• Six Pakistanis murder; Macedonia contacted Interpol for the arrest of former Minister
• Skeleton of Khalid found on Oman's mountains
• Polish Foreign Spokesman phoned to Ansar Burney
• A 12 YEARS OLD GIRL UNDER ATTACK IN QUETTA
• Injustices With Women’s – Woman Legs amputated in Pakistan
• Race to break camel slavery
• People in Need

Six Pakistanis murder; Macedonia contacted Interpol for the arrest of former Minister:
Arab-Times; 28 June 2004

SKOPJE, June 28: The Macedonian Ministry of Interior has contacted the ‘Interpol Police’ for the early arrest of it’s former Interior Minister, Ljube Boskovski, who was involved in the brutal murder of six Pakistanis and one Indian, in March 2002 and after the arrest of two police Generals in April this year, he managed to ran away to Croatia.

The Secretary Macedonian Ministry of Interior, Trajce Sekerovski and Director General of Police in the Interior Ministry, General Branko Bojcevski, assured this to world-renowned human rights leader Ansar Burney, Advocate in a meeting here in the Ministry Interior.

“Interior Ministry has recently contacted the Interpol for the arrest of former Interior Minister, Ljube Boskovski, from Croatia and we are waiting for their reply in this regard.” informed General Branko Bojcevski to ‘human rights lawyer’ Ansar Burney here in Skopje.

“The Macedonian government feels sorry, what happened to seven innocents, six of them Pakistanis and one Indian, who lost their precious lives for a crime they had never committed.” General Branko added.

During meeting with Ansar Burney, in the Interior Ministry the representative from the European Commission also came to attend it specially.

The Interior Ministry high-ups during meeting informed Ansar Burney, Advocate the Chairman of Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International and Prisoners Aid Society that the Ministry have 100% evidences against the arrested accused persons and former Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski. “This was a ill minded crime that was committed by Ljube Boskovski”. Police General added.

They assured justice with the ill minded criminals who committed a heinous crime in March 2002 in that seven innocents lost their precious lives.

Ansar Burney requested the Ministry to allow the family members of six Pakistanis to visit Macedonia so that they could see the place where this heinous crime took place to pray for Peace for the souls of their children.

“The Ministry has no-objection if one of the each family member of six Pakistanis, on the expenses of Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, would like to visit Skopje to see the place where their children lost their innocent lives”. Ministry of Interior assured Ansar Burney.

Ansar Burney when asked how and why Macedonian government allowed former Interior Minister to ran away after holding a press conference; Ministry’s high officials failed to reply satisfactory answer to Mr Burney.

Even the Macedonian Attorney General Aleksandar Prcevski and Mrs. Snezana Mojsova, director of a sector in the Ministry of Justice, failed to reply satisfactory answer to Ansar Burney, Advocate as how the main accused ran away to Croatia.

They assured ‘human rights Angel’ Ansar Burney that the investigation has to be completed soon and they have 100% evidences against accused killers of humanity to prove them guilty in the court of law. They assured full justice in the matter.

Skeleton of Khalid found on Oman's mountains:
Pak Media 11 June 2004

KARACHI, June 11: The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International is in search of a family of one Khalid Hayat whose skeleton was found from the Oman’s mountains in UAE.

Renowned human rights activist and Chairman of the Trust Ansar Burney, Advocate who visited UAE and arrives back home on Friday in search of the family of Khalid said that the skeleton of Khalid Hayat son of Khan Mohammad was found from the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah (UAE) adjacent to Oman (Muscat) mountains. He was recognized only because of traveling documents found nearby to his body.

He said that all the arrangements have been completed to bring the body of Khalid back to home and it will arrive Pakistan within the next two days, but the Trust is not aware about his relatives and now Ansar Burney Trust started their search to hand them the body for burial.

He said any one having knowledge of Khalid’s family in Pakistan could contact to Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International at 6 Hassan Manzil, Arambagh Road, Karachi. Phone (021) 2626274, 2628719, 2623382 Mobile 0300-8243459.

Burney said that Khalid was the economic migrant entered via Oman’s mountains and died in miserable condition on the high mountains because of hunger and thirst later his body’s skeleton was found by the UAE police from the mountain boarders.

“According to traveling documents the address mentioned in the passport is Dera Baghoka, Miana Gondal, Phalia, Mandi-Bahauddin, Punjab”. Ansar Burney said.

“Dozens of dead bodies and skeletons are still lying on the mountains of Oman in Muscat”. Ansar Burney added.

He said on Thursday morning the body of another Pakistani Mohammad Safeer, 25, came to Islamabad for burial that died of excessive bleeding from gunshot wounds. The body of Mohammad Safeer, who was shot at by the Coastguards on Ras Al Khaimah mountains on May 22 while trying to enter UAE illegally, was came to Pakistan on Thursday morning.

