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Today's The Independent Article!! Most damning one till now!


xdude
The dark side of Dubai
Dubai was meant to be a Middle-Eastern Shangri-La, a glittering monument to Arab enterprise and western capitalism. But as hard times arrive in the city state that rose from the desert sands, an uglier story is emerging. Johann Hari reports
The wide, smiling face of Sheikh Mohammed – the absolute ruler of Dubai – beams down on his creation. His image is displayed on every other building, sandwiched between the more familiar corporate rictuses of Ronald McDonald and Colonel Sanders. This man has sold Dubai to the world as the city of One Thousand and One Arabian Lights, a Shangri-La in the Middle East insulated from the dust-storms blasting across the region. He dominates the Manhattan-manqué skyline, beaming out from row after row of glass pyramids and hotels smelted into the shape of piles of golden coins. And there he stands on the tallest building in the world – a skinny spike, jabbing farther into the sky than any other human construction in history.
But something has flickered in Sheikh Mohammed's smile. The ubiquitous cranes have paused on the skyline, as if stuck in time. There are countless buildings half-finished, seemingly abandoned. In the swankiest new constructions – like the vast Atlantis hotel, a giant pink castle built in 1,000 days for $1.5bn on its own artificial island – where rainwater is leaking from the ceilings and the tiles are falling off the roof. This Neverland was built on the Never-Never – and now the cracks are beginning to show. Suddenly it looks less like Manhattan in the sun than Iceland in the desert.
Once the manic burst of building has stopped and the whirlwind has slowed, the secrets of Dubai are slowly seeping out. This is a city built from nothing in just a few wild decades on credit and ecocide, suppression and slavery. Dubai is a living metal metaphor for the neo-liberal globalised world that may be crashing – at last – into history.
I. An Adult Disneyland
Karen Andrews can't speak. Every time she starts to tell her story, she puts her head down and crumples. She is slim and angular and has the faded radiance of the once-rich, even though her clothes are as creased as her forehead. I find her in the car park of one of Dubai's finest international hotels, where she is living, in her Range Rover. She has been sleeping here for months, thanks to the kindness of the Bangladeshi car park attendants who don't have the heart to move her on. This is not where she thought her Dubai dream would end.
Her story comes out in stutters, over four hours. At times, her old voice – witty and warm – breaks through. Karen came here from Canada when her husband was offered a job in the senior division of a famous multinational. "When he said Dubai, I said – if you want me to wear black and quit booze, baby, you've got the wrong girl. But he asked me to give it a chance. And I loved him."
All her worries melted when she touched down in Dubai in 2005. "It was an adult Disneyland, where Sheikh Mohammed is the mouse," she says. "Life was fantastic. You had these amazing big apartments, you had a whole army of your own staff, you pay no taxes at all. It seemed like everyone was a CEO. We were partying the whole time."
Her husband, Daniel, bought two properties. "We were drunk on Dubai," she says. But for the first time in his life, he was beginning to mismanage their finances. "We're not talking huge sums, but he was getting confused. It was so unlike Daniel, I was surprised. We got into a little bit of debt." After a year, she found out why: Daniel was diagnosed with a brain tumour.
One doctor told him he had a year to live; another said it was benign and he'd be okay. But the debts were growing. "Before I came here, I didn't know anything about Dubai law. I assumed if all these big companies come here, it must be pretty like Canada's or any other liberal democracy's," she says. Nobody told her there is no concept of bankruptcy. If you get into debt and you can't pay, you go to prison.
"When we realised that, I sat Daniel down and told him: listen, we need to get out of here. He knew he was guaranteed a pay-off when he resigned, so we said – right, let's take the pay-off, clear the debt, and go." So Daniel resigned – but he was given a lower pay-off than his contract suggested. The debt remained. As soon as you quit your job in Dubai, your employer has to inform your bank. If you have any outstanding debts that aren't covered by your savings, then all your accounts are frozen, and you are forbidden to leave the country.
"Suddenly our cards stopped working. We had nothing. We were thrown out of our apartment." Karen can't speak about what happened next for a long time; she is shaking.
Daniel was arrested and taken away on the day of their eviction. It was six days before she could talk to him. "He told me he was put in a cell with another debtor, a Sri Lankan guy who was only 27, who said he couldn't face the shame to his family. Daniel woke up and the boy had swallowed razor-blades. He banged for help, but nobody came, and the boy died in front of him."
Karen managed to beg from her friends for a few weeks, "but it was so humiliating. I've never lived like this. I worked in the fashion industry. I had my own shops. I've never..." She peters out.
Daniel was sentenced to six months' imprisonment at a trial he couldn't understand. It was in Arabic, and there was no translation. "Now I'm here illegally, too," Karen says I've got no money, nothing. I have to last nine months until he's out, somehow." Looking away, almost paralysed with embarrassment, she asks if I could buy her a meal.
She is not alone. All over the city, there are maxed-out expats sleeping secretly in the sand-dunes or the airport or in their cars.
"The thing you have to understand about Dubai is – nothing is what it seems," Karen says at last. "Nothing. This isn't a city, it's a con-job. They lure you in telling you it's one thing – a modern kind of place – but beneath the surface it's a medieval dictatorship."
II. Tumbleweed
Thirty years ago, almost all of contemporary Dubai was desert, inhabited only by cactuses and tumbleweed and scorpions. But downtown there are traces of the town that once was, buried amidst the metal and glass. In the dusty fort of the Dubai Museum, a sanitised version of this story is told.
In the mid-18th century, a small village was built here, in the lower Persian Gulf, where people would dive for pearls off the coast. It soon began to accumulate a cosmopolitan population washing up from Persia, the Indian subcontinent, and other Arab countries, all hoping to make their fortune. They named it after a local locust, the daba, who consumed everything before it. The town was soon seized by the gunships of the British Empire, who held it by the throat as late as 1971. As they scuttled away, Dubai decided to ally with the six surrounding states and make up the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The British quit, exhausted, just as oil was being discovered, and the sheikhs who suddenly found themselves in charge faced a remarkable dilemma. They were largely illiterate nomads who spent their lives driving camels through the desert – yet now they had a vast pot of gold. What should they do with it?
Dubai only had a dribble of oil compared to neighbouring Abu Dhabi – so Sheikh Maktoum decided to use the revenues to build something that would last. Israel used to boast it made the desert bloom; Sheikh Maktoum resolved to make the desert boom. He would build a city to be a centre of tourism and financial services, sucking up cash and talent from across the globe. He invited the world to come tax-free – and they came in their millions, swamping the local population, who now make up just 5 per cent of Dubai. A city seemed to fall from the sky in just three decades, whole and complete and swelling. They fast-forwarded from the 18th century to the 21st in a single generation.
If you take the Big Bus Tour of Dubai – the passport to a pre-processed experience of every major city on earth – you are fed the propaganda-vision of how this happened. "Dubai's motto is 'Open doors, open minds'," the tour guide tells you in clipped tones, before depositing you at the souks to buy camel tea-cosies. "Here you are free. To purchase fabrics," he adds. As you pass each new monumental building, he tells you: "The World Trade Centre was built by His Highness..."
But this is a lie. The sheikh did not build this city. It was built by slaves. They are building it now.
III. Hidden in plain view
There are three different Dubais, all swirling around each other. There are the expats, like Karen; there are the Emiratis, headed by Sheikh Mohammed; and then there is the foreign underclass who built the city, and are trapped here. They are hidden in plain view. You see them everywhere, in dirt-caked blue uniforms, being shouted at by their superiors, like a chain gang – but you are trained not to look. It is like a mantra: the Sheikh built the city. The Sheikh built the city. Workers? What workers?
