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I also viewed this program.  I think they said that the UAE instituted 
a law in 2002, the program said, that jockeys must be 15 years old and 
100 lbs, which they tout to outsiders, and apparently completely 
disregard in practice.  They bar all photography of the races, though 
hidden cameras were used to get the HBO footage, though some of it was 
taken before they barred photography.

Many photos were shown of Sheik Mohammed, as the primary underwriter of 
the camel racing.  And that it's not just one of the Emirates.  They 
showed the camel training facilities--luxurious accomodations, 
treadmills, swimming pools, vets--and the human side living in hovels, 
beaten, raped, and mentally abused.

The program profiled the actions of a courageous Pakistani couple who 
kidnap and evacuate these camel jockeys from the primitive training 
camps back to their home countries of Bangladesh and Pakistan.  
Heartbreaking is that many of the boys were too young when sold to know 
who their parents are or what village they're from.

I can't understand why they can't just abide by their own law, and have 
a level playing field--100 lbs and 15 years old.  Cultural condition or 
not--to me it's more heinous than the mare tripping that went on in the 
charreadas until barred by laws, because it's human trafficking.

I await the UAE's response and hope that they are willing to view their 
actions through the world's eyes, and see how this represents them as 
anachronistic barbarians, and perhaps perceive how civilized folk want 
nothing to do with slave nations.  Our competitors headed for Dubai 
have an immense moral choice to make...

Lynne

On Oct 20, 2004, at 10:01 AM, Howard Bramhall wrote:

> There is a direct Sultan of Swing connection here, including the 
> endurance King of Kings, ole Mr. Mohammed.  Next time one of you 
> International endurance riders go over there you may want to ask him 
> about all of this.  Or, better yet, refuse to participate in anything 
> that they sponsor until they come to grips with the rest of the 
> civilized world and realize this is incredibly upsetting to anyone who 
> has a sense of human decency inside their soul.
>
> I realize that this is some sort of clash of civilizations and that 
> their world, one where money and power, together, control everything 
> and they, these Sultans, literally can do anything in that world 
> (theirs) that they wish.  We must let them know this is unacceptable 
> and that if it continues we will cut the cord completely. This cord 
> never should have been there in the first place. Otherwise, if we do 
> not, we are as guilty of the crimes committed as they.
>
> Tevis, start with getting rid of their sponsorship.  Do it now and 
> tell them why you are doing this.
>
> International endurance riders:  Stop going over there.  Tell them 
> why, do it now, and, get your fellow competitors to join with you in 
> this cause.  Aussies, I?m counting on you, also.
>
> Backyard endurance riders, like myself (I?m not even worthy of that 
> title), seek and find  the top riders at the next endurance ride you 
> attend.  Have the nerve, the courage, to bring up this subject if the 
> person you are speaking with has participated over there in the UAE.  
> Let them know that you know about all of this and you want to know 
> what they think about what is going on.  This will take courage on 
> your part.  Watch that HBO show and you will find the nerve to go up 
> to someone like my gal, Val, or anyone else who rides over there, and 
> talk about the camel jockey young boy slave trade.
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> Ride Long and Ride Safe!!
>
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