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Politics : Foreign Policy Discussion Thread -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (3341)	2/4/2003 9:11:28 PM
From: lorne	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 15987

OT? The more I learn about arab culture the more convinced I become that they are a very sick and backward culture, I assume they are muslim as there are not many other religions around those areas. UAE declares an end to using child camel jockeys 2 August 2002 The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) announcement to end the use of children as camel jockeys and making it a punishable offence is welcome but must be implemented. On 30 July, Head of the Camel Racing Federation, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan bin Zaid al-Nahayan, announced from 1 September, jockeys under 15 and those less than 45 kilos would be banned. Though a positive announcement, using children as jockeys has been illegal since 1980 under the UAE's Federal Labour Code. In 1993, UAE President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan banned this practice. And since the early 1990s the UAE Camel Jockey Association has had a rule stating that employing a child under the age of 14 or weighing less than 45 kilos is illegal. It is also illegal under international law. "The UAE Government's moves are a welcome step demonstrating it recognises this practice is a serious problem. But for its measures to be effective, there must be clear moves to protect children from this abuse and penalties against offenders need to be enforced, " Mary Cunneen, Director of Anti-Slavery International says. Because these laws have not been implemented the problem of child trafficking and using children as camel jockeys has openly continued. Children as young as four have been trafficked from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Africa to be used as camel jockeys. Because they are too young to hold on they are tied on to the camels. To keep them light, they are deprived of food and water before a race; they are kept in harsh conditions and treated with brutality. Child camel jockeys have been seriously injured and some have died as a result of their treatment. Because it is so dangerous for children, earlier this year the International Labour Organization called for the minimum age for camel jockeys to be 18 years. It is vital that the Government of the UAE introduce regular unannounced inspections to identify and release any child who is currently being used as a camel jockey. That anyone responsible for trafficking or employing underage jockeys is prosecuted under existing laws. And that laws are introduced, and enforced, that prohibit employing children under 18 as camel jockeys. oneworld.org Geneva, 27-31 May 2002 The trafficking of child camel jockeys to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) oneworld.org

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (3341)	2/5/2003 2:48:58 AM
From: KLP	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 15987

Washington issues grim warning on N Korea By Guy Dinmore in Washington and David Stern in Moscow Published: February 4 2003 20:21 \| Last Updated: February 4 2003 20:21 news.ft.com The Bush administration on Tuesday said North Korea was pursuing a nuclear weapons programme and conceded its record on arms proliferation was worse than Iraq's. Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state, told the Senate foreign relations committee the US was concerned that North Korea would seek to avoid economic collapse by selling nuclear fissile material to rogue states or terrorist organisations. Within several months North Korea could extract 25-30kg of plutonium - enough for four to six nuclear weapons - from the 8,000 fuel rods it has stored at the Yongbyon nuclear facility. But Mr Armitage defended US policy of using diplomacy to deal with Pyongyang while preparing for war with Baghdad. The number two official in the state department declined to describe the dispute with North Korea as a "crisis", as he came under intense questioning from Democrat senators on whether the administration had its priorities mixed up. Instead he called it a "big problem" and insisted direct talks between the US and North Korea were the way forward. But Mr Armitage also confirmed that US-based long-range bombers were on alert to move to the Pacific if needed, calling the move "prudent military planning". The alert, requested by Admiral Thomas Fargo, commander of US forces in the Pacific, was intended to address the "contingency that North Korea would in some fashion try to take advantage of our focus on Iraq", Mr Armitage said. Reflecting growing US concern over North Korea's pressure tactics, Colin Powell, secretary of state, went to New York a day ahead of schedule for talks with his Russian and Chinese counterparts. Russia attacked the US approach to North Korea, exposing a widening rift between Moscow and Washington over the issue. Moscow said it opposed any reinforcement of US forces in the Pacific and criticised Washington's plan to refer North Korea to the UN Security Council. US officials have also expressed frustration over what they see as a lack of Chinese pressure on Pyongyang. Mr Armitage conceded that North Korea was a worse proliferator than Iraq, selling missiles to Yemen, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt "and other places". The US also had "suspicions" that North Korea had spread nuclear weapons technology, indicating that Pakistan and Libya might have benefited. But Mr Armitage insisted Iraq presented a more immediate threat than North Korea and that Pyongyang's recent moves were seen by the Bush administration as an attempt to extract economic concessions and talks on a non-aggression treaty. Talks with North Korea would not happen before the new South Korean government was formed on February 25, Mr Armitage said, indicating the US first wanted the matter to be addressed by the International Atomic Energy Agency on February 12 and then by the Security Council. North Korea expelled IAEA inspectors from its Yongbyon plant in December. It announced last month it had quit the Non-Proliferation Treaty. US officials this week revealed that spy satellites had shown trucks at Yongbyon believed to be moving fuel rods out of storage. This indicated that North Korea might be preparing to start the reprocessing of plutonium.