Every evening, the hundreds of thousands of young men who build Dubai are bussed from their sites to a vast concrete wasteland an hour out of town, where they are quarantined away. Until a few years ago they were shuttled back and forth on cattle trucks, but the expats complained this was unsightly, so now they are shunted on small metal buses that function like greenhouses in the desert heat. They sweat like sponges being slowly wrung out.
Sonapur is a rubble-strewn patchwork of miles and miles of identical concrete buildings. Some 300,000 men live piled up here, in a place whose name in Hindi means "City of Gold". In the first camp I stop at – riven with the smell of sewage and sweat – the men huddle around, eager to tell someone, anyone, what is happening to them.
Sahinal Monir, a slim 24-year-old from the deltas of Bangladesh. "To get you here, they tell you Dubai is heaven. Then you get here and realise it is hell," he says. Four years ago, an employment agent arrived in Sahinal's village in Southern Bangladesh. He told the men of the village that there was a place where they could earn 40,000 takka a month (£400) just for working nine-to-five on construction projects. It was a place where they would be given great accommodation, great food, and treated well. All they had to do was pay an up-front fee of 220,000 takka (£2,300) for the work visa – a fee they'd pay off in the first six months, easy. So Sahinal sold his family land, and took out a loan from the local lender, to head to this paradise.
As soon as he arrived at Dubai airport, his passport was taken from him by his construction company. He has not seen it since. He was told brusquely that from now on he would be working 14-hour days in the desert heat – where western tourists are advised not to stay outside for even five minutes in summer, when it hits 55 degrees – for 500 dirhams a month (£90), less than a quarter of the wage he was promised. If you don't like it, the company told him, go home. "But how can I go home? You have my passport, and I have no money for the ticket," he said. "Well, then you'd better get to work," they replied.
Sahinal was in a panic. His family back home – his son, daughter, wife and parents – were waiting for money, excited that their boy had finally made it. But he was going to have to work for more than two years just to pay for the cost of getting here – and all to earn less than he did in Bangladesh.
He shows me his room. It is a tiny, poky, concrete cell with triple-decker bunk-beds, where he lives with 11 other men. All his belongings are piled onto his bunk: three shirts, a spare pair of trousers, and a cellphone. The room stinks, because the lavatories in the corner of the camp – holes in the ground – are backed up with excrement and clouds of black flies. There is no air conditioning or fans, so the heat is "unbearable. You cannot sleep. All you do is sweat and scratch all night." At the height of summer, people sleep on the floor, on the roof, anywhere where they can pray for a moment of breeze.
The water delivered to the camp in huge white containers isn't properly desalinated: it tastes of salt. "It makes us sick, but we have nothing else to drink," he says.
The work is "the worst in the world," he says. "You have to carry 50kg bricks and blocks of cement in the worst heat imaginable ... This heat – it is like nothing else. You sweat so much you can't pee, not for days or weeks. It's like all the liquid comes out through your skin and you stink. You become dizzy and sick but you aren't allowed to stop, except for an hour in the afternoon. You know if you drop anything or slip, you could die. If you take time off sick, your wages are docked, and you are trapped here even longer."
He is currently working on the 67th floor of a shiny new tower, where he builds upwards, into the sky, into the heat. He doesn't know its name. In his four years here, he has never seen the Dubai of tourist-fame, except as he constructs it floor-by-floor.
Is he angry? He is quiet for a long time. "Here, nobody shows their anger. You can't. You get put in jail for a long time, then deported." Last year, some workers went on strike after they were not given their wages for four months. The Dubai police surrounded their camps with razor-wire and water-cannons and blasted them out and back to work.
The "ringleaders" were imprisoned. I try a different question: does Sohinal regret coming? All the men look down, awkwardly. "How can we think about that? We are trapped. If we start to think about regrets..." He lets the sentence trail off. Eventually, another worker breaks the silence by adding: "I miss my country, my family and my land. We can grow food in Bangladesh. Here, nothing grows. Just oil and buildings."
Since the recession hit, they say, the electricity has been cut off in dozens of the camps, and the men have not been paid for months. Their companies have disappeared with their passports and their pay. "We have been robbed of everything. Even if somehow we get back to Bangladesh, the loan sharks will demand we repay our loans immediately, and when we can't, we'll be sent to prison."
This is all supposed to be illegal. Employers are meant to pay on time, never take your passport, give you breaks in the heat – but I met nobody who said it happens. Not one. These men are conned into coming and trapped into staying, with the complicity of the Dubai authorities.
Sahinal could well die out here. A British man who used to work on construction projects told me: "There's a huge number of suicides in the camps and on the construction sites, but they're not reported. They're described as 'accidents'." Even then, their families aren't free: they simply inherit the debts. A Human Rights Watch study found there is a "cover-up of the true extent" of deaths from heat exhaustion, overwork and suicide, but the Indian consulate registered 971 deaths of their nationals in 2005 alone. After this figure was leaked, the consulates were told to stop counting.
At night, in the dusk, I sit in the camp with Sohinal and his friends as they scrape together what they have left to buy a cheap bottle of spirits. They down it in one ferocious gulp. "It helps you to feel numb", Sohinal says through a stinging throat. In the distance, the glistening Dubai skyline he built stands, oblivious.
IV. Mauled by the mall
I find myself stumbling in a daze from the camps into the sprawling marble malls that seem to stand on every street in Dubai. It is so hot there is no point building pavements; people gather in these cathedrals of consumerism to bask in the air conditioning. So within a ten minute taxi-ride, I have left Sohinal and I am standing in the middle of Harvey Nichols, being shown a £20,000 taffeta dress by a bored salesgirl. "As you can see, it is cut on the bias..." she says, and I stop writing.
Time doesn't seem to pass in the malls. Days blur with the same electric light, the same shined floors, the same brands I know from home. Here, Dubai is reduced to its component sounds: do-buy. In the most expensive malls I am almost alone, the shops empty and echoing. On the record, everybody tells me business is going fine. Off the record, they look panicky. There is a hat exhibition ahead of the Dubai races, selling elaborate headgear for £1,000 a pop. "Last year, we were packed. Now look," a hat designer tells me. She swoops her arm over a vacant space.
I approach a blonde 17-year-old Dutch girl wandering around in hotpants, oblivious to the swarms of men gaping at her. "I love it here!" she says. "The heat, the malls, the beach!" Does it ever bother you that it's a slave society? She puts her head down, just as Sohinal did. "I try not to see," she says. Even at 17, she has learned not to look, and not to ask; that, she senses, is a transgression too far.
Between the malls, there is nothing but the connecting tissue of asphalt. Every road has at least four lanes; Dubai feels like a motorway punctuated by shopping centres. You only walk anywhere if you are suicidal. The residents of Dubai flit from mall to mall by car or taxis.
How does it feel if this is your country, filled with foreigners? Unlike the expats and the slave class, I can't just approach the native Emiratis to ask questions when I see them wandering around – the men in cool white robes, the women in sweltering black. If you try, the women blank you, and the men look affronted, and tell you brusquely that Dubai is "fine". So I browse through the Emirati blog-scene and found some typical-sounding young Emiratis. We meet – where else? – in the mall.
