US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI4903

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