Dubai, Dec. 22nd, 2006 (WAM) -- The leading internationalhuman and civil rights group Ansar Burney Trust has expressedhis thanks and gratitude to H.H Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyanthe President of the United Arab Emirates, H.H Sheikh Mohammedbin Rashid Al-Maktoum Vice President and Prime Minister andRuler of Dubai and General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-NahyanCrown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of theUAE Armed Forces for their directives to search for any remainingunderage child camel jockey in the UAE.

The Chairman of the Ansar Burney Trust International and US declaredhuman rights "HERO" Ansar Burney in his statement issued here today saidthat strict rules have already been implemented to curb the use of underagechildren in camel racing such as the law that prohibits the use of childrenunder the age of 18 and under 45kg weight as jockeys and imposes penaltyand imprisonment for those who break the relevant law.

It may be recalled here that due to the hectic efforts by Ansar BurneyTrust International and kind cooperation of the leadership of UAE , thegovernment initiated and implemented effective laws and measures for curbingthe use of underage children in camel racing.

Mr. Ansar Burney has said that the 10 members team of Ansar BurneyTrustInternational, with the kind cooperation of the UAE Prime Minister andVice President HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, has already beenstarted its work in UAE in searching for the missing children if anyin UAE.

He said 1075 underage children have already been repatriated to theirrespective countries.

"An intensive search and identification of underage jockeys iscontinuing and when authentic information is received, the childrenare taken care of in accordance with the laid down policy . Theyare registered and rehabilitated accordingly with due compensation,"Ansar Burney said.

"The UNICEF has been assigned the task of compensating andrehabilitating the camel jockeys for which 8.4 US million dollarswere allocated by the Dubai Government," he added.

"HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum permitted me and the staff member of my organization to find or locate those childrenwho are missing from camel camps and to send them back to theirrespective countries with compensation located to UNICEF in thisregard," Ansar Burney added.

"I am thankful to the respective Attorneys especially Mr. JohnAndres Thornton for their support to Ansar Burney Trust in thematter of underage child camel jockeys issue but in view ofthe directives of the leaders of UAE and also allowing AnsarBurney Trust for the search and rehabilitation of such children,I request that the lawsuit filed by the respective Attorneysin USA court should be withdrawn and in my opinion it is nownull and void," Ansar Burney further said.

He said that Ansar Burney Trust International with the kind cooperationof UAE government has already started finding missing childrenand from 15th of January we will also start checking rehabilitationprocess of the rescued children, those already sent to theirrespective countries by the UNICEF.