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the other side of Dubai - how it's made, how they treat their blue collars.

They work over 60 hrs a week for 6 days in 30-40 degress celsius heat for very little money and then return "home" to share a tiny room with 20 other workers with no air conditioning.
Some of them don't get paid on time.
It's really sad to see them in buses cramped.


I'm leaving this country next Tuesday and I'm kind of glad I am. I don't understand why this city is so proud of its architecture. Yes, the location is beautiful, but the city itself lacks any charm. There's no sense of history or pride, just rip them down and build them up as fast as you can to make as much as you can. This city is fake.

$G$ wrote:the other side of Dubai - how it's made, how they treat their blue collars.

They work over 60 hrs a week for 6 days in 30-40 degress celsius heat for very little money and then return "home" to share a tiny room with 20 other workers with no air conditioning.
Some of them don't get paid on time.
It's really sad to see them in buses cramped.


I'm leaving this country next Tuesday and I'm kind of glad I am. I don't understand why this city is so proud of its architecture. Yes, the location is beautiful, but the city itself lacks any charm. There's no sense of history or pride, just rip them down and build them up as fast as you can to make as much as you can. This city is fake.

This is true in many M-E countries unfortunately... In Lebanon for example, it's almost impossible for a Lebanese married to an Asian/Black woman to live normally. For example a friend of my parents who's French and used to work at the French embassy in Beirut, is married to a woman whose mother is Vietnamese. Once while she was paying for her groceries in a supermarket, the cashier asked her where was her "madam"... The cashier thought she was some Asian maid working in someone's house... It would be also very akward for someone to have lunch/dinner in a restaurant, go have a drink etc...

People tell me that foreigners are racist towards Arabs. Well my answer to them is : I personally find some Arabs the most racist ppl on the face of this planet. Very sad...

DONT U EVEN DARE CALL THIS CITY FAKE.
THIS CITY HAS DONE SOO MANY THINGS IN A LITTLE TIME.
U HAVE NO APPRECIATION TO WHAT DUBAI HAS GIVEN U!

WELL IM GLAD TOO THAT UR LEAVING MY COUNTRY.
WE DONT NEED HATERS HERE!!

d3vilish_ang3l_88 wrote:DONT U EVEN DARE CALL THIS CITY FAKE.
THIS CITY HAS DONE SOO MANY THINGS IN A LITTLE TIME.
U HAVE NO APPRECIATION TO WHAT DUBAI HAS GIVEN U!

WELL IM GLAD TOO THAT UR LEAVING MY COUNTRY.
WE DONT NEED HATERS HERE!!

I'm not ignoring the facts, therefore I'm a hater?
It all makes sense now. They've done "so many things in little time" through slavery.

devlish angel: I understand your pride from the accomplishments of Dubai and the UAE in general. However all what G has mentioned although you might not like it, is very true. The poor laborers are treated like shit and we all know it. The labor minister Dr. Al Kaabi is doing alot to try and help them out but its not something that can be changed over night since all those construction contracters are on tight margins and try to cut costs all the time.

Anyway the more impotant point that i am trying to bring to you develish angel in this young age is that you should learn how to give constructive criticizm and to take it. Dont take things personally and try to do your best to fix the things that are wrong. No one is perfect and for sure Dubai isnt.

It's the same **** everywhere. It's not limited to laborers. There's a disrespect of other cultures, other nationalities that is shocking. I was having a drink with some ppl, including a Jordanian whose boss is Indian. He was bitchin' as to how this was possible and that it was "degrading"...

This is beyond ridiculous... But so far, I think no M-E country is as bad as Lebanon on this level. I am Lebanese btw for those who didn't know already so don't think I am coming up with this out of the blue... I don't think anyone knows the source of this "disease". Hell you never know who you're going to fall in love with and maybe marry. I for one would never be able to impose on my wife (if she's Asian/Black) the torture, HUMILIATION of having to live in Lebanon.

most countries had or still have slavery. i knw dubai is not perfect. i really feel bad about the labourers. we r trying to change that...but it cant happen overnight.

i lived here all my life. maybe its because i love my country too much to see its downside. but still no one has the right to call dubai fake . no one has the right to say that to anyone's country.

d3vilish_ang3l_88 wrote: but still no one has the right to call dubai fake . no one has the right to say that to anyone's country.

wrong, anyone has the right to say anything. that my friend is freedom of speech something that is not exactly found in the middle east. you have to learn to accept other people's views even if different from yours and accept them without taking it personally. G is American if i am not wrong, and we have every right to rip the US apart and he/she has to respect our views on his country just like he can say Dubai is fake.

