An outside view of Dubai
Join Date: Sep 2006
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i think the article was accurate and brilliant. the real concern to me was that the slave trade is alive and well.
rome wasn't built in a day.....and no other town should ever be.
rome wasn't built in a day.....and no other town should ever be.
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Somebody, please tell me that this is not true. I can understand to a certain extent the abuse of the ex-pat by a local, but ex-pat on ex-pat does not make sense. The good news it will all come to an end sooner than later.
Well, OMDB-Pilot, I guess you didn't read the article. A relatively small part of it is about the financial crises, the vast majority is about the sickning society that is Dubai - from the arrogance and tyranny of the locals and the government, over the utterly dispicable behaviour of its alcoholic expats and tourists, through the despair of the downtrodden and enslaved workers who build the place, and to the complete disdain for nature and sustainability which that sad, sad city-states exhibits.
It's gone from nothing to where it is today in 50 years. One can only hope that in another 50 years the desert will have taken back that hideous place, this afront to humanity, and relegate it to back to obscurity.
I am happier than ever I turned down the offers to "come and enjoy the life style and tax free paradise of Dubai".
It's gone from nothing to where it is today in 50 years. One can only hope that in another 50 years the desert will have taken back that hideous place, this afront to humanity, and relegate it to back to obscurity.
I am happier than ever I turned down the offers to "come and enjoy the life style and tax free paradise of Dubai".
Join Date: Jan 2006
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Yeah, OMDB-Pilot, who cares about others or even the environment? You perfectly match the picture of the expats described in the article. Let's party and look the other way!
But it's probably all lies anyway, right? How rude these journalists are, reminding you that there is a price to pay for your little bubble - a price for others to pay of course, so let's not worry too much!
Disgusting
But it's probably all lies anyway, right? How rude these journalists are, reminding you that there is a price to pay for your little bubble - a price for others to pay of course, so let's not worry too much!
Disgusting
Join Date: Nov 2004
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very accurate article
The most accurate article I have read on Dubai. truly a good piece of journalism. It`s a mandatory read for all wannabe EK drivers, it saves you your 12-18 months of honeymoon bliss, and rose tinted glasses.
You have been forewarned.
Fjordviking
You have been forewarned.
Fjordviking
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I am also an outsider looking in but i can tell you that the amount of racism and bigotry i felt in dubai is very different from my current province. After reading the article, my wife felt better about our decision to not come to dubai.
This article was not about a financial crisis; but instead, about how arrogant the country is as a whole. I also have friends in dubai and they have all told me that the restaurants are empty, moral is low, and business is really slow. Yes, the recession is world wide but ateast i know the government does have a watch dog group that oversees my interests and ensures that i am not continously lied to. At the least, i know that i am protected by law.
I just can not put my family through the lack of oversight and protection that all human beings deserve. I remembered when i interviewed, one of the guys in my group challenged the hr lady and mentioned the lack of human right abuses and the lack of law in dubai. She just sat there and said it was like any other western country.
It is sad to see that our own people would sell us off to live a false dream.
ps..thanks for posting the article.
fb
This article was not about a financial crisis; but instead, about how arrogant the country is as a whole. I also have friends in dubai and they have all told me that the restaurants are empty, moral is low, and business is really slow. Yes, the recession is world wide but ateast i know the government does have a watch dog group that oversees my interests and ensures that i am not continously lied to. At the least, i know that i am protected by law.
I just can not put my family through the lack of oversight and protection that all human beings deserve. I remembered when i interviewed, one of the guys in my group challenged the hr lady and mentioned the lack of human right abuses and the lack of law in dubai. She just sat there and said it was like any other western country.
It is sad to see that our own people would sell us off to live a false dream.
ps..thanks for posting the article.
fb
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Many years ago now, back in the days before the labourers' transport to and from work was upgraded to busses, (the old semi-trailers were pretty awful, if not quite "cattle trucks"), I recall commenting to my wife as we drove along behind one such truck full of dull-eyed (i.e., exhausted) workers, that if one day, one of those fellows was to get literate enough to write a book about his experiences of Dubai, we, comfortable in our 4WD, might find ourselves squirming.
The article might descend into hyperbole on occasion. I'm embarrassed to say I can't comment on the accuracy of its description of the labour camps, but suspect it's not too far from the truth. However, its description of the behaviour of a some expats, (see the description of the evening at "Double Decker", and the comment re the young Dutch woman and her inappropriate mode of dress), it's distressingly close to the mark.
The article might descend into hyperbole on occasion. I'm embarrassed to say I can't comment on the accuracy of its description of the labour camps, but suspect it's not too far from the truth. However, its description of the behaviour of a some expats, (see the description of the evening at "Double Decker", and the comment re the young Dutch woman and her inappropriate mode of dress), it's distressingly close to the mark.
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Sounds about right, they left out a couple things like the bars full of hookers and the exhorbitant cost of hotels/apartments etc.
Now who's going to do an expose of Qatar I wonder?
Now who's going to do an expose of Qatar I wonder?
Join Date: Jan 2002
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Perhaps it was:
BBC Panorama magazine: Dark side of the Dubai dream
Or:
ABC News: Dark Side of Dubai's Boomtown
Or:
The Times: Dark side of Dubai’s economic boom exacts harsh human toll
Or:
Ya Libnan: A rape case exposes Dubai's dark side and injustice
Or:
Middle East times: Dubai's dark side - misery for Asians
Or:
Qatar Living: The Dark Side of Dubai
Or:
Time: The Dark Side Of the Dream
Or:
Arab News: The Dark Side of Splendor
Or:
NPR: "But foreign diplomats and others say there's a dark side to the economic boom"
Or:
Bloomberg: "Fei Fei's story symbolizes the dark side of Dubai"
Or:
Guardian: "Carole Cadwalladr explores the dark side of Dubai"
Do you think they are trying to tell us something? - or perhaps journalists nowdays are just not that original?