Ahmed al-Atar is a handsome 23-year-old with a neat, trimmed beard, tailored white robes, and rectangular wire-glasses. He speaks perfect American-English, and quickly shows that he knows London, Los Angeles and Paris better than most westerners. Sitting back in his chair in an identikit Starbucks, he announces: "This is the best place in the world to be young! The government pays for your education up to PhD level. You get given a free house when you get married. You get free healthcare, and if it's not good enough here, they pay for you to go abroad. You don't even have to pay for your phone calls. Almost everyone has a maid, a nanny, and a driver. And we never pay any taxes. Don't you wish you were Emirati?"
I try to raise potential objections to this Panglossian summary, but he leans forward and says: "Look – my grandfather woke up every day and he would have to fight to get to the well first to get water. When the wells ran dry, they had to have water delivered by camel. They were always hungry and thirsty and desperate for jobs. He limped all his life, because he there was no medical treatment available when he broke his leg. Now look at us!"
For Emiratis, this is a Santa Claus state, handing out goodies while it makes its money elsewhere: through renting out land to foreigners, soft taxes on them like business and airport charges, and the remaining dribble of oil. Most Emiratis, like Ahmed, work for the government, so they're cushioned from the credit crunch. "I haven't felt any effect at all, and nor have my friends," he says. "Your employment is secure. You will only be fired if you do something incredibly bad." The laws are currently being tightened, to make it even more impossible to sack an Emirati.
Sure, the flooding-in of expats can sometimes be "an eyesore", Ahmed says. "But we see the expats as the price we had to pay for this development. How else could we do it? Nobody wants to go back to the days of the desert, the days before everyone came. We went from being like an African country to having an average income per head of $120,000 a year. And we're supposed to complain?"
He says the lack of political freedom is fine by him. "You'll find it very hard to find an Emirati who doesn't support Sheikh Mohammed." Because they're scared? "No, because we really all support him. He's a great leader. Just look!" He smiles and says: "I'm sure my life is very much like yours. We hang out, have a coffee, go to the movies. You'll be in a Pizza Hut or Nando's in London, and at the same time I'll be in one in Dubai," he says, ordering another latte.
But do all young Emiratis see it this way? Can it really be so sunny in the political sands? In the sleek Emirates Tower Hotel, I meet Sultan al-Qassemi. He's a 31-year-old Emirati columnist for the Dubai press and private art collector, with a reputation for being a contrarian liberal, advocating gradual reform. He is wearing Western clothes – blue jeans and a Ralph Lauren shirt – and speaks incredibly fast, turning himself into a manic whirr of arguments.
"People here are turning into lazy, overweight babies!" he exclaims. "The nanny state has gone too far. We don't do anything for ourselves! Why don't any of us work for the private sector? Why can't a mother and father look after their own child?" And yet, when I try to bring up the system of slavery that built Dubai, he looks angry. "People should give us credit," he insists. "We are the most tolerant people in the world. Dubai is the only truly international city in the world. Everyone who comes here is treated with respect."
I pause, and think of the vast camps in Sonapur, just a few miles away. Does he even know they exist? He looks irritated. "You know, if there are 30 or 40 cases [of worker abuse] a year, that sounds like a lot but when you think about how many people are here..." Thirty or 40? This abuse is endemic to the system, I say. We're talking about hundreds of thousands.
Sultan is furious. He splutters: "You don't think Mexicans are treated badly in New York City? And how long did it take Britain to treat people well? I could come to London and write about the homeless people on Oxford Street and make your city sound like a terrible place, too! The workers here can leave any time they want! Any Indian can leave, any Asian can leave!"
But they can't, I point out. Their passports are taken away, and their wages are withheld. "Well, I feel bad if that happens, and anybody who does that should be punished. But their embassies should help them." They try. But why do you forbid the workers – with force – from going on strike against lousy employers? "Thank God we don't allow that!" he exclaims. "Strikes are in-convenient! They go on the street – we're not having that. We won't be like France. Imagine a country where they the workers can just stop whenever they want!" So what should the workers do when they are cheated and lied to? "Quit. Leave the country."
I sigh. Sultan is seething now. "People in the West are always complaining about us," he says. Suddenly, he adopts a mock-whiny voice and says, in imitation of these disgusting critics: "Why don't you treat animals better? Why don't you have better shampoo advertising? Why don't you treat labourers better?" It's a revealing order: animals, shampoo, then workers. He becomes more heated, shifting in his seat, jabbing his finger at me. "I gave workers who worked for me safety goggles and special boots, and they didn't want to wear them! It slows them down!"
And then he smiles, coming up with what he sees as his killer argument. "When I see Western journalists criticise us – don't you realise you're shooting yourself in the foot? The Middle East will be far more dangerous if Dubai fails. Our export isn't oil, it's hope. Poor Egyptians or Libyans or Iranians grow up saying – I want to go to Dubai. We're very important to the region. We are showing how to be a modern Muslim country. We don't have any fundamentalists here. Europeans shouldn't gloat at our demise. You should be very worried.... Do you know what will happen if this model fails? Dubai will go down the Iranian path, the Islamist path."
Sultan sits back. My arguments have clearly disturbed him; he says in a softer, conciliatory tone, almost pleading: "Listen. My mother used to go to the well and get a bucket of water every morning. On her wedding day, she was given an orange as a gift because she had never eaten one. Two of my brothers died when they were babies because the healthcare system hadn't developed yet. Don't judge us." He says it again, his eyes filled with intensity: "Don't judge us."
V. The Dunkin' Donuts Dissidents
But there is another face to the Emirati minority – a small huddle of dissidents, trying to shake the Sheikhs out of abusive laws. Next to a Virgin Megastore and a Dunkin' Donuts, with James Blunt's "You're Beautiful" blaring behind me, I meet the Dubai dictatorship's Public Enemy Number One. By way of introduction, Mohammed al-Mansoori says from within his white robes and sinewy face: "Westerners come her and see the malls and the tall buildings and they think that means we are free. But these businesses, these buildings – who are they for? This is a dictatorship. The royal family think they own the country, and the people are their servants. There is no freedom here."
We snuffle out the only Arabic restaurant in this mall, and he says everything you are banned – under threat of prison – from saying in Dubai. Mohammed tells me he was born in Dubai to a fisherman father who taught him one enduring lesson: Never follow the herd. Think for yourself. In the sudden surge of development, Mohammed trained as a lawyer. By the Noughties, he had climbed to the head of the Jurists' Association, an organisation set up to press for Dubai's laws to be consistent with international human rights legislation.
And then – suddenly – Mohammed thwacked into the limits of Sheikh Mohammed's tolerance. Horrified by the "system of slavery" his country was being built on, he spoke out to Human Rights Watch and the BBC. "So I was hauled in by the secret police and told: shut up, or you will lose you job, and your children will be unemployable," he says. "But how could I be silent?"
He was stripped of his lawyer's licence and his passport – becoming yet another person imprisoned in this country. "I have been blacklisted and so have my children. The newspapers are not allowed to write about me."
Why is the state so keen to defend this system of slavery? He offers a prosaic explanation. "Most companies are owned by the government, so they oppose human rights laws because it will reduce their profit margins. It's in their interests that the workers are slaves."
Last time there was a depression, there was a starbust of democracy in Dubai, seized by force from the sheikhs. In the 1930s, the city's merchants banded together against Sheikh Said bin Maktum al-Maktum – the absolute ruler of his day – and insisted they be given control over the state finances. It lasted only a few years, before the Sheikh – with the enthusiastic support of the British – snuffed them out.
And today? Sheikh Mohammed turned Dubai into Creditopolis, a city built entirely on debt. Dubai owes 107 percent of its entire GDP. It would be bust already, if the neighbouring oil-soaked state of Abu Dhabi hadn't pulled out its chequebook. Mohammed says this will constrict freedom even further. "Now Abu Dhabi calls the tunes – and they are much more conservative and restrictive than even Dubai. Freedom here will diminish every day." Already, new media laws have been drafted forbidding the press to report on anything that could "damage" Dubai or "its economy". Is this why the newspapers are giving away glossy supplements talking about "encouraging economic indicators"?