Ansar Burney said that in another case, the decomposed body of Afzal Hussain, 30, from Parachinar, was found in UAE on the mountains adjacent to Oman, few weeks ago and was brought to Pakistan for burial.

Polish Foreign Spokesman phoned to Ansar Burney:
24 March 2004

KARACHI, March 24: The Polish Foreign spokesman Miesky from Warsaw, phoned to renowned human and civil rights activist Ansar Burney, Advocate on Wednesday, and on behalf of Polish Foreign Minister, informed him that Polish police has released two Pakistanis arrested on terrorism charges on Sunday.

The very in-time intervention of Pakistan’s human rights organization Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International has saved two innocent Pakistanis from facing terrorism charges in Poland.

After came to know on Monday, March 22, about the arrest of two innocent Pakistanis in Poland, the ‘human rights Angel’ Ansar Burney, Advocate immediately contacted Polish Foreign Minister W£ODZIMIERZ CIMOSZEWICZ and Interior Minister JÓZEF OLEKSY respectively and requested for the release of innocents in the greater interest of human rights.

On Wednesday the Polish spokesman phoned to Ansar Burney and informed him that two Pakistanis had been released.

A 12 YEARS OLD GIRL UNDER ATTACK IN QUETTA
PakMedia; 27th Feb 2004

KARACHI, Feb 27: The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International has announced to pay Rupees 10,000 (Ten Thousands) to the parents of an innocent girl to save her life. A 12 years old girl in Quetta, Baluchistan was going to be married in a week with a 50 years old person.

Fatima D/O Saalim Wardak is an innocent girl and she was going to be married in a week with a 50 years old person because his father has borrowed Rupees 10,000 (only190 US Dollars), her father or family don't have money to return the loan so the person is taking that 12 years Fatima instead of the money.

Renowned 'human rights Angel' Ansar Burney, Advocate on Friday announced to pay 10,000 Rupees to the unfortunate family to save the life of an innocent only 12 years old girl.

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Pakistan’s renowned women rights activist and Vice Chairperson of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, Mrs Shaheen Burney, has requested for the attention of President General Parvez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zaffarullah Khan Jamali towards the inhuman and cruel treatment of the male dominating society on women in Pakistan. She sent a letter to President and Prime Minister in this regard.

“There are so many instances of cruelty towards females in Pakistan” Mrs. Burney said.

Shaheen Burney said with sorrow and grief that on Saturday 7th of February, in a village nearby Sargodha, both legs of an innocent married woman were amputated by her brother-in-law in the name of honour (Karo-Kari).

”Her bother-in-law, Farman Ali, with the support of his friend roped innocent Musarat Sultana of Chak 75-NB, whose husband Ehsan lives abroad, on a chorpoy (bed) before carrying out the amputation of her both legs”, Shaheen Burney added.

Shaheen Burney said that our society has become so deaf and dumb and even senseless, that have no respect of humanity and human rights as Ms Musarrat Sultana, screamed and shouted for help, cried like any thing, but no one came to help her on her hue and cry.

The accused, Farman Ali was arrested in the evening. He alleged that Sultana had illicit relations with a villager; but according to the victim Ms Musarrat Sultana, who was admitted to the DHQ Hospital, Sargodha, the attack occurred because the accused wanted to marry her sister. And when she rejected the proposal, Farman Ali and his mother took it as an insult and amputated her both legs.

Shaheen Burney demanded the authorities to punish those responsible and bring justice to the innocent woman.

The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International also demanded the attention of the President and Prime Minister on another shocking incident of shame – the marriage on a sixty years old man with only four years old girl in Dera Ghazi Khan.

According to the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, the Nikah registrar Qadir Bux recited the Nikah of bridegroom Muhammad Asghar, 60, with Hasina, 4, in January 2004.

The innocent little girl was wedded to a 60-year-old man in exchange for her father, Nazar Hussain’s 2nd marriage. The Nikah registrar Qadir Bux and father of the girl Nazar Hussain had showed the age of Hasina as 16 years, while she was actually only four year old.

“The mother of 4 years old Hasina, Mst Aisha Mai, has two daughters. Her husband had sought her permission for a second marriage so that he could have a male baby. But Aisha Mai refused to do so. Upon this he become angry and kicked her out of their home. However, he kept her minor daughters in his custody. Later in exchange of his 4 years old daughter with a sixty years old man he managed to have a girl for his second marriage”, Shaheen Burney added.

Shaheen Burney said that in January another heinous crime was committed - a seven-year-old girl, Aziza Bi Bi, was wedded to a 40 years old man in Baluchistan.