Perhaps we should all Ignore them, they’re only jealous
Join Date: Sep 2004
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Slavery
When I first arrived I also had no idea how things work here in the Gulf, I thought everyone is rich and a brave new World emerges here in the desert. Slowly you realize why we have these full labor-flights to India, the maid flights to the Philippines and Indonesia. The article is great journalism and should be a must read for every expat seeking employment in the Gulf. Yet it misses a lot of other horrid facts like the extensive prostitution and sexslave trade in Dubai, another reason why the planes are always full to Dubai on weekends from the other Gulf nations. The horrible situation of the abused child camel jockeys, the sex holiday of the Gulf Arabs to Morocco or Egypt to marry underage girls for a summer season, the beating and raping of maids, the carnage of the local youth on the roads, etc, etc, the list goes on
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I think the problem is that people seem to think that Dubai is somehow different from anywhere else in the world. Europe has people trafficking, forced prostitution, sex tourists, widespread sex crime, crap driving etc. etc.
Why would Dubai be any different? Considering that modern Dubai is only about 30 years old then their progress hasn't been that bad.
Talking to Malaysians, Filipino's, Vietnamese, Moroccans etc. etc. - they all have similar stories - the guys are happy to be here and earning money that they couldn't back home and the women like living in a society where they are fairly safe from attack. And given that there are not many other countries that will allow these guys in and give them job's then Dubai (and the rest of the ME) is about as good as it gets even with all its problems.
Why would Dubai be any different? Considering that modern Dubai is only about 30 years old then their progress hasn't been that bad.
Talking to Malaysians, Filipino's, Vietnamese, Moroccans etc. etc. - they all have similar stories - the guys are happy to be here and earning money that they couldn't back home and the women like living in a society where they are fairly safe from attack. And given that there are not many other countries that will allow these guys in and give them job's then Dubai (and the rest of the ME) is about as good as it gets even with all its problems.
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Europe
has it's problems, but we are talking about a huge continent of 400 Mio people. The problems are illegal immigration and not state sponsered slavery. The story is that these guys are lured into this miserable situation by greedy companies with the conspiracy of the government.
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In Europe it isn't the victim that is jailed after being raped. The Filipino's I spoke in DXB were not happy.
The Maroccans I know in Europe live together with their family, are happy, and have a realistic possibility to leave and go elsewhere... They have the same rights as others btw.
...And even if all of this wasn't true, how would it justify all of it in DXB?
The Maroccans I know in Europe live together with their family, are happy, and have a realistic possibility to leave and go elsewhere... They have the same rights as others btw.
...And even if all of this wasn't true, how would it justify all of it in DXB?
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It doesn't - but everywhere has problems, to pretend that Dubai's problems are somehow worse than anywhere else is just daft.
Yes, there are plenty of workers from the Third World who are in Dubai who would love to go to Europe and work - the only problem is that Europe doesn't want them so they have to come to one of the few places in the world that does.
Yes, there are plenty of workers from the Third World who are in Dubai who would love to go to Europe and work - the only problem is that Europe doesn't want them so they have to come to one of the few places in the world that does.
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Jet II,
Did you actually read and try to understand what that poor guy from Bangladesh had to say?
He would NOT come to Dubai if he knew what is going to happen to him!
Its not about EU not accepting all this people, its about places like ME "playing" with poor souls lifes, feelings and hopes.
This guy sold his land and took a loan to come here because he was promised over 400 Euro a month.
Do read this article once again and please do not try to compare to how things are done in EU and how they are done in the ME.
Theres thousands of emigrants getting EU passports every year and the same rights as EU "locals"! Do you even know one such a case in Dubai or anywhere else in the ME?
Why EU can take in and give nationality to so many of their "Arab brothers" (from poor countries such a Syria, Egypt or Libya), but GCC countries cant? I bet you the would rather get EU citizenship as they do not have 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on... "class of nationality", as its is done in GCC region. They would probably be the last class anyway.
Please do Not make it look like Dubai and the rest of the GCC Gang is giving favors to this poor souls by taking their money and lifes away!
Did you actually read and try to understand what that poor guy from Bangladesh had to say?
He would NOT come to Dubai if he knew what is going to happen to him!
Its not about EU not accepting all this people, its about places like ME "playing" with poor souls lifes, feelings and hopes.
This guy sold his land and took a loan to come here because he was promised over 400 Euro a month.
Do read this article once again and please do not try to compare to how things are done in EU and how they are done in the ME.
Theres thousands of emigrants getting EU passports every year and the same rights as EU "locals"! Do you even know one such a case in Dubai or anywhere else in the ME?
Why EU can take in and give nationality to so many of their "Arab brothers" (from poor countries such a Syria, Egypt or Libya), but GCC countries cant? I bet you the would rather get EU citizenship as they do not have 1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on... "class of nationality", as its is done in GCC region. They would probably be the last class anyway.
Please do Not make it look like Dubai and the rest of the GCC Gang is giving favors to this poor souls by taking their money and lifes away!
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We're talking about slavery, discriminations and basic human rights.
People that are being deceived with false promises and no possibility (not able to save money, passports confiscated, etc...) to escape. It only now became interesting, now expats are finding themselves in the same position. Unless the newspapers are exaggerating...
You won't find this in the US, nor in Europe and not in most of Asia...
People that are being deceived with false promises and no possibility (not able to save money, passports confiscated, etc...) to escape. It only now became interesting, now expats are finding themselves in the same position. Unless the newspapers are exaggerating...
You won't find this in the US, nor in Europe and not in most of Asia...