Everybody here waves Islamism as the threat somewhere over the horizon, sure to swell if their advice is not followed. Today, every imam is appointed by the government, and every sermon is tightly controlled to keep it moderate. But Mohammed says anxiously: "We don't have Islamism here now, but I think that if you control people and give them no way to express anger, it could rise. People who are told to shut up all the time can just explode."
Later that day, against another identikit-corporate backdrop, I meet another dissident – Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, Professor of Political Science at Emirates University. His anger focuses not on political reform, but the erosion of Emirati identity. He is famous among the locals, a rare outspoken conductor for their anger. He says somberly: "There has been a rupture here. This is a totally different city to the one I was born in 50 years ago."
He looks around at the shiny floors and Western tourists and says: "What we see now didn't occur in our wildest dreams. We never thought we could be such a success, a trendsetter, a model for other Arab countries. The people of Dubai are mighty proud of their city, and rightly so. And yet..." He shakes his head. "In our hearts, we fear we have built a modern city but we are losing it to all these expats."
Adbulkhaleq says every Emirati of his generation lives with a "psychological trauma." Their hearts are divided – "between pride on one side, and fear on the other." Just after he says this, a smiling waitress approaches, and asks us what we would like to drink. He orders a Coke.
VI. Dubai Pride
There is one group in Dubai for whom the rhetoric of sudden freedom and liberation rings true – but it is the very group the government wanted to liberate least: gays.
Beneath a famous international hotel, I clamber down into possibly the only gay club on the Saudi Arabian peninsula. I find a United Nations of tank-tops and bulging biceps, dancing to Kylie, dropping ecstasy, and partying like it's Soho. "Dubai is the best place in the Muslim world for gays!" a 25-year old Emirati with spiked hair says, his arms wrapped around his 31-year old "husband". "We are alive. We can meet. That is more than most Arab gays."
It is illegal to be gay in Dubai, and punishable by 10 years in prison. But the locations of the latest unofficial gay clubs circulate online, and men flock there, seemingly unafraid of the police. "They might bust the club, but they will just disperse us," one of them says. "The police have other things to do."
In every large city, gay people find a way to find each other – but Dubai has become the clearing-house for the region's homosexuals, a place where they can live in relative safety. Saleh, a lean private in the Saudi Arabian army, has come here for the Coldplay concert, and tells me Dubai is "great" for gays: "In Saudi, it's hard to be straight when you're young. The women are shut away so everyone has gay sex. But they only want to have sex with boys – 15- to 21-year-olds. I'm 27, so I'm too old now. I need to find real gays, so this is the best place. All Arab gays want to live in Dubai."
With that, Saleh dances off across the dancefloor, towards a Dutch guy with big biceps and a big smile.
VII. The Lifestyle
All the guidebooks call Dubai a "melting pot", but as I trawl across the city, I find that every group here huddles together in its own little ethnic enclave – and becomes a caricature of itself. One night – in the heart of this homesick city, tired of the malls and the camps – I go to Double Decker, a hang-out for British expats. At the entrance there is a red telephone box, and London bus-stop signs. Its wooden interior looks like a cross between a colonial clubhouse in the Raj and an Eighties school disco, with blinking coloured lights and cheese blaring out. As I enter, a girl in a short skirt collapses out of the door onto her back. A guy wearing a pirate hat helps her to her feet, dropping his beer bottle with a paralytic laugh.
I start to talk to two sun-dried women in their sixties who have been getting gently sozzled since midday. "You stay here for The Lifestyle," they say, telling me to take a seat and order some more drinks. All the expats talk about The Lifestyle, but when you ask what it is, they become vague. Ann Wark tries to summarise it: "Here, you go out every night. You'd never do that back home. You see people all the time. It's great. You have lots of free time. You have maids and staff so you don't have to do all that stuff. You party!"
They have been in Dubai for 20 years, and they are happy to explain how the city works. "You've got a hierarchy, haven't you?" Ann says. "It's the Emiratis at the top, then I'd say the British and other Westerners. Then I suppose it's the Filipinos, because they've got a bit more brains than the Indians. Then at the bottom you've got the Indians and all them lot."
They admit, however, they have "never" spoken to an Emirati. Never? "No. They keep themselves to themselves." Yet Dubai has disappointed them. Jules Taylor tells me: "If you have an accident here it's a nightmare. There was a British woman we knew who ran over an Indian guy, and she was locked up for four days! If you have a tiny bit of alcohol on your breath they're all over you. These Indians throw themselves in front of cars, because then their family has to be given blood money – you know, compensation. But the police just blame us. That poor woman."
A 24-year-old British woman called Hannah Gamble takes a break from the dancefloor to talk to me. "I love the sun and the beach! It's great out here!" she says. Is there anything bad? "Oh yes!" she says. Ah: one of them has noticed, I think with relief. "The banks! When you want to make a transfer you have to fax them. You can't do it online." Anything else? She thinks hard. "The traffic's not very good."
When I ask the British expats how they feel to not be in a democracy, their reaction is always the same. First, they look bemused. Then they look affronted. "It's the Arab way!" an Essex boy shouts at me in response, as he tries to put a pair of comedy antlers on his head while pouring some beer into the mouth of his friend, who is lying on his back on the floor, gurning.
Later, in a hotel bar, I start chatting to a dyspeptic expat American who works in the cosmetics industry and is desperate to get away from these people. She says: "All the people who couldn't succeed in their own countries end up here, and suddenly they're rich and promoted way above their abilities and bragging about how great they are. I've never met so many incompetent people in such senior positions anywhere in the world." She adds: "It's absolutely racist. I had Filipino girls working for me doing the same job as a European girl, and she's paid a quarter of the wages. The people who do the real work are paid next to nothing, while these incompetent managers pay themselves £40,000 a month."
With the exception of her, one theme unites every expat I speak to: their joy at having staff to do the work that would clog their lives up Back Home. Everyone, it seems, has a maid. The maids used to be predominantly Filipino, but with the recession, Filipinos have been judged to be too expensive, so a nice Ethiopian servant girl is the latest fashionable accessory.
It is an open secret that once you hire a maid, you have absolute power over her. You take her passport – everyone does; you decide when to pay her, and when – if ever – she can take a break; and you decide who she talks to. She speaks no Arabic. She cannot escape.
In a Burger King, a Filipino girl tells me it is "terrifying" for her to wander the malls in Dubai because Filipino maids or nannies always sneak away from the family they are with and beg her for help. "They say – 'Please, I am being held prisoner, they don't let me call home, they make me work every waking hour seven days a week.' At first I would say – my God, I will tell the consulate, where are you staying? But they never know their address, and the consulate isn't interested. I avoid them now. I keep thinking about a woman who told me she hadn't eaten any fruit in four years. They think I have power because I can walk around on my own, but I'm powerless."
The only hostel for women in Dubai – a filthy private villa on the brink of being repossessed – is filled with escaped maids. Mela Matari, a 25-year-old Ethiopian woman with a drooping smile, tells me what happened to her – and thousands like her. She was promised a paradise in the sands by an agency, so she left her four year-old daughter at home and headed here to earn money for a better future. "But they paid me half what they promised. I was put with an Australian family – four children – and Madam made me work from 6am to 1am every day, with no day off. I was exhausted and pleaded for a break, but they just shouted: 'You came here to work, not sleep!' Then one day I just couldn't go on, and Madam beat me. She beat me with her fists and kicked me. My ear still hurts. They wouldn't give me my wages: they said they'd pay me at the end of the two years. What could I do? I didn't know anybody here. I was terrified."
