Suit claims UAE rulers enslaved boys
MIAMI - Rulers of the United Arab Emirates were accused in a lawsuit of enslaving tens of thousands of boys over three decades and forcing them to work as jockeys in the popular sport of camel racing.
The lawsuit was filed last week by unnamed parents of boys suspected of being abducted, sold and enslaved. They claim more than 30,000 boys could have been victimized and seek class-action status.
The lawsuit alleges Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the crown prince of Dubai, and Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum, the deputy ruler, were the most active perpetrators.
more after the bump
Ah yes, the Sheikh's
"a very ambitious chap":
Although government-owned Dubai Ports World diplomatically withdrew its plan after the U.S. Congress raised a stink about port security, the bid demonstrated that Sheik Mo's aims extend beyond his dream of turning his patch of desert into a futuristic global hub in the span of a generation. His Dubai Investment Group, for example, has taken a 2% stake in DaimlerChrysler AG, while other government entities gobbled up real estate like New York City's landmark Helmsley Building and won contracts worth billions to build Mediterranean spas and even a new city in Saudi Arabia.
So these are the Friends of George Bush who wanted to buy our ports. Anybody remember how offended Bush was that Americans didn't think it was a good idea?
I'm sure a fellow like the Sheikh isn't used to being served papers. In America.
The Crown Prince was served with the lawsuit Monday while buying horses in Kentucky.
The lawsuit claims the boys were taken largely from Bangladesh and Pakistan, were held at desert camps in the UAE and other Persian Gulf nations, and forced to work. It claims some boys were sexually abused, given limited food and sleep and injected with hormones to prevent their growth.
Hmm, rich powerful men who enjoy enslaving boys? Where have I heard about that before?
Oh yeah ....
Sure would like to see somebody get to the bottom of THAT story.