The monarchy of Qatar has decided to stop using indentured child servants in camel races.

DOHA (AFP) - Qatar said it was banning the use of children as jockeys in camel races, a favorite sport in the oil-rich Gulf region that has been widely criticised over the use of children brought from southern Asia.

Why now?

Because they have robot jockeys, and don’t need the children any more.

The move, announced after a cabinet meeting, follows an announcement by Doha that it was preparing to substitute robots for jockeys from next year.

The cabinet “agreed to take the required measures to ban the bringing, hiring and training of children in camel races,” said a statement carried by the official QNA news agency.

It did not specify the age under which children would be excluded from the sport, but a Qatari official said earlier this year that a bill was being drafted that would ban hiring people under 18.

The president of the organizing committee of camel races in the gas-rich Gulf Arab state, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Faisal al-Thani, hailed the government’s move as “a sound decision … especially as we are in the last phase of readying the robot-jockey.”

The decision was in line with “Qatar’s moves to entrench a culture of human rights,” he told AFP.

“Plus,” added Sheikh al-Thani, “the robots don’t need to be fed, and don’t cry for their mothers.”

UPDATE at 12/29/04 6:12:44 pm:

At Middle East Online, more info on Qatar’s robotic camel jockeys: Qatar to use robots in camel races. (Hat tip: theparson.)