One day, after yet another beating, Mela ran out onto the streets, and asked – in broken English – how to find the Ethiopian consulate. After walking for two days, she found it, but they told her she had to get her passport back from Madam. "Well, how could I?" she asks. She has been in this hostel for six months. She has spoken to her daughter twice. "I lost my country, I lost my daughter, I lost everything," she says.
As she says this, I remember a stray sentence I heard back at Double Decker. I asked a British woman called Hermione Frayling what the best thing about Dubai was. "Oh, the servant class!" she trilled. "You do nothing. They'll do anything!"
VIII. The End of The World
The World is empty. It has been abandoned, its continents unfinished. Through binoculars, I think I can glimpse Britain; this sceptred isle barren in the salt-breeze.
Here, off the coast of Dubai, developers have been rebuilding the world. They have constructed artificial islands in the shape of all planet Earth's land masses, and they plan to sell each continent off to be built on. There were rumours that the Beckhams would bid for Britain. But the people who work at the nearby coast say they haven't seen anybody there for months now. "The World is over," a South African suggests.
All over Dubai, crazy projects that were Under Construction are now Under Collapse. They were building an air-conditioned beach here, with cooling pipes running below the sand, so the super-rich didn't singe their toes on their way from towel to sea.
The projects completed just before the global economy crashed look empty and tattered. The Atlantis Hotel was launched last winter in a $20m fin-de-siecle party attended by Robert De Niro, Lindsay Lohan and Lily Allen. Sitting on its own fake island – shaped, of course, like a palm tree – it looks like an immense upturned tooth in a faintly decaying mouth. It is pink and turreted – the architecture of the pharaohs, as reimagined by Zsa-Zsa Gabor. Its Grand Lobby is a monumental dome covered in glitterballs, held up by eight monumental concrete palm trees. Standing in the middle, there is a giant shining glass structure that looks like the intestines of every guest who has ever stayed at the Atlantis. It is unexpectedly raining; water is leaking from the roof, and tiles are falling off.
A South African PR girl shows me around its most coveted rooms, explaining that this is "the greatest luxury offered in the world". We stroll past shops selling £24m diamond rings around a hotel themed on the lost and sunken continent of, yes, Atlantis. There are huge water tanks filled with sharks, which poke around mock-abandoned castles and dumped submarines. There are more than 1,500 rooms here, each with a sea view. The Neptune suite has three floors, and – I gasp as I see it – it looks out directly on to the vast shark tank. You lie on the bed, and the sharks stare in at you. In Dubai, you can sleep with the fishes, and survive.
But even the luxury – reminiscent of a Bond villain's lair – is also being abandoned. I check myself in for a few nights to the classiest hotel in town, the Park Hyatt. It is the fashionistas' favourite hotel, where Elle Macpherson and Tommy Hilfiger stay, a gorgeous, understated palace. It feels empty. Whenever I eat, I am one of the only people in the restaurant. A staff member tells me in a whisper: "It used to be full here. Now there's hardly anyone." Rattling around, I feel like Jack Nicholson in The Shining, the last man in an abandoned, haunted home.
The most famous hotel in Dubai – the proud icon of the city – is the Burj al Arab hotel, sitting on the shore, shaped like a giant glass sailing boat. In the lobby, I start chatting to a couple from London who work in the City. They have been coming to Dubai for 10 years now, and they say they love it. "You never know what you'll find here," he says. "On our last trip, at the beginning of the holiday, our window looked out on the sea. By the end, they'd built an entire island there."
My patience frayed by all this excess, I find myself snapping: doesn't the omnipresent slave class bother you? I hope they misunderstood me, because the woman replied: "That's what we come for! It's great, you can't do anything for yourself!" Her husband chimes in: "When you go to the toilet, they open the door, they turn on the tap – the only thing they don't do is take it out for you when you have a piss!" And they both fall about laughing.
IX. Taking on the Desert
Dubai is not just a city living beyond its financial means; it is living beyond its ecological means. You stand on a manicured Dubai lawn and watch the sprinklers spray water all around you. You see tourists flocking to swim with dolphins. You wander into a mountain-sized freezer where they have built a ski slope with real snow. And a voice at the back of your head squeaks: this is the desert. This is the most water-stressed place on the planet. How can this be happening? How is it possible?
The very earth is trying to repel Dubai, to dry it up and blow it away. The new Tiger Woods Gold Course needs four million gallons of water to be pumped on to its grounds every day, or it would simply shrivel and disappear on the winds. The city is regularly washed over with dust-storms that fog up the skies and turn the skyline into a blur. When the dust parts, heat burns through. It cooks anything that is not kept constantly, artificially wet.
Dr Mohammed Raouf, the environmental director of the Gulf Research Centre, sounds sombre as he sits in his Dubai office and warns: "This is a desert area, and we are trying to defy its environment. It is very unwise. If you take on the desert, you will lose."
Sheikh Maktoum built his showcase city in a place with no useable water. None. There is no surface water, very little acquifer, and among the lowest rainfall in the world. So Dubai drinks the sea. The Emirates' water is stripped of salt in vast desalination plants around the Gulf – making it the most expensive water on earth. It costs more than petrol to produce, and belches vast amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as it goes. It's the main reason why a resident of Dubai has the biggest average carbon footprint of any human being – more than double that of an American.
If a recession turns into depression, Dr Raouf believes Dubai could run out of water. "At the moment, we have financial reserves that cover bringing so much water to the middle of the desert. But if we had lower revenues – if, say, the world shifts to a source of energy other than oil..." he shakes his head. "We will have a very big problem. Water is the main source of life. It would be a catastrophe. Dubai only has enough water to last us a week. There's almost no storage. We don't know what will happen if our supplies falter. It would be hard to survive."
Global warming, he adds, makes the problem even worse. "We are building all these artificial islands, but if the sea level rises, they will be gone, and we will lose a lot. Developers keep saying it's all fine, they've taken it into consideration, but I'm not so sure."
Is the Dubai government concerned about any of this? "There isn't much interest in these problems," he says sadly. But just to stand still, the average resident of Dubai needs three times more water than the average human. In the looming century of water stresses and a transition away from fossil fuels, Dubai is uniquely vulnerable.
I wanted to understand how the government of Dubai will react, so I decided to look at how it has dealt with an environmental problem that already exists – the pollution of its beaches. One woman – an American, working at one of the big hotels – had written in a lot of online forums arguing that it was bad and getting worse, so I called her to arrange a meeting. "I can't talk to you," she said sternly. Not even if it's off the record? "I can't talk to you." But I don't have to disclose your name... "You're not listening. This phone is bugged. I can't talk to you," she snapped, and hung up.
The next day I turned up at her office. "If you reveal my identity, I'll be sent on the first plane out of this city," she said, before beginning to nervously pace the shore with me. "It started like this. We began to get complaints from people using the beach. The water looked and smelled odd, and they were starting to get sick after going into it. So I wrote to the ministers of health and tourism and expected to hear back immediately – but there was nothing. Silence. I hand-delivered the letters. Still nothing."
