wikileaks: View 05ABUDHABI507 at Wikileaks.org
Origin: Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created: 2005-02-02 13:24:00
Classification: CONFIDENTIAL
Tags: PHUM TC
Redacted: This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.
null
Diana T Fritz  12/06/2006 03:02:19 PM  From  DB/Inbox:  Search Results

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
C O N F I D E N T I A L        ABU DHABI 00507

SIPDIS
CXABU:
    ACTION: AMB
    INFO:   POL ECON DCM

DISSEMINATION: AMB
CHARGE: PROG

APPROVED: AMB:MJSISON
DRAFTED: ECON:AECURTIS
CLEARED: POL:SRADDANT, DCM:RALBRIGHT

VZCZCADI644
PP RUEHC RUEHZM RUEHKA RUEHIL RUEHNE RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #0507 0331324
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 021324Z FEB 05
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7987
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 0207
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1340
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1234
RUEHDE/AMCONSUL DUBAI 4794
C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 000507 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR G/TIP, INL, DRL, NEA/RA, NEA/ARPI, PASS TO USTR 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/02/2015 
TAGS: PHUM, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE INTERIOR MINISTER COMMITTED TO CAMEL JOCKEY 
SOLUTION 
 
 
Classified By: (U)  Classified by Ambassador Michele J. Sison for reaso 
ns 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
 1. (C) Interior Minister Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al-Nahyan 
told the Ambassador on February 1 that he is committed to 
solving the problem of underage foreign boys being trafficked 
to the UAE as camel jockeys.  He said that the October HBO 
report on child camel jockeys in the UAE had affected him 
greatly, and he appreciated former Secretary Powell,s 
acknowledgement that the UAEG is working to eliminate the 
problem. 
 
2.  (C) Sheikh Saif said that there are two problems that 
need to be addressed ) halting the flow of trafficked 
children into the UAE, and repatriating those children 
already here.  Sheikh Saif noted that most of the children 
enter the country on fake documents, and that many are 
abandoned by family members who leave in search of work 
elsewhere.  He regards the trafficking of children into the 
country in large part as a problem of the source countries 
(where forged documents are easily obtained, and where the 
socioeconomic situation in the home countries is so poor that 
mothers are willing to abandon their children).  He believed 
that the countries involved are moving in a positive 
direction.  Regarding the second problem ) repatriation * 
Sheikh Saif said he hopes the UAE,s financing of 
resettlement sites in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India will 
facilitate the children,s return to their home countries. 
(Note: The Ministry of Interior has sent representatives to 
Pakistan and Bangladesh on a regular basis to develop 
relationships with local NGOs that could provide shelter 
services for repatriated former camel jockeys.) 
 
3.  (C) Sheikh Saif acknowledged that track owners have a 
stake in maintaining the status quo, and that as businessmen, 
they do not want the UAEG to force them to employ only 
jockeys who are eighteen or older.  However, the UAEG is 
committed to halting the use of children as jockeys, and 
Sheikh Saif said that the UAEG will implement &big changes8 
this year.  (Note: He did not specify what these changes 
would be or how they would be implemented.) 
 
Sison 
SISON 

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