August 19, 2004

Monkeys go ape in Kassala

Due to the cutting down of trees that have been the sole source of food for the monkeys, they have begun moving into the city of Kassala, to attack grocery stores and bakeries.


As reported in Al-Anbaa newspaper, "Hordes of monkeys are running wild." "The monkeys launch 'organized attacks which last several hours'. They are on the rampage in two suburbs, according to the August 19 report.



One resident, Salah Osman al-Khedr, said that they would break into homes and break kitchen utensils and snatch food from children.

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April 2, 2004

Children travelling abroad tightly scrutinized

In a March 2006 report submitted to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, it was reported that in April 2004, the Sudanese Minister for Internal Affairs stated that children must travel in accordance with the laws and regulations in force and that children must be prevented from travelling to take up work in camel racing.

Special efforts were made to carefully screen travellers with children, especially if they were going to an Arab country, and if the passport holders were from a tribe known for camel racing [presumably Beja and Rashaida [Rashayidah] tribes.]

Technological advances have eliminated the need for actual children to act as jockeys, so the situation has changed significantly since 2005.

Camel racing is big business in the gulf countries such as Qatar and United Arab Emirates. Purses can run up to $190,000 per race. They may take place at weddings or other celebrations. Races may be 15 km long, and camels can run at about 50 km [30 miles] per hour. The smaller the jockey, the less weight the camel needs to carry, the faster it can run. Thousands of children have been brought into these countries to be camel jockeys.

Living conditions for child jockeys are poor. They may be underfed, so they remain small, but this can delay their mental and physical development. Hosts might not provide education, and not pay wages owed. Children may be beaten or sexually abused.

Camel racing is an ancient sport but only since the 1980's has it really grown. But public pressure has caused host countries to reduce their exploitation of children. The introduction of robot jockeys in 2004-2006 has essentially eliminated the need for child jockeys. In 2005 hundreds of children were repaitriated to countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sudan with the assistance of the United Nations. Sudanese racers came mostly from the Rashaida tribe, since they have connections in Arabian countries. Historically, the Rashaida people immigrated from Saudi Arabia in the 1800's. They are nomadic like the Beja, but they acknowledge the Beja's prior claim to the land in the Red Sea Hills. Using traditional rules, they offer a token payment to Beja tribes for using their land.

In June 2005, workshops were held in Kassala to help government officials to reintegrate children who were returning from the Emirates. Unicef records show that over 1,000 camel racing children were repatriated to all countries from the UAE. The UAE implemented a law in July 2005 that made child jockeys illegal. Rashaida tribe members successfully reunited returning children with their families.


http://www.unicef.org/french/infobycountry/files/StartingOver.pdf
http://tinyurl.com/39p44d

January 1, 2004

HIV/AIDS among people in East Sudan

picture
A trainer uses a video in the programme on awareness, education and
prevention of HIV/AIDS.

Sudanese government programmes of public education have only been active
since about 2002. Help from other nations such as the UK have provided
funds to support NGOs to teach people readily at risk [truck drivers and
prostitutes, for instance.] Groups such as the army, and police are
interested in learning. Interest in learning has been growing, though
there remains much ignorance about AIDS.
Muslim religious leaders [imams] are key people for influencing the
community and have identified a conundrum regarding the distribution of
condoms. If they aren't given out, men who have illicit sex may pass the
disease on, and if they are given out, the donors may be assumed to
approve of the illicit sexual behaviour.

Read more:
http://www.ockenden.org.uk/index.asp?id=1544

UPDATE:


IRIN News in January 2008 published an article describing the
impact of HIV?AIDS on truckers and "tea-sellers."
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76141

UPDATE: January 2008. Description of efforts to support people living with Aids in Red Sea State
http://www.plusnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=76315