MaaaD wrote:

d3vilish_ang3l_88 wrote: but still no one has the right to call dubai fake . no one has the right to say that to anyone's country.

wrong, anyone has the right to say anything. that my friend is freedom of speech something that is not exactly found in the middle east. you have to learn to accept other people's views even if different from yours and accept them without taking it personally. G is American if i am not wrong, and we have every right to rip the US apart and he/she has to respect our views on his country just like he can say Dubai is fake.

That's right. And I have the right to say that the US must invade Dubai, make it a democracy, and leave.
But wait, Dubai doesn't have oil.....

What about England? They're basically American.

I think G is just pissed off at that 3-0 loss the other day

oh...so i can say anything about the US and its fine right ???
like they have the worst president ever..
most of the people are idiots. they dont know anything about the world.
the country sux.
people are mean, rude. inconsiderate and ungrateful ...

is that ok for someone to say.i think not.
i dont really mean these. but im saying that it not nice to say that.

maybe i still dont understand this sh*t yet.

d3vilish_ang3l_88 wrote:oh...so i can say anything about the US and its fine right ???
like they have the worst president ever..
most of the people are idiots. they dont know anything about the world.
the country sux.
people are mean, rude. inconsiderate and ungrateful ...

is that ok for someone to say.i think not.
i dont really mean these. but im saying that it not nice to say that.

maybe i still dont understand this sh*t yet.

You must be a 18. I'm 20. Wanna hook up? I'm American and I'll give you an American dollar!

oooooohhh..so wht if im 18???
i dont need ur american dollars....i cant get one myself

Hi,

Gandhiji once said, Cities are centres of Crime.

How true. I had once been to Singapore and was talking to an Indian settled in Singapore, long back. He was telling me that the Chinese with the help of $ created a nice city. But, evacuated the locals from main streets to by lanes and compenstated little.

While while walking into a restrauant, i was led by an European into a corner seat so that i would not be an hindarance even though i was insisting on sitting in a comfortable and airy place.

Bangalore, for instance, has become a city of crime and greed and everything. Killing of senior citizens is common. Land Mafia is visible everywhere. Just look at the lakes and empty Govt. lands. Hospitalss are money making machines. Food in outlets is bad and worse. Except a few outlets, a visitor is put into lot of trouble. He is better off eating a simple steamed idly with sugar to taste as all the sauces are contaminated or contain coloring agents. Traffic is horrible and Govt. does not know what to do.

Working in MNC involves travelling early, starting at 7.00 AM and coming back at 10 PM.

Most educate people prefer this. What is it drives them? The fact that their properties cost fortunes and many for want of jobs.

I am glad someone can say the truth regarding Dubai. Sometimes i wonder what is this cities are coming to. Large chunks of land which in now way makes this earth a beautiful place.

I feel the Govt.s world over are loosing track of how to govern.

Hope for the best.

Regards
Madhav
http://www.vkinfotek.com
Why look everywhere when you can find it here!

As terrible as it is, people are too quick to judge.

For many of the Indian labourers, they cannot get work in their own country, or they cannot get the money they're earning here. Yes, the hours are long, the conditions are hot, and I certainly wouldn't do it, but the again I do not come from the same position they are coming from.

I know there are lots of tales about workers being arranged passage, having their passports removed, not paid etc. but surely there must be enough people back in their home countries who have worked here to know this and pass on the information. Yet they still choose to come, and remember this it is a choice.

If nobody wanted to come and work on the building sites because of the standard of living, you would soon see the standard rise. The fact is these people have said "we're willing to do this!" and that is why it's accepted.

Nobody held a gun to their head and said "move to Dubai or else!"

The problem is, especially for us UK/US/AUS educated people is we're often too guilty of applying our own standards to other cultures.

^ian^ wrote:As terrible as it is, people are too quick to judge.

The problem is, especially for us UK/US/AUS educated people is we're often too guilty of applying our own standards to other cultures.

