Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

Shaikh Mohammed answered the questions posted to him recently online. In his answer to the latest negative reports by the British media, he said the following:

They may write whatever they like, and play the tunes that please them. We are not annoyed by criticism, nor do we fear campaigns. They have their models, experience, values, standards, their cultural and intellectual frames of references. We have our models, values, standards and frames of references. We are open to the entire human experience in every field. We learn from them, but we will never import ready-made models. We do not accept that, and our society does not accept this. As for the allegations about foreign labor, it is an old theme, repeated every now and then. Yes, certain sectors of foreign labor are not in the state we like or hope. But we are steadily improving that state, and we are making progress every year. For years, the talk about foreign labor has not ceased. Such talk is open to all and to the countries that provide such labor. Despite that, millions are trying to come to work in our country. So, why do those foreign countries don’t stop their citizens from coming to work in the UAE if the work situation is such as these nasty reports claim?

The rest of the questions and answers are found here:

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Government/10305233.html

Tom Jones wrote:Shaikh Mohammed answered the questions posted to him recently online. In his answer to the latest negative reports by the British media, he said the following:

They may write whatever they like, and play the tunes that please them. We are not annoyed by criticism, nor do we fear campaigns. They have their models, experience, values, standards, their cultural and intellectual frames of references. We have our models, values, standards and frames of references. We are open to the entire human experience in every field. We learn from them, but we will never import ready-made models. We do not accept that, and our society does not accept this. As for the allegations about foreign labor, it is an old theme, repeated every now and then. Yes, certain sectors of foreign labor are not in the state we like or hope. But we are steadily improving that state, and we are making progress every year. For years, the talk about foreign labor has not ceased. Such talk is open to all and to the countries that provide such labor. Despite that, millions are trying to come to work in our country. So, why do those foreign countries don’t stop their citizens from coming to work in the UAE if the work situation is such as these nasty reports claim?

The rest of the questions and answers are found here:

http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Government/10305233.html

You have to say that the governments of the Subcontinent don't give a flying f*ck about their labourers working overseas, not like the Philippines who actively campaign in all countries where their people work in large numbers.

edit: duplicate post deleted

Great. http://www.arabianbusiness.com/552961-s ... corruption

I dont think the point has been addressed as poeple from the subcontinent come here because the promises made to them by the agents are entirely different from what they are put through here. Fine the consulates havent stepped in and the agents are to blame more than the companies here. But the fact remains that these poor people work here for years in poor conditions with inappropriate renumeration. Who is in charge while they are here..... also is it as simple as you are here to work , we pay you once your done please piss off...
There are many like my self who were born here and have spent our whole life here growing, working contributing to the modern day dubai society. Is it as simple for us where we work until 65 and then are thrown out.... Its like the matrix I suppose. Recent articles and arguments are good in that it provides a reality check for people like myself who are plugged in and feeding this parasitic system. I need to ask myself ASAP am I going to take the RED pill !!

olivertwisted wrote:I dont think the point has been addressed as poeple from the subcontinent come here because the promises made to them by the agents are entirely different from what they are put through here. Fine the consulates havent stepped in and the agents are to blame more than the companies here. But the fact remains that these poor people work here for years in poor conditions with inappropriate renumeration. Who is in charge while they are here..... also is it as simple as you are here to work , we pay you once your done please piss off...
There are many like my self who were born here and have spent our whole life here growing, working contributing to the modern day dubai society. Is it as simple for us where we work until 65 and then are thrown out.... Its like the matrix I suppose. Recent articles and arguments are good in that it provides a reality check for people like myself who are plugged in and feeding this parasitic system. I need to ask myself ASAP am I going to take the RED pill !!

I’ve met several people like you here in Dubai, born and raised in the UAE but they are unfortunately treated like the foreigners. It is a sad state of affairs.

One of them used to work for our organization but he finally found a chance to immigrate to America, and he did. He was a smart energetic young man from Pakistan. He was well educated and fluent in both English and Arabic -- he spoke just like an Emarati. Now this fellow will settle in America and may never come back to the UAE except to visit his parents who I think are still here.