The water quality got worse and worse. The guests started to spot raw sewage, condoms, and used sanitary towels floating in the sea. So the hotel ordered its own water analyses from a professional company. "They told us it was full of fecal matter and bacteria 'too numerous to count'. I had to start telling guests not to go in the water, and since they'd come on a beach holiday, as you can imagine, they were pretty pissed off." She began to make angry posts on the expat discussion forums – and people began to figure out what was happening. Dubai had expanded so fast its sewage treatment facilities couldn't keep up. The sewage disposal trucks had to queue for three or four days at the treatment plants – so instead, they were simply drilling open the manholes and dumping the untreated sewage down them, so it flowed straight to the sea.
Suddenly, it was an open secret – and the municipal authorities finally acknowledged the problem. They said they would fine the truckers. But the water quality didn't improve: it became black and stank. "It's got chemicals in it. I don't know what they are. But this stuff is toxic."
She continued to complain – and started to receive anonymous phone calls. "Stop embarassing Dubai, or your visa will be cancelled and you're out," they said. She says: "The expats are terrified to talk about anything. One critical comment in the newspapers and they deport you. So what am I supposed to do? Now the water is worse than ever. People are getting really sick. Eye infections, ear infections, stomach infections, rashes. Look at it!" There is faeces floating on the beach, in the shadow of one of Dubai's most famous hotels.
"What I learnt about Dubai is that the authorities don't give a toss about the environment," she says, standing in the stench. "They're pumping toxins into the sea, their main tourist attraction, for God's sake. If there are environmental problems in the future, I can tell you now how they will deal with them – deny it's happening, cover it up, and carry on until it's a total disaster." As she speaks, a dust-storm blows around us, as the desert tries, slowly, insistently, to take back its land.
X. Fake Plastic Trees
On my final night in the Dubai Disneyland, I stop off on my way to the airport, at a Pizza Hut that sits at the side of one of the city's endless, wide, gaping roads. It is identical to the one near my apartment in London in every respect, even the vomit-coloured decor. My mind is whirring and distracted. Perhaps Dubai disturbed me so much, I am thinking, because here, the entire global supply chain is condensed. Many of my goods are made by semi-enslaved populations desperate for a chance 2,000 miles away; is the only difference that here, they are merely two miles away, and you sometimes get to glimpse their faces? Dubai is Market Fundamentalist Globalisation in One City.
I ask the Filipino girl behind the counter if she likes it here. "It's OK," she says cautiously. Really? I say. I can't stand it. She sighs with relief and says: "This is the most terrible place! I hate it! I was here for months before I realised – everything in Dubai is fake. Everything you see. The trees are fake, the workers' contracts are fake, the islands are fake, the smiles are fake – even the water is fake!" But she is trapped, she says. She got into debt to come here, and she is stuck for three years: an old story now. "I think Dubai is like an oasis. It is an illusion, not real. You think you have seen water in the distance, but you get close and you only get a mouthful of sand."
As she says this, another customer enters. She forces her face into the broad, empty Dubai smile and says: "And how may I help you tonight, sir?"
Some names in this article have been changed.
RobbyG Unbelievable, I just passed the Adult Disneyland part, and already the spooks are creepin' my back. All those expats sleeping on the airport and in nearby sand dunes!! I'm continuing reading.... RobbyG What a country. For the non-elaborate readers; a passage
[excerpt]
The work is "the worst in the world," he says. "You have to carry 50kg bricks and blocks of cement in the worst heat imaginable ... This heat – it is like nothing else. You sweat so much you can't pee, not for days or weeks. It's like all the liquid comes out through your skin and you stink. You become dizzy and sick but you aren't allowed to stop, except for an hour in the afternoon. You know if you drop anything or slip, you could die. If you take time off sick, your wages are docked, and you are trapped here even longer."
[end excerpt]
One other mind boggling excerpt, I quote:
[excerpt]
Since the recession hit, they say, the electricity has been cut off in dozens of the camps, and the men have not been paid for months. Their companies have disappeared with their passports and their pay. "We have been robbed of everything. Even if somehow we get back to Bangladesh, the loan sharks will demand we repay our loans immediately, and when we can't, we'll be sent to prison."
This is all supposed to be illegal. Employers are meant to pay on time, never take your passport, give you breaks in the heat – but I met nobody who said it happens. Not one. These men are conned into coming and trapped into staying, with the complicity of the Dubai authorities.
Sahinal could well die out here. A British man who used to work on construction projects told me: "There's a huge number of suicides in the camps and on the construction sites, but they're not reported. They're described as 'accidents'." Even then, their families aren't free: they simply inherit the debts. A Human Rights Watch study found there is a "cover-up of the true extent" of deaths from heat exhaustion, overwork and suicide, but the Indian consulate registered 971 deaths of their nationals in 2005 alone. After this figure was leaked, the consulates were told to stop counting.
At night, in the dusk, I sit in the camp with Sohinal and his friends as they scrape together what they have left to buy a cheap bottle of spirits. They down it in one ferocious gulp. "It helps you to feel numb", Sohinal says through a stinging throat. In the distance, the glistening Dubai skyline he built stands, oblivious.
[end excerpt]
We should do something about this people. We all know its happening, but we (and especially you guys there!) just sit and watch this happening.
But ok, you are afraid being imprisoned, logically.
So its up to us Westerners to deal with this, obviously. Any thoughts on this one...?
I'm continuing my interesting read... RobbyG Isnt there as SINGLE soul out there that has the guts to comment on this!? Are you all a bunch of sissies that dare not to speak!? What is wrong with you people for gods sake. Even Rudeboy is mentioned in the article. His fictive name is Sultan. You might wanna read it. Unbelievable. It gets the anger out of me. If things are SO bad for these people, where in the hell is your respect for humanity?! Ignorance is blisss, that you don't have to tell me. But this touches my soul. And merely for a few dimes extra for an expat, you do contribute to this situation. I suddenly have a little less compassion for Emiratis. Just read the f@ckin article people. This article is getting to me. Its scrapes the flesh of my bone, even when I knew this was happening. Its unbelievable how compelling this story is. Nobody care to comment!? gtmash Only read part 1 so far. While I can't care for Mrs. Range Rover, I really feel bad for that Sri Lankan guy who swallowed blades. Wonder why/how it wasn't in the papers. RobbyG What does the Range Rover has to do with this!? She's (the Canadian) is just one of the builders that created the Dubai environment that it is today. No respect for hard working people!? What is that for mentality! desertdudeshj Well one thing for sure is true and couldn't be more truer " All the people who couldn't succeed in their own countries end up here, and suddenly they're rich and promoted way above their abilities and bragging about how great they are. I've never met so many incompetent people in such senior positions anywhere in the world." She adds: "It's absolutely racist. I had Filipino girls working for me doing the same job as a European girl, and she's paid a quarter of the wages." Also this rings a very solid bell "The people who do the real work are paid next to nothing, while these incompetent managers pay themselves £40,000 a month! " Rest of it is basically all same old same old. Wonder why the British media is so intrested in the first place. There are sad human intrest stories all over the world why should this place be any diffrent. How come there are no detailed articles of attrocities and genocide being carried out by the Israelis and Russians in Palestine or Chechnya. How come there are no tears shed for those people out in the west. No hard hitting factual articles. How come ? Oh then they would be considered anti semitic ! I think I'm going to get a lot of flak for saying this but I think the west is all jumping up and down with glee and really can't wait for this to crumble like a jealous neighbour watching his neighbour who in a very short time acheived much more than he ever did in a life time. Now the argument will come into play about how good the west is with all its freedom and democracy and all that. But we really don't have to turn back that many pages in history to see how backward the west was. You have to remember this country is only a little more than three decades old and how many places in the world do you know have achieved so much is so little time. Yes this place is going through what you might call its teething phase currently. Regarding the poor expats tricked into comming here. Ok I'll admit there are a few geniue cases but the majority have come on their own knowing very well what they are getting into. I interact with the " lower class " if you will ( Although I really don't believe in that word as there is no upper or lower class in my view ) probally more than anyone on this forum. I know many will literally give their right arm to come here. Even though when their cousin, brother, friend or relative keep on insisting don't come here. They keep on insisting no I don't care send me a Visa and they usually end up comming here. The language and the dramatics used in this article are just another way to demonize Dubai. Just another sensationalized article to get a few more copies sold. I can bet a thousand bucks if the writer was paid what one thread recently proposed The National pays its staff you would find him singing praises of dubai on the top of his voice and probally living at the Ranches with shiny new porsche parked in the garage ! So much for factual journalism. gtmash
Sure, I respect the hard-working party people described in part VII, which Mrs. Range Rover surely was. desertdudeshj
This is the excat emotions the writer is looking to encorage in hisreaders, could be judged to not more than hate mongering.