Ahhhhh thx God u left Canadians. Cos here we assume it's not in "culture" to abuse ppl. Yes it's true there is unemployment and those ppl come to work but does that give the comapnies goddamn right to abuse them and not even entitle them to have basic health insurance or means of living? If that was the case US , Canada and other countries could have abused refugees or these immigrants and could have made a good dough. Isnt it shame for somebody "educated" as u to talk this way. I bet those workers have given more their health , pleasure and time to build the city and this cheap labour was major cause of construction boom in whole goddamn Gulf. I mean Jesus Christ when I was there it was so goddamn hot that I could barely stick my @ss on one of those benches. Basic workers rights MUST be given if Dubai wants to bcome world class city else all these POsh high rise juxtaposed with the misery will make it third world city as it is now.

sniper420 wrote:

^ian^ wrote:As terrible as it is, people are too quick to judge.

The problem is, especially for us UK/US/AUS educated people is we're often too guilty of applying our own standards to other cultures.

Ahhhhh thx God u left Canadians. Cos here we assume it's not in "culture" to abuse ppl. Yes it's true there is unemployment and those ppl come to work but does that give the comapnies goddamn right to abuse them and not even entitle them to have basic health insurance or means of living?

Now, if you're talking about companies breaking the law, then that is fair criticism. Nobody should be denied these legal rights, and steps are being taken to ensure these rights are applied.

sniper420 wrote: If that was the case US , Canada and other countries could have abused refugees or these immigrants and could have made a good dough.

The USA was built on the back of slaves and immigrants from Mexico.

sniper420 wrote: Isnt it shame for somebody "educated" as u to talk this way.

Now you are being too quick to judge. In exactly what way do you mean its a shame? Is it a shame in pointing out hard facts such as:

(1) It is a choice they make.
(2) They have no work at home.
(3) They are getting paid more than they could at home.

By our standards, yes, we wouldn't tolerate these conditions, but I have travelled all through China and Mexico, and I have seen the sweatshops and Maquiladoras and I know these people view this to a gateway to a better life. Would you rather take this opportunity away from them?

Many people who work in these factories fear do-gooders coming along and applying their own 'standards' because it doesn't mean they'll get the standards, it means the factory will pack up and move elsewhere. The same would happen in Dubai.

I'm not saying it's ideal, but I am saying you shouldn't be too quick to judge by our standards. If you truly think we're taking advantage of them, then cast aside ALL your material things, because somewhere along the line these have been built by people from impoverished countries working for a low wage. And whilst their wage and conditions might be below our standards, they are higher than what they were for these people before the opportunity came along.

So yeah, throw out everything you own, least you wish to be called a hypocrit.

sniper420 wrote: I bet those workers have given more their health , pleasure and time to build the city and this cheap labour was major cause of construction boom in whole goddamn Gulf. I mean Jesus Christ when I was there it was so goddamn hot that I could barely stick my @ss on one of those benches.

Yes it is hot crappy work. Its a good thing nobody is forcing them to work in these conditions, that would be slavery.

sniper420 wrote: Basic workers rights MUST be given if Dubai wants to bcome world class city else all these POsh high rise juxtaposed with the misery will make it third world city as it is now.

There ARE basic rights, and it is illegal to not apply those rights to workers.

MaaaD wrote:I think G is just pissed off at that 3-0 loss the other day

I think you have a point Maad.

As we has always said Dubai is a third world place and it all ways will be the locals are all to lazy to do manual work or is it they are to thick
There was a report about Dubai on E.U. TV and a local was telling how great the area was and all the westerners will soon be arriving to view the area and soak -up the sun (dumb fooker) then the TV went on to show how low down the area really is with sub standard driving, the tacky buildings, and the double standards

That is sad, but when I first arrived here, I noticed the fakeness right away, in a way that the city is full of modern and nice looking buildings, however, it lacks some warmth, u know what I mean, it is all blank. I do not know why they never even bothered to think to build playgrounds, every building in a normal city has a yard for kids to play, for adults to sit and socialize. Kids here play on parking lots. Parks, lol, when I go to parks here it seems like I am in a computer game, it is hard to enjoy it all; all is fake. It is hard to take a walk in this city, there is just no place where u could take a walk and enjoy it.
I know that most ppl will say that I was not made to come here, yeah, I know that, no one is holding me here either, and, yeah, I can have a better life somewhere else I go, but it is not the point, we are only pointing out how we feel about this place and I do not see anything wrong about, as it was said before we all have a right to speak up, which does not mean everyone has to agree with our point of view.
Couple of other negative things here are hypocrisy and class division. Sometimes I think this place is going backwards in history, when everybody is trying to be free of classes and discrimination, here is it flourishing.
All aboe said does not mean we come from some perfect places, but this place is just out of any comparison with any place.
One of the things I really like about being here is that I started appreciating my country and my ppl more.

