Abandoned babies cry out for change

A reader maintains that the modern Iraqi army, highly trained and well-equipped, is key for the future stability of Iraq.

In reference to the front page news article Imam finds two babies abandoned in mosque (March 3), the sin has been committed. The result is these poor babies. Can't there be a law which states that if the parents of these babies confess, they will be allowed to marry and not be arrested? Due to fear of the law, both parents abscond leaving innocent infants in cardboard boxes and in dustbins. What has the world come to?

Are there proper mechanisms for adoption in the UAE? There are so many childless couples to whom these babies will prove to be a boon. What an irony that some couples spend thousands of dirhams to have their own children, sometimes in vain, and we have these angels of God who are discarded in dustbins. God will surely see these babies in good hands and ensure prosperous lives for them. Ravikiran MA, Abu Dhabi

I believe it is alarming to have more and more cases of abandoned babies. Hospitals should work more effectively to keep records. Why can't we register DNA at birth for all infants so the parents can be tracked? This will help abandoned babies as well as missing children. Abdulrahman al Qayed, Al Ain

I refer to the opinion article Chatter over Iraq is good (March 2) in the London-based Asharq al Awsat (March 2), reprinted in the Arabic news digest, which described jockeying for power in anticipation of the US military pullout. The US won't be pulling out of Iraq entirely for years, if not decades. While technically all "combat forces" are supposed to be gone by the summer, you can bet that there will still be rapid-response units in country that can act as a support, if necessary, for the elected government of that country. But I also think that the author of the article, Abdul Rahman al Rashed, greatly underestimates the capabilities of the Iraqi security forces themselves.

One of the great underreported stories of the past three years is the steady progress that the Iraqi armed forces have been making behind the scenes. Their increasing professionalism was evidenced two years ago when the Iraqi prime minister Nouri al Maliki sent the army down to Basra to confront Muqtada al Sadr's thugs and they very quickly cleaned them out. They have only become better equipped and better trained since then. Dan Ramsey, US

The article It never rains but it pours (March 3) described the chaotic situation in Sharjah. The last three days were terrible. We request the Government to correct the infrastructure to avoid the same kind of situation in the future, especially in Sharjah. This is not a matter of one or two cities of the UAE but of the whole country because it affects the country's reputation. At the same time I would like to express my appreciation to Dubai Municipality for their extra ordinary efforts to maintain the status of their infrastructure. I think Sharjah municipality should a learn a lesson from Dubai and consult with them to make improvements. Haroon Rasheed, Dubai

I refer to the article Diseased livestock turned back (March 3) which described a cattle ship refused entry to Ras al Khaimah and sent back to India. While I understand the need of the UAE and other GCC countries to protect their own livestock from contagious diseases, a thought has to be spared for the animals on this ship and their odyssey in the Gulf. It is a well-known fact that the conditions on these freighters are hideous and that a lot of these unfortunate animals suffer and die as a result of these week-long journeys. Sadly enough, the animals are a cheap commodity, not much different from other commodities like rice and flour.

Since they are living beings and eventually give their lives for us, bilateral or multilateral treaties regulating animal welfare aspects like maximum transportation time and living conditions should be concluded among the countries concerned. Stringent laws, which for instance oblige the countries of origin to check on the animals and examine their condition on the ships before they leave their home ports could help to prevent sad stories like this one in the future. Dr Eveline Kayasseh, Dubai

I refer to Winter is over, so India has a party before the monsoon (February 28). The Malhaar Choir is a breath of fresh air in Dubai's culture scene. I hope this inspires more people to appreciate pure classical forms of Indian music . There is much more to offer than Bollywood tunes. We need to preserve our cultural inheritance. Kalidas Anupindi, Dubai