Just out of curiosity are there any positive articles ever published about the middle east, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan ? Ruskie I sorry but Mrs.Ranger Rover girl just got a taste of karma. I don't get how you get in so much debt? It's very American/Canadian way of dealing with money. Personally, I live in Canada and all the immigrants here which I am one. Know how to control their spending habit and look at us now. We are running the country. It's a shame to see how people take stuff for granted.

1 Dubai Jobs .com The First Place to Find a Job in Dubai
desertdudeshj
Quite true. I'm quite ammazed how much in debt an average N.American is. In a study I read which was done years before the crunch and the property boom in USA it was said and on average a university student who just graduated was in around anywhere between 20k to 50k in debt from Student loans etc etc. Imagine that, you start off your professional life with that hanging over your head. RobbyG
DD, you have good arguments, when they are considered in their right perspective, which they aren't in this case. This article is placed in the OPINION section of the independant. That means it is not the vision of the Indepedant.
That's a major difference.
As for factual journalism. He's not an incompetent journalist. This one is a top journalist. I never belief a piece without viewing its credentials...
Just look at his profile: Johann Hari
"Johann Hari has reported from Iraq, Israel/Palestine, the Congo, the Central African Republic, Venezuela, Peru and the US, and his journalism has appeared in publications all over the world. The youngest person to be nominated for the Orwell Prize for political writing, in 2003 he won the Press Gazette Young Journalist of the Year Award and in 2007 Amnesty International named him Newspaper Journalist of the Year. He is a contributing editor of Attitude magazine and published his first book, God Save the Queen?, in 2003."
Enough said. desertdudeshj
Hardly. RobbyG Just respond to the facts please. My opinion is less important. You are not becoming ignorant now are you? Or are you not willing to commit to improving your country!? Surely I can drop the 'carbon footprint' argument for a minute. (probably the next diplomatic dilemma for Dubai in the near future ;)) Ruskie Okay now I've heard the whole thing and understand where everyone is coming from. Espeically the maids is just so sad. I will never have a maid onc I'm there. Ruskie
It's true the loans after graduating university here are insane. I personally have worked alot and come from a wealthy family that I will never be put in that poistion but US has it far more worse then Canada so I'm lucky for that because right now in Canada no one is feeling the recession. RobbyG
That is so true.
Some arguments used above us, indicate that people count Canada in with Americans as North America. But that are two different worlds!!
Canada is a saving nation. America a debtor nation. The Americans indeed have lived their life above their means with globilisation and 'the American Dream' by exporting the dollar currency overseas, making Chinese and Indians 'painting the US fence' for at least a decade.
Canada is much more like the Netherlands. Fiscally very responsible policies. Canada unforunately has a 80 percent of GDP export dependency to the United States, that will surely drive up unemployment in Canada and social benefits (thus national debt), but thats a fact not a single country today can ignore....(some exceptions not mentioned). ;) desertdudeshj Well here is MY OPINION. Just because hes won a few prizes and awards here and there and that his articles appears in the opinion section doesn't deviate from my eairlier arguments. I have come to be very skeptical about western media specially after the 9/11 attacks ( not that I am saying any other media is any better ) They have becone experts at making a mole hill into a mountain. Exaggeration does not even come close to describing it. Alway the one eyed cleric shouting death to America. If anyone even farts Al Qaeda was behind ! So in the same light this writer has taken the few well know problems here and expanded them and by use of very effective writing ( full marks on writing skills ) demonised Dubai to be this a slave trading colony off the coast of West Africa during the 1700's. For example how large the carbon footprint of every indiviual here is so much bigger than the worst polluters the Americans. By reading his article you would think the world is going to go into egolocial meltdown with in the next five minutes becuase of the UAE. But fails to mention that the total population is just a few million. Small unkown towns in the USA have larger poplulations. Probally the whole of UAE produces less pollution than the city of London. Just another case of showing what he wants and how he wants others to see what he has to offer. It would be much better if would have used language like " I feel " or " gives me the impression that " after all it iown opinion and published in the opinion section. Rather than putting it down as the absolute truth aboyt this place. There are always two sides to the story but sadly people don't look into it and blatantly believe what they see and read. And specially in a politically charged climate like this when the " west " is basically looking for a reason to relieve their itchy trigger fingers towards the middle east and the muslim nation as a whole. This kind of article does nothing more but to add to the fear and hate mongering towards the middle east. desertdudeshj
Thats also what my friend tells me as well regarding the recession. He lives in kitchner just between missauga and toronto ( I'm sure you know it better than me ) in fact he says his comapny is hiring like crazy !
RobbyG As you know Desert Dude, I respect your opinion. I listen to it carefully. I hope you will do the same with MY OPINION: 1. Beside the journalists credentials, which are good, he has been reporting in the worlds most turbulent hot spots as you can see on page 1 of this thread. Iran, Palestine, Congo, Venezuela you name it. Thats quite a broad knowledge of political reporting. 2. The Author is well spoken, I agree, but he got his facts based on his own opinion since he speaks from the 1st person, himself! He's been there, seen it, interviewed people who experience it everyday like he describes. 3. Its not a positive review of Dubai. Look at the article; THE DARK SIDE OF DUBAI. Again, enough said. Surely your opinion is rightfully yours, but I find it a bit ignorant/maybe in denial, just like the interviewed Emirati person 'Sultan' who got mad after Johann (the journalist) mentioned the slavery circumstances of low skilled workers in his country. Being scarred by the past his ancestors lived in. I ask you directly, since that is what we Dutch fooks are known for...being direct to the point as always; Are you afraid to fall back in slightly lower standards of living, by helping the lower skilled workers gain decent circumstances for living? Or is it the law in your country that prohibits you from being a critic to these exploiting policies of foreign workers with a life expectancy your dog even outperforms!...if you had one? I'm all ears DD. desertdudeshj
First of all lets be clear I don't have the high standard of living what you might thing the average expat here has. I live in Sharjah in a very cheap very small studio apartment in an old building which I share with my wife in one of the really busy and not so attractive districts.
I have never been rich and probally will never will be ( lol ) I came from what can be best described as a middle class background as best. So I'm really not afraid of it getting anyworse becuase already been there done that.
I've been here for the past 33 years and know the emirates better than most here even some of the locals. Bascially me and dubai grew up toghter I have seen the best and worse this place has to offer.
As you keep on going back to the labour issue. I shall address that first. I have personally been to many of these accomadations and even helped out a friends father comapny set up a few. While working on these I would usually go out and take tours of other looking for staff canteens to eat lunch and stuff.