IMJ wrote:That is sad, but when I first arrived here, I noticed the fakeness right away, in a way that the city is full of modern and nice looking buildings, however, it lacks some warmth, u know what I mean, it is all blank. I do not know why they never even bothered to think to build playgrounds, every building in a normal city has a yard for kids to play, for adults to sit and socialize. Kids here play on parking lots. Parks, lol, when I go to parks here it seems like I am in a computer game, it is hard to enjoy it all; all is fake. It is hard to take a walk in this city, there is just no place where u could take a walk and enjoy it.
I know that most ppl will say that I was not made to come here, yeah, I know that, no one is holding me here either, and, yeah, I can have a better life somewhere else I go, but it is not the point, we are only pointing out how we feel about this place and I do not see anything wrong about, as it was said before we all have a right to speak up, which does not mean everyone has to agree with our point of view.
Couple of other negative things here are hypocrisy and class division. Sometimes I think this place is going backwards in history, when everybody is trying to be free of classes and discrimination, here is it flourishing.
All aboe said does not mean we come from some perfect places, but this place is just out of any comparison with any place.
One of the things I really like about being here is that I started appreciating my country and my ppl more.

It's so true IMJ... It's indeed hard 2 take a walk here and actually enjoy it. Everything here has been build in the last 10 years, it has no history, only an amazing view at it...

Walking through a computer game does indeed come close to it.

And that's why i am leaving Dubai next month. I so miss a culture, a soul in a city. Besides, the difference between rich and poor are so noticable and nobody seems to be taking any action.

Du-bye

There is no point in complaining and criticizing. If you are troubled by something make an effort to change it. Speaking up is of course great, but surely we can do something more? A petition perhaps? Rather than just leaving and saying its a horrible place to be, especially considering that all of us have probably benefited in some way from living in Dubai, perhaps we should find a way to give back.

To the American who is leaving.... Look at your own history before you start slamming this country for its "slavery" of Indians. Nobody treateds the Indians as bad as your forefathers did to the Blacks.

To Sniper420, the only cheap thing around here is you. Get a life.

quote; slamming this country for its "slavery" of Indians
it is 2006 in the real world ! but in back ward Dubai well what can one say, its a horrible place to be.

$G$ wrote:the other side of Dubai - how it's made, how they treat their blue collars.

They work over 60 hrs a week for 6 days in 30-40 degress celsius heat for very little money and then return "home" to share a tiny room with 20 other workers with no air conditioning.
Some of them don't get paid on time.
It's really sad to see them in buses cramped.


I'm leaving this country next Tuesday and I'm kind of glad I am. I don't understand why this city is so proud of its architecture. Yes, the location is beautiful, but the city itself lacks any charm. There's no sense of history or pride, just rip them down and build them up as fast as you can to make as much as you can. This city is fake.

^^ so true , i second that

PrettyPenny wrote:There is no point in complaining and criticizing. If you are troubled by something make an effort to change it. Speaking up is of course great, but surely we can do something more? A petition perhaps? Rather than just leaving and saying its a horrible place to be, especially considering that all of us have probably benefited in some way from living in Dubai, perhaps we should find a way to give back.

ppl visit this site, it gives really good info about the shitty labour laws in uae

and you can also sign the petition to shaikh khalifa for freedom of association in the UAE

http://www.mafiwasta.com/

PrettyPenny wrote:There is no point in complaining and criticizing. If you are troubled by something make an effort to change it. Speaking up is of course great, but surely we can do something more? A petition perhaps? Rather than just leaving and saying its a horrible place to be, especially considering that all of us have probably benefited in some way from living in Dubai, perhaps we should find a way to give back.

do something more? what? give back how? take over the country and start "enduring freedom" mission like in Iraq?
u think that sheikhs here will care if foreigners are trying to change things here, why would they? we have a saying "do not go into someone else's temple with ur own rules". we are only visitors here.
and, it is not compaining; expressing.