The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

Amen to that. Lets hope someone somewhere realises that and makes some changes.

I love this country and is home, excatly the same situation as twisted, but they won't let me make it my permanent home, and no matter how much I would hate to leave this place eventually I might be have to

Infact even if they don't offer nationality somekind of a permanet residency like Canada or the US green card system would be a step in the right direction. I wouldn't even care if there was no suppourt from the govt like medical or other benifits given out to the Emaratis. Just as long as every three years I don't have to go through hassle of renewing my visa wondering wheter this is the time they finally reject it

Or at the very least introduce 10 yr visa's for a start for people like us .

Answer is simple: People coming to work here is a two way thing - we provide a service for which we get paid. In simple words we get the money, you get the place built up. So we have millions of labourers who have honoured their end of the contract - toiling day and night. But someone (the employer - the bigshots) have not kept their end of the promise, no or low salaries and providing inhuman living conditions.

Well here you go, another classic example:

http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id ... n%20strike

Yes what about those people who have lived here all their lives. I have friends who were born here, their families have been here for yhears on end, they know no different, so to suddenly throw them out would be very very cruel.

Hello. I think alot of people forget that they are in a different country than their own and don't respect the local laws and customs. They think everything should be the same as their home country. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shoud respect the countries culture or don't be there.

See my blog here: http://canuckbid.wordpress.com/
Suggestions? Mike

erm a tad hypercritical don't ya think? Do these people respect the local laws and cultures of the countries they move to? Not always.

Anyway that's sort of a digression away from the topic at hand.

canuckbid wrote:Hello. I think alot of people forget that they are in a different country than their own and don't respect the local laws and customs. They think everything should be the same as their home country. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shoud respect the countries culture or don't be there.

so what you're implying is the local culture demands workign for free and not getting paid - you saying that by expecting a salary for the work we do is not respecting local laws and culture? Crimes like theft, murder etc. are a different story and no one is talking about that.

But whichever part of the world we are - you have a basic human right of going about your own life with least interference from others. If the locals here are trying a make a statement that they will make an effort to make life hell for the expats and they are not welcome here, fine so be it. sooner or later, people will. Several countries are waking up and tightening rules on sending people to the middle east. I really would like to see what happens if all labourers walk out one fine day.

canuckbid wrote:Hello. I think alot of people forget that they are in a different country than their own and don't respect the local laws and customs. They think everything should be the same as their home country. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shoud respect the countries culture or don't be there.

See my blog here: http://canuckbid.wordpress.com/
Suggestions? Mike

Your statement really doesn't make a lot of sense in the context of this thread.

michaeldubai wrote:

canuckbid wrote:Hello. I think alot of people forget that they are in a different country than their own and don't respect the local laws and customs. They think everything should be the same as their home country. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shoud respect the countries culture or don't be there.

so what you're implying is the local culture demands workign for free and not getting paid - you saying that by expecting a salary for the work we do is not respecting local laws and culture? Crimes like theft, murder etc. are a different story and no one is talking about that.

But whichever part of the world we are - you have a basic human right of going about your own life with least interference from others. If the locals here are trying a make a statement that they will make an effort to make life hell for the expats and they are not welcome here, fine so be it. sooner or later, people will. Several countries are waking up and tightening rules on sending people to the middle east. I really would like to see what happens if all labourers walk out one fine day.

michaeldubai do u get paid for the work u do here in dubai ?

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

I don't disagree with the idea at all, it would be a nice reward to the people who have worked here for a long time, and also would keep skilled labour from leaving, but isn't the actual wish of the UAE probably to keep their Arab identity, and giving citizenship to Pakistanis, British, Australians, etc. is in fact diluting this aim?

Speedhump wrote:

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

I don't disagree with the idea at all, it would be a nice reward to the people who have worked here for a long time, and also would keep skilled labour from leaving, but isn't the actual wish of the UAE probably to keep their Arab identity, and giving citizenship to Pakistanis, British, Australians, etc. is in fact diluting this aim?

