The enslaved children of Dubai's jockey club

international | rights, freedoms and repression | other press

Thursday September 13, 2007 16:55

by percy fawcett

A year ago those whose interest in the slave trade goes no further than ending it, found their representative and publicity interests well served by a case which emerged in the small state of Dubai. Investigative work by a US based human rights agency found that children had been imported to Dubai by the number 2 of that state under a variety of pretexts most of which were false. Instead the boys were kept in a malnourished state so that they could serve as jockeys in the hippodromes and race courses of that land. Dubai owes both its sovreignity and dynastic style to the British Empire. The current ruler overthrew his Sandhurst educated father to oversee a new Dubai strategy tackling the realities of "peak oil" and the potential dwindling of the state's income.

The strategy saw the largest construction site in recent history opened as Dubai created a waterpark in the desert and ever more weirdly designed artificial islands with luxury hotels. The largest migrant work force engaged in construction is employed in appalling conditions with next to minimal rights in the state of Dubai.

It is estimated that as many as 10,000 children have been trafficked as slaves through the state. The autocratic English educated ruler of the state pressured the White House with personal letters to George Bush,which for some was reason enough for the first class action law suit taken in the USA against Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum floundered amidst concerns for inteference in the internal affairs of an Arabian peninsula partner in the war on terror.

Incidently the vice president of the USA, Mr Cheney's corporation Halliburton had relocated from Texas to Dubai.

The next case against the Sheikh will be heard in Kentucky where he as considerable business interests. Kentucky begins with a K. Put it together yourself.

The latest news on the slave trade -
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6992675.stm

backround info on the last case's collapse-
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6053232.stm

how the BBC reported the first accusations
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/5346430.stm

Additional coverage of both slavery and enslaved workers in the Arabian peninsula will follow in the comments.

Comments (1 of 1)

Not so, this is a shakedown

by Garth

Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:13

"Additional coverage of both slavery and enslaved workers in the Arabian peninsula will follow in the comments".

Yes, I have been waiting some days now for the next installment of your Crusade. Where is it?

The above case is a con-job, with some money-grabbing Americans trying to shake down the al Maktoums for money.

The al Maktoums, who have several stud farms in Ireland are known for their extremely good treatment of both their animals and staff. Their stables in Kildare and Dublin are like palaces, and that is just where the animals live! The same goes for Dubai. Young boys see a job with the al Maktoums as the greatest of achievements. If you get a job with them they never make you redundant or unemployed. This is their way. You are part of their family.

The same cannot be said for some private companies in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where US contracts fund the wholesale abuse of migrant labour by US allies.

To restate, the al-Maktoums treat their workers extremely well. This lawsuit on beholf of 'un-named' litigants is simply a shakedown. Could people please try to suspend their judgement until this sham is revealed for what it is.