IMJ wrote:That is sad, but when I first arrived here, I noticed the fakeness right away, in a way that the city is full of modern and nice looking buildings, however, it lacks some warmth, u know what I mean, it is all blank. I do not know why they never even bothered to think to build playgrounds, every building in a normal city has a yard for kids to play, for adults to sit and socialize. Kids here play on parking lots. Parks, lol, when I go to parks here it seems like I am in a computer game, it is hard to enjoy it all; all is fake. It is hard to take a walk in this city, there is just no place where u could take a walk and enjoy it.
I know that most ppl will say that I was not made to come here, yeah, I know that, no one is holding me here either, and, yeah, I can have a better life somewhere else I go, but it is not the point, we are only pointing out how we feel about this place and I do not see anything wrong about, as it was said before we all have a right to speak up, which does not mean everyone has to agree with our point of view.
Couple of other negative things here are hypocrisy and class division. Sometimes I think this place is going backwards in history, when everybody is trying to be free of classes and discrimination, here is it flourishing.
All aboe said does not mean we come from some perfect places, but this place is just out of any comparison with any place.
One of the things I really like about being here is that I started appreciating my country and my ppl more.

This city is fake. There is no substance behind the facades and glitz and glamour. It has no depth. No history. No reason for being (except I suppose to make heaps of money). You see the surface and there is nothing left to see or talk about.

Go to a city like Vancouver or Seattle, or San Francisco or Cape Town, where the half the city's beauty lies not the architecture or culture or shopping, but rather how it has grown around the natural wonders and treasures (and I am sure Dubai has some of its own). Go to a place like the Netherlands where nature has become so managed, warped, changed and made to suit humans that one struggles to call anything in the Netherlands natural.

And to the poster who said I should look at my coutnry's history before making such remarks - yes, that was history.
This is 2006. Laborers in the US and Canada get paid enough to support them and their families. New immigrants start by working in berry farms and even there they get paid a lot. They are not tortured or abused and they can quit whenever they want.

lol, it is true, talking about the nature, all natural stuff in general.
I never appreciated nature so much as I do it now, being here, I MISS GREENERY SOOO MUCH. I grew up climbing mountains and skiing, but never really thought mountains were beautiful or anything like that, mountain like a mountain, now I know that if I go home, I will just go insane seeing the scenery there.
Another thing, the glass they use here in all the buildings, I still cannot get used to that, esp. in apartment buildings, I think that a regular glass would make buildings here look so much better.
It seems we all started whining here and it is getting a bit boring now.
ciao

You might find Dubai does have history. It was once a small fishing village and the history of the sheikhs and their agreements is actually quite fascinating... from being one of the TS to the one of the Emirates... How they all bonded. Perhaps Dubai does not have the history behind the rows of sky scrapers, but to claim it has no history at all is unfair. It is the same as the Brits as saying New York has no history, which is an unjustified statement. For something to have history it has to have exsisted for a period of time, so in time what we call the 'new dubai' will have the history you are talking about. Be proud to be a part of that.

How can buildings possibly be fake? Unless you are talking about the marketing and advertising that Dubai is placing across the globe? It is up to the individual to discover this city for what it is. If you sit back and let it absorb you, then you won't see it for what it is. If you read into it and do some discovering, you will actually find Dubai and the rest of the UAE a truly unique place. Surround yourself by true people and you will find your experience of Dubai will change.

As for the unfair treatment of the labourers, we are all guilty for exploiting this. Why pay 400 AED for those Nike trainers when the child who made them probably earnt 50 fils for his days work? This is the way the world works... You have to have poor to have rich and vice versa. If you feel the way they are being treated is so awful, why not run a petition and send it to the government or do something active about it. I think it's great that this issue is being raised but the accusations need to be justified. Have you spoken to any of the labourers and asked them how they feel and where they would rather be? I know I haven't but it is something I would love to find out.

At the end of the day, what I am saying is make the most of the situation you are in. Enjoy Dubai for what it really is and don't take the posy clubs and posh restaurants at face value for what Dubai is all about. We don't see London as just Big Ben or New York as just Times Square...

There are some truly wonderful people in Dubai from across the globe, it's just taking the time to seek the out. I know that I feel very priviliged to be able to explore all these cultures fro my doorstep, it may not be perfect but no City ever is.

Live the dream!!