Well said. Keep it up

The situation described by Tom Jones is very typical here. "Returning" to India or Pakistan for these ppl. is the same as a ticket to the Moon. So the only option is emigration to CAN, AUS or NZ. Definitely they are well-educated relatively young (25-32 years old) guys....

sage & onion wrote:

canuckbid wrote:Hello. I think alot of people forget that they are in a different country than their own and don't respect the local laws and customs. They think everything should be the same as their home country. Wake up and smell the coffee. You shoud respect the countries culture or don't be there.

See my blog here: http://canuckbid.wordpress.com/
Suggestions? Mike

Your statement really doesn't make a lot of sense in the context of this thread.

I agree when in Rome, do as the Romans do

naruto wrote:michaeldubai do u get paid for the work u do here in dubai ?

No - I work for free.

Speedhump wrote:

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

I don't disagree with the idea at all, it would be a nice reward to the people who have worked here for a long time, and also would keep skilled labour from leaving, but isn't the actual wish of the UAE probably to keep their Arab identity, and giving citizenship to Pakistanis, British, Australians, etc. is in fact diluting this aim?

No I didn’t say that they should give citizenship to everyone who worked in the UAE for a long time.

I fully understand the UAE’s concern about preserving their national identity, culture, heritage, language, religion…etc. They surely have every right to do so.

However, a guy like the one I mentioned who is a Moslem, born and raised here, lived all his life in this country, well educated and, in actual fact, is an Emarati in every respect except for not having the right documents… is indeed fully qualified to be become an Emarati citizen.

I have met Emaratis whose families originally came from Iran and India. They seem to be fully assimilated in the Emarati society, culturally and otherwise. Remember, once people have the legitimacy to live here permanently and call this place their home, they will have the desire to assimilate, and if they don’t, their offspring will most certainly do.

Tom Jones wrote:

Speedhump wrote:

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

I don't disagree with the idea at all, it would be a nice reward to the people who have worked here for a long time, and also would keep skilled labour from leaving, but isn't the actual wish of the UAE probably to keep their Arab identity, and giving citizenship to Pakistanis, British, Australians, etc. is in fact diluting this aim?

No I didn’t say that they should give citizenship to everyone who worked in the UAE for a long time.

I fully understand the UAE’s concern about preserving their national identity, culture, heritage, language, religion…etc. They surely have every right to do so.

However, a guy like the one I mentioned who is a Moslem, born and raised here, lived all his life in this country, well educated and, in actual fact, is an Emarati in every respect except for not having the right documents… is indeed fully qualified to be become an Emarati citizen.

I have met Emaratis whose families originally came from Iran and India. They seem to be fully assimilated in the Emarati society, culturally and otherwise. Remember, once people have the legitimacy to live here permanently and call this place their home, they will have the desire to assimilate, and if they don’t, their offspring will most certainly do.

The Emirati population growth can be attributed to a fairly large amount of mixed marriages. The majority 99% are men marrying expats and 1% women marrying expats who coverted to Islam.

So, just as an example, which does happen, an Emirati marries a fillipino girl. She is given the passport. They have children Emirati/philipino. They get passports. So all this up in arms about locals perserving their Arab ancestry is for what? When you look at the children as a result of a union between Emirati and filipino you will see two different countries in their faces and they will be considered Emiratis. So when defending locals and lifestyle and culture, do you include the expats married to Emiratis who became entitled to the passport by virtue of marring an Emirati?

Bora Bora wrote:

Tom Jones wrote:

Speedhump wrote:

Tom Jones wrote:The UAE lost this guy forever, even though he was effectively an Emarati in every aspect except for his nationality papers. People like these should rightfully be entitled to the UAE citizenship. Giving them citizenship is also in the best interest of this country which needs to combat the fact that the Emarati nationals are becoming, more and more, a very tiny minority in their own country.

