Per MySQL Manual:
http://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/5.1/en/load-data-local.html
"""
If you build MySQL from source but do not invoke configure with the --enable-local-infile option, LOAD DATA LOCAL cannot be used by any client unless it is written explicitly to invoke mysql_options(... MYSQL_OPT_LOCAL_INFILE, 0). See Section 20.9.3.49, “mysql_options()”.
"""
I'd like to expose this as a connection flag.
[I'm working through my use-case right now, will submit a patch when I have a reasonable idea on how/where to expose this flag.]