Western Resistance: Bangladesh: 58 Child Camel Jockeys Still Not Returned

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October 11, 2005

Bangladesh: 58 Child Camel Jockeys Still Not Returned

We brought you back in August the story of child camel jockeys who were being returned to their parents from the United Arab Emirates. A total of 225 Bangladeshi children were used in this cruel and dangerous "sport", but so far 58 children have not been reunited with their families.

The society Bangladesh Jatiya Mohila Ainjibi Samity (BJMAS) has been managing the returns. So far 11 groups of children were returned from UAE in the past one and a half months, with the intervention of Bangladesh's Foreign Ministry.

BJMAS, according to the Bangladesh Independent has handed over 157 of these children to their parents and legal guardians, and has also rooted out some "fake parents". The 58 children have not been returned, though they are in Bangladesh, because of "legal complexity".

A further 300 children are still in the United Arab Emirates, and Unicef was assisting Bangladeshi and UAE officials to arrange their repatriation.

In May last, the UAE government banned camel racing with the use of underaged jockeys - that is, children under the age of 16. Most of these children received little or no pay, had no access to education, were starved before races to keep their weight down and were separated from their families.

Under UAE law, no child or adult who has been involved in camel racing is allowed to remain.

Posted by Giraldus Cambrensis at October 11, 2005 2:40 AM