I don't disagree with the idea at all, it would be a nice reward to the people who have worked here for a long time, and also would keep skilled labour from leaving, but isn't the actual wish of the UAE probably to keep their Arab identity, and giving citizenship to Pakistanis, British, Australians, etc. is in fact diluting this aim?

No I didn’t say that they should give citizenship to everyone who worked in the UAE for a long time.

I fully understand the UAE’s concern about preserving their national identity, culture, heritage, language, religion…etc. They surely have every right to do so.

However, a guy like the one I mentioned who is a Moslem, born and raised here, lived all his life in this country, well educated and, in actual fact, is an Emarati in every respect except for not having the right documents… is indeed fully qualified to be become an Emarati citizen.

I have met Emaratis whose families originally came from Iran and India. They seem to be fully assimilated in the Emarati society, culturally and otherwise. Remember, once people have the legitimacy to live here permanently and call this place their home, they will have the desire to assimilate, and if they don’t, their offspring will most certainly do.

The Emirati population growth can be attributed to a fairly large amount of mixed marriages. The majority 99% are men marrying expats and 1% women marrying expats who coverted to Islam.

So, just as an example, which does happen, an Emirati marries a fillipino girl. She is given the passport. They have children Emirati/philipino. They get passports. So all this up in arms about locals perserving their Arab ancestry is for what? When you look at the children as a result of a union between Emirati and filipino you will see two different countries in their faces and they will be considered Emiratis. So when defending locals and lifestyle and culture, do you include the expats married to Emiratis who became entitled to the passport by virtue of marring an Emirati?

Offcourse it should include anyone holding a passport.....It's a valid question...I guess only the offspring of such marriages could best answer it.
You stated that Emirati women get married to non Emirati men. Lets say the woman gets married to a male Filipino....I'm curious would the Emirati community accept him?

Just about every culture slowly assimilates people of other races as the world has shrunk incredibly in the last fifty years and jet travel has become the norm. So it's not strange that the Emirates will give passports and therefore nationality to a marriage partner, their citizens will demand it. I guess it's the rate at which this happens (or is allowed to happen) that affects local identity. For a small and outward looking country like the UAE its effects will become obvious more quickly though.

THOSE WHO THINK THAT THEY WILL EARN MORE WITH LESS WORK IN DUBAI NOW THEY THINK THAT ITS NOT A PLACE TO EARN MORE AND THEY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO LIVE HERE

newdubai wrote:THOSE WHO THINK THAT THEY WILL EARN MORE WITH LESS WORK IN DUBAI NOW THEY THINK THAT ITS NOT A PLACE TO EARN MORE AND THEY HAVE TO WORK HARD TO LIVE HERE

Sorry I don't agree even one percent with that. Everyone I know has always worked hard for their money here, and long hours. But the rewards have been there in the past, and now for a lot of people they aren't any more.

Speedhump wrote:Just about every culture slowly assimilates people of other races as the world has shrunk incredibly in the last fifty years and jet travel has become the norm.

Speedy, expain me please what you mean speacking about local culture and identity.

Dubai has been a trading centre for century and the core of the trade was Persian merchants before establishing UAE. So big part of current citizens has Persian roots.

Tell me also why 90% expats is not a threat for the identity but a few thousand well-educated Dubai-born guys is.

Red Chief wrote:

Speedhump wrote:Just about every culture slowly assimilates people of other races as the world has shrunk incredibly in the last fifty years and jet travel has become the norm.

Speedy, expain me please what you mean speacking about local culture and identity.

Dubai has been a trading centre for century and the core of the trade was Persian merchants before establishing UAE. So big part of current citizens has Persian roots.

Tell me also why 90% expats is not a threat for the identity but a few thousand well-educated Dubai-born guys is.

Every culture is affected by other cultures, we all know that, but are you saying there is no real Emirati identity or culture? I think Emiratis would be interested to hear that. Please explain.

If you're telling Emiratis they are Persians and not Arabs I'd love to hear their reply.

I asked your point. As soon as you use some words like Emirati identity and threat of the identity I guess you can explain their meanings.

The Gulf States have come a long way; FAST.. It's now time to think about where they're going..