If you say, "But we knew nothing about this,"
does not He who weighs the heart perceive it?"
- Proverbs 24:11,12
Pray for the estimated 40,000 childern who were sold into a horrific form of slavery to work as camel jockeys primarily in the countries of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.
These countries _plan_ to replace these children with Robot Jockeys. What will happen to the little children? Pray!
Since the mid-70s, small children, some only two years old, were abducted or sold by poor families in regions of Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan to be used as camel jockeys in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Despite laws to ban this horrible practice, it did not stop and currently it is estimated that there are 40,000 child victims in these countries. Prayer has been continuous for these children! Answers to prayers have resulted in more of the children being rescued, BUT it did not stop the practice. Within the last few weeks it has been formally announced that the children will no longer be used, but will be replaced by camel-jockey robots!
What then will be the plight of these children?
So that you might understand what they have been through, here is a summary developed from accurate government human rights ministries, the United Nations, and an aid worker by the name of Answer Burney, who is the one & only man who has risked his life to help the children by opening an aid center in the UAE.
1. The small boys are tied to the camels with tight ropes. Many of children die before the race is over, either from fear, being tossed by the camel, or by being dragged to death after being dislodged from the rope that is meant to hold the child in place.
2. It is not unusual for child jockeys to fall off and be injured. Their illegal status causes race track owners to be reluctant to take them to hospital. The boys often have untreated broken hands, legs, arms and hip dislocations. Lacerations are stitched by non-professional people. "Sometimes bleeding, owing to constant pressure on the back and smashing of the genitals was common and painful," said a recent report. Most of the young jockeys become impotent because of the friction and lack of medical help. Attorney Ansar Burney, the aid worker has reported that many of the boys have been sodomized.
3. Many of the children are told a story about being unwanted and being sold by their parents into slavery, just in case they were considering trying to get home.
4. The children have no one to protect them in a foreign country with no legal status away from their parents. They must exercise the camels seven days a week in such heat that even the local people take shelter. There is no choice about whether to work on the camels or not. A beating or two and a couple of days without food convince them all: There is nowhere to run.
5. The children receive no schooling and grow up without even knowing the country of their birth.
6. These children usually outlive their usefulness when they reach about seven years of age or weigh more than 33 to 37 pounds. Then being no longer useful, they are abandoned into the streets. Some are placed in prison as "illegal immigrants." In order to keep them at minimal weight, the children are given little food. Before races, it is not uncommon for them not to have any food or water for hours.
~ PRAYER AND HOPE FOR THESE CHILDREN ~
1. About two years ago, laws were passed giving jail time and fines of about $5,000 for the use of these children. But, the law was ignored. PRAY that the laws will now be enforced.
2. Attorney Ansar Burney has rescued and tried to rehabilitate a total of 318 of these boys in a center that he started in Abu Dhabi, UAE. He has commented, "We must teach these children the simplest of things and treat their multiple physical problems." The government has done little to help the center until just recently the countries leader said the UAE will give more financial support. Pray that they will fulfill this promise! It is a problem for Christians or people in other countries to adopt these children even though they want them. This is due to the Middle Eastern Islamic position not to let these children be given over to Christians or be in a "Christian country." Pray that God will open a way for Christians or other god-fearing & loving families in the Middle East to adopt these children, love them, take care them and give them hope.
3. Pray that these children will come to know the Lord who desires them to be surrounded by His grace, His love and His protection!
YOU CAN HELP ... by writing letters!!
Pray that people will write letters to the countries' ambassadors here in the U.S.A. & elsewhere to encourage their leaders to enforce the Laws to stop the abuse of these children, to support more rehabilitation centers for them, and to open ways for adoption into loving homes.
You may write to the following:
Qatar, Ambassador Badr Umar al-DAFA
4200 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20016
telephone: (202) 274-1600 and 274-1603
FAX: (202) 237-0061
Saudi Arabia, Royal Consulate General
2045 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025
telephone (310) 479-6000
Saudi Arabia, Ambassador BANDAR
601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: (202) 342-3800
United Arab Emirates, (UAE) Ambassador Asri al-DHAHIRI
3522 International Court NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: (202) 243-2400 FAX: (202) 243-2432
cheerful
intercessory