She asked victimized ‘daughters of EVE’ to contact Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International at 6 Hassan Manzil, Arambagh Road, Karachi, Pakistan. Phone: (021) 2626275, 2628719, 2623382 Mobile: 0300-8243459. Website: http://www.ansarburney.org

Mrs. Burney requested the government’s most urgent attention into these matters and other such cruelties towards women in Pakistan; and vowed to continue fighting for women’s rights even of several life threats.

Kidnapped or bought from their poverty-stricken parents in Pakistan or Bangladesh, children as young as three are being smuggled into the Gulf states to take part in the lucrative sport of camel racing.

While the youngsters are bought for as little as £50, their valuable steeds can cost up to £300,000. The animals are pampered while the child jockeys, who can earn their owners thousand of pounds in a single race, are starved to keep their weight down, beaten and often sexually abused.

The full picture of cruelty to children in the oil-rich Gulf region is only now emerging in the wake of the decision by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to implement a law it has long ignored.

From the beginning of last month the Emirates Camel Racing Federation has agreed to respect legislation, first introduced in 1993, banning the use of jockeys aged under 15 or weighing less than 45 kg. Offenders face huge fines or imprisonment.

But camel racing is big business in the region and charities working to rescue the children and reunite them with their parents claim thousands of underage jockeys are still being held in racing camps.

Charity workers, who have been given unprecedented access to the camps, fear the illegal trade will not be eradicated because of the promise of rich pickings for the criminal gangs who buy or kidnap the children and sell them on to the camel owners for up to £16,000.

Although the owners of camel stables have been told to repatriate the children, it is estimated that as many as 2,000 are still being kept in the racing camps.

‘Their bodies are just buried out in the desert in unmarked graves’


Ansar Burney, of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust in the southern Pakistani city of Karachi, a charity working to free the child jockeys, said: "These children are purposely underfed so that their weights are kept down.

"The food they’re given in the camps is dirty and unhygienic, worse than the food given to the racing camels. They have to feed the camels, but are beaten if they try to eat the animals’ food.

"They sleep in hot, crowded huts made from corrugated irons sheets. It’s boiling hot out in the desert yet they have to train twice or three times a day. It’s hard and painful work and, after a while, the boys have permanent damage to their sexual organs from bouncing up and down on the camels.

"During training and in races, they often fall down and are badly injured or crushed to death. Because it’s illegal to keep underage jockeys, they never receive medical treatment and some of them die very painful deaths. Their bodies are just buried out in the desert in unmarked graves."

Seven-year old Mustafa is one of the children rescued by Burney from a camel jockey camp. After searching for his parents for more than six months, he was finally handed back to his family in Pakistan’s Punjab province last week.

"I was playing outside my friend’s house when I was taken away," said Mustafa. "I was sleeping with other children in a very hot shed made of iron. We were only given food once a day. A lot of the children had blood coming out of their noses."

From his personal visits and from the testimonies of children like Mustafa, Burney has been able to build up a disturbing picture of life in the camps.

"The children are made to train on the camels for periods lasting up to three or four hours," he said. "Even when the temperatures reach 50°C or above, they have to wear heavy, metal helmets. Most of them are boys but there are also some girls. It’s clear that many of them, boys and girls, are sexually abused by the men running the camps."

The children are attached to the camels’ back with Velcro fastenings but so rough is the ride that many of them fall off. One of the ‘advantages’ of using children as jockeys is that their terrified cries make the camels run even faster.

Like Mustafa, many of the child jockeys have been kidnapped from their villages in countries such as Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Some have been bought from impoverished families by agents. Others are lured from home with promises to their families that they will be employed as domestic servants in cities in their own countries.

In one recent case, a woman posing as the mother of three boys and two girls aged between three and seven, was arrested at Islamabad airport in Pakistan. The children were allegedly being taken to Dubai to serve as camel jockeys.

The International Organisation of Migration (IoM), a United Nations body that has been asked to take up the issue following the UAE’s decision to implement the law, has greeted the move as "an important step".

However, Shahidul Haque, the IoM’s chief of mission in Bangladesh, admits that reuniting the children with their families is a difficult task.

"Many of these children were trafficked at a very early age - perhaps between two and five - and often cannot recognise their parents. Some can no longer even speak their mother tongue," he said.

Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al Nahyan, the UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs and chairman of the Emirates Camel Racing Federation, has requested the owners of camel racing stables to repatriate child jockeys. He said those who failed to do so would be fined or imprisoned.

The Geneva-based IOM has said the UAE authorities appear to be "serious" in implementing the ban on child jockeys but has added that the "demand and supply" aspects of the business also need to be addressed.