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RE: [RC] Report from UN on the camel jockey issue - Chastain, Shannon L.

I am behind you too, I have not seen the program but I have looked at articles 
on the web. I am not a member of AERC yet just a newbie this year but I will do 
what I can to help this cause.
Shannon

-----Original Message-----
From: ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ridecamp-owner@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of jbass@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Saturday, November 06, 2004 3:38 AM
To: Howard Bramhall; ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [RC] Report from UN on the camel jockey issue


On Fri, 05 Nov 2004 20:31:50 -0500
 "Howard Bramhall" <howard9732@xxxxxxx> wrote:
*This message was scanned for all current viruses and is 
certified clean*

Howard, Don't back off. People like you do make a 
difference. There are others who are behind you 100%.
They are the ones that saw the program. It is difficult 
for some to realize what is going on. Of course they can 
just search "camel jockeys" and see for themselves.
Good work Howard.

John Bass


I'm going to respond on this topic and then I will try 
my best to shut up about it for awhile.  I realize that I 
have spoken more than anyone else on this and, well, if 
it helps any, I'll try and apologize for that.  I'm the 
unfortunate soul who seemed to be the first one to see 
this show on HBO and discuss it.  I've done further 
research since then, watched the show 3 more times, 
written about the topic hoping to get a discussion going 
on, and contacted our State Department, via email and 
phone calls.  I even spoke with the State Department 
representative who covers the UAE and Qatar.

I'm not a tree hugger.  I don't try to save whales or 
other endangered species.  I kind of keep to myself, even 
though I do talk a lot on the Internet but, my only real 
passion is my horses, my dogs and my family.  If I saw a 
crime committed I probably wouldn't be the first one to 
call the police.  I've had some bad experiences with the 
police so, my way would be to get my wife or someone else 
to make the call.  I have problems dealing with authority 
figures.  I have no idea how I survived 20 years in the 
Air Force because it's a problem I've had all my life.  I 
do see a therapist. Part of my Air Force retirement 
benefits pay for it, and, it seems to help me more than 
not.  I'm certainly not a leader nor am I a follower.  I 
kind of go my own way in life.

I write more than I should on the Internet, I can't 
really tell you why I do this except to say it's most 
likely connected to my therapy.  I would never run for 
any kind of political office, it's not the reason I write 
on Ridecamp or this site.  I have way too many skeletons 
in my closet for such a thing and, because I can't seem 
to keep my mouth shut, that closet is wide open for all 
to see.

I mention all of this because I can't think of anything 
recently that has ever motivated me as much as this camel 
jockey slavery taking place in the UAE.  The fact that 
these kids are so young, that their lives are so 
miserable, has upset me to such an extent that it has 
made me want to actually go out and do something about 
it. Action is most definitely required here. And, it 
wasn't just the show, like I said, I did further research 
on this subject and found it to be not only true, but, 
something that has been going on for quite sometime.  How 
did we not know about this?

I used to be naive enough to have thought that slavery 
was eradicated in this world of ours long ago.  Yes, I 
realize there are exceptions, but I really thought they 
were not true "slavery" situations, more like Mafia run 
enterprises or a few events happening in remote regions 
of AFrica.  I never thought, for a moment, that the UAE 
was involved in the slave traffic of young children, 
boys, to be specific.  Age 3 to 9.  Sometimes, they 
abduct babies waiting for them to become old enough to 
put on a camel.

After seeing the show, doing research on the Internet, 
and speaking with our State Department representative who 
covers that area of the world (UAE/Qatar) I am quite 
convinced that this is happening.  That it is directly 
connected to the Sheihks who run the UAE.  For those of 
you who
don't know, Emirates is another word for 
Sultan/Prince/Sheikh.  It means a country run by kings. 
The head Sheik of the UAE, their president, is an 
endurance rider.  So is Sheikh Mohammed, head of Defense, 
who is the number one International endurance sponsor 
from this country.  We do business with them through FEI 
endurance riding (they pay for our elite riders to ride 
in their country) and through the Emirates (please, pay 
attention to that word) Endurance Village from whom we've 
accepted money, which is directly run by these Sheikhs.

This Village is not some sort of independent enterprise 
detached from the Sheikhs.  The Sheikhs developed plans 
for the village, they paid for the village and this 
village would not exist if not for them.  Please, don't 
delude yourselves into thinking this VIllage is not part 
of the Sheikh's holdings or is somehow not connected to 
them.  That is not the case.  Like I said, look at the 
name. "Emirates" Village.  They drew up the plans, paid 
for the construction and approved it's existence.  They 
own the place.

I hate to keep repeating myself but I really have to ask 
how on earth can anyone associated with AERC even 
contemplate continuing to do business with these slave 
traders?  Why are only a few of us totally outraged over 
all of this?  Have we completely lost touch with reality 
here?  What is right, what is wrong?  Is it really all 
just about money and as long as money is involved, we 
will actually look the other way here?  I just cannot 
believe that.  I refuse to believe that.

Please, look at this seriously.  It's incredible to me 
that there are those in our organization who are willing 
to overlook this type of criminal activity. To go along 
with it or to look the other way. To continue doing 
business as usual, as if these young boys don't matter or 
don't exist.  I hope to meet some of you face to face, 
sometime soon, who feel that we should continue doing 
business with these criminals.  I want you to explain to 
me, in person, your rationale here.  I just don't get it.

cya,
Howard


   Please find attached a link to the United Nations 
Commission on Human
Rights
   Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of 
Human Rights
   Working Group on Contemporary Forms of Slavery dated 
July, 2004.

   http://www.antislavery.org/archive/submission/submission2004-UAE.htm


   This report states that the UAE has ratified the 
United Nations
Convention on the Rights of the Child, however the 
practice is on-going.
Although illegal, this documents states that the 
practice continues in the
UAE.  Please read this report and form your own opinion.



   _____________________________
   Cathy Grimes
   Cell:  303-589-4441
   Voice:  303-755-6267
   Fax:  303-745-3515



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Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp
Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp

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