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Camel race

31 August 2004, 18:00 PM
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
By Julius Valentine Gomes, BBA, BRAC University
31 August 2004, 18:00 PM
Camel race in the UAE is the most dreadful sporting event of the world. Poor and underprivileged young children, stolen mainly from the countries of the subcontinent, including Bangladesh, are forced to be the jockeys of this appalling race. These camel races are the most popular events in the UAE. The country has more than two million camels. The races take place in every winter on various tracks throughout the UAE. Camel owners are continuously encouraged by powerful local rich people with financial motivation, exclusive prizes like luxury cars, mansions, yachts, cash money and so on. One of the major events, the Zayed Grand race, takes place at Al Wathba racetrack, a large 10km track about 45km away from Abu Dhabi city. The other major races are also held at the Nad Al Sheba in Dubai.

The jockeys are usually 2-7 years old children, chosen for their lightweight. The beginning of the races marks a festive season for the UAE people which is usually accompanied by traditional music and singing to the Arabian drum beats. Children are usually kidnapped from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan for the camel racing syndicate in the UAE. Camels are valuable assets worth millions of dollars, but the children are viewed as cheap and expendable!

The tradition of camel racing in the UAE is hundreds of years old but the sadistic and deliberate choice of innocent children as jockeys is a recent practice starting from the early 70's.

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UNICEF believes that the protection of children is crucial to their survival, health, and well being. Unfortunately, millions of children, especially in our sub-continent and Middle East region, are exploited and abused. Every day, they are bought and sold, imported and exported like other commodities. Therefore, the international human rights protecting and law-making organisations and defenders of such laws need to be more active to catch the criminals who are associated with child kidnapping.