Yes most of them are over crowded according to "westerner" standards but as mentioned before these most of the laborers come from very poor backgrounds to begin with and back home might share a room with a family of much larger size.
But most of the camps are pretty decent to start of with, but in the end, end up all screwed up. I'll give you a little example to get this picture clear in your head. As you might know I went into a partnership running a garage workshop with a friend. We made a brand new good sized room with new carpeting and a new split unit A/C with a brand new clean toilet with shower for the three workers. Also the toilet was going to be used by everyone during working hours including customers
In the matter of months the Room walls and carpets were covered in food stains and grease and smelled like death had died a horrible death there and same case with the bathroom totally runined. Even upon gently telling them look man this is not the way to live for god sakes your human. Atleast the room you live in keep it decent. Many a times I cleaned the toilets but again in a few days it would be ruined
Now these people were treated more like friends than employees. I would hang out with them after hours we would go for eat out on a daily basis. On weekends would take them out to the desert even. They would come and sit around in the office talk make jokes. And to this day I am still friends with them although one left.
Do you get what I'm trying to say? The major state of ruin these places usually are becuase of the people living there. Altthough might be totally rasict thing or ignorant this to say. But honestly most of them thing of it as free accomadation and not theirs so why should they bother maintaing it. Yes that is the mentality of the majority. Without wanting to sound like a total Fcuktard yes most of them are illiterate villagers who really don't know a proper way to live other than what they are used to back home. Like putting a bushmen up at the ritz carlton.
Go to the camps where what you can say more "decent" people live like camps for hotel staff usually they are neat and clean with well organised mess halls and games areas and stuff. Since I was closely working in the hospitality industry I have seen many. You will see none of the crap mentioned in that article there.
Ok yes I admit there are camps there run by small time construction companies who probally made some money by getting a subcontract from a big contractor due to workload. And they suddenly brought in a big number of workers. They really have no idea or experience of how to run or maintain these camps. And specially now due to the crisis some of the top brass might just vanish leaving these poor people in a lurch. But there is really nothing that can be done for these people other than giving them handouts to survive until thier emabssies repatriate them.
The Ministry of Labour dept is very strict specially nowadays of cases of non payment and I've seen locals being taken for ride by them aswell. But the sad fact is most of these people don't know their rights. Instead of uslessly protesting, instead file a complain at the Ministry of Labour. I've know people who have done that and come out the winners. usually a phone call from the Labour dept is enough for the sponsor or the PRO to come running to their offices to "solve" the matter.
Some who do know their rights are afraid fearing they will lose their jobs. No one can help someone who does not want to be helped.
Its not the laws of "my" country that prevent me from being a critic its the collective wisdom of living here for over three decades. When I was in my 20's I hated this place and wanted to run away to the US and be " free " and all i could ever dream of was going to the " west " but after wiseing up a bit and learning that the grass really isnt all the green there aswell I have learned to love it here for better or for worse.
Cheers Ruskie
That's is exactly what the Western Media is trying to achieve looking back to my personal experince of being in Russia last summer when the "war" broke out with Georgia. Russia was completely getting blasted by every country urging us to stop. France,Canada,America,NATO all trying to put an image like we are the bad ones. When they attacked overnight on olympic opening while our president wasn't in the country. It is very sad because I had to watch the coverage here and there and thinking to myself my god all these people here are getting completely brainwashed by this news outlets. The worst media reporter by far in North America would have to be FOX News. It's a shame that America can just blast any country they want like us Russians, and the Middle Eastern people and have so many followers with them on their side. I'm sick of being here. RobbyG
Thanks for your elaborate reply DD, I appreciate it.
Now I have a much better understanding of your reasoning on this issue, and as you clearly pointed out; The living conditions are somewhat dependable on the cultures and personal hygiene these workers came from. I didn't take that into account. Its a major factor indeed!
Any way, enough discussions for today. I guess the best way to summarize the issue, would be that its all relative from perspective.
I do hope there is still someone out there that cares about the issues that really need attention, since it cannot be all simply sucked from the thumb, right.
Anyway, Cheers dude. smoggie Wow! That is one damning artcicle. Robby: "So its up to us Westerners to deal with this, obviously. Any thoughts on this one...? " I agree. But the real culprits here are the western governments that give the UAE the credibility it has. Thank goodness that the western media are now regularly highlighting what we residents have known for years. kanelli My thoughts are, 1) I sympathize with the Canadian lady living out of her car because her husband was mismanaging money. Guess she should have a stronger hand in her own finances. In general though, I saw both kinds of expats in Dubai - ones who saved and didn't take debts in order to make a better life back home, and ones who lived it up and took lots of debt to have a huge villa and nice cars etc. Those are the ones getting screwed now with the current economic conditions and they have to take responsibility for over-extending themselves. 2) Some of the attitudes of the expats in the article are pretty crass. How come I didn't meet so many of those people? The only thing I can think is that I wasn't hanging out in the bars? I was mostly hanging out with family folk living a middle-class existence in Dubai. It is very shocking to hear some of the opinions given. 3) I know there are a lot of people who are too incompetent to do high skilled jobs in their home country so they fudge their CVs and come to Dubai to make a lot of money. Having said that, it is really unfair to imply that the majority of expats working in higher positions are incompetent, because many companies transfer their workers to Dubai precisely because they are good at their jobs. 4) It is the base of slavery going on and the complete abuse of the environment and resources there that is precisely why it felt so good to leave Dubai. We were supposed to stay a 3rd year, which I wasn't happy about because it wasn't the kind of place I wanted to live in and contribute to anymore. I didn't know exactly what Dubai would be like when I moved, so it isn't true that everyone comes knowing exactly what the situation is. Career-wise it was a good move for my husband and we were able to finally save some money after paying off the last of our student loans. So, all in all it was an advantage to us, but can I say it was completely worth it? I don't think I can, but I know my husband does. Each to their own opinion... 5) Maids in many countries are being mistreated, not just in Dubai. Anywhere where this a sort of "class" system where some people are deemed to be worth less and relegated to lower jobs will see those in higher positions above abusing their power. It isn't just a Dubai phenomenon, but it is true that there is less of a support system for abused people in Dubai and that needs to be taken care of urgently. 6) Interesting that the Emirati's don't want to complain about climbing on the backs of the expats to have a better life for themselves than what their parents and grandparents had in the past. It makes sense. It would just be nice for such people to acknowledge that they are doing what people from other cultures did in the past, and for which they still receive criticism. Speedhump Desertdude thanks for your voice of reason and intelligent comment, all of which is so true. I have been in Dubai on and off for around 15 years now and know everything you say is spot on. I haven't had time to write on this thread since last night and still don't really. This article is so slanted it is laughable. We all know these bad things to a certain extent exist but once again a journalist has tried hard to pander to a sour portion of the British public that just love to hate success. If you can link it to british expats behaving badly then it's even better in their eyes. The ignorance of the article shines right from the start. Sheikh Zayed built this country not Sheikh Mohammed. Too many expats spend spend spend and save nothing when times are good. Don't blame Dubai for their demise if they acted like they were on a permanent holiday in the sun. Also don't expect Dubai to bail them out, why should it? I'm sick of the staggeringly huge welfare spending on jobless immigrants in the UK. Let it stop, now. Linking the maid abuse story to Brits saying that servants do everything for you was just a small example of the bias shown. In the supermarket windows there are always ads from maids looking for work. If they state any nationality they want to work for it's just about always British. A lot more I want to say but I have a 10.00 a.m. appointment and didn't even shower yet! Dubai Knight There is always black and white, yin and yang, The Force and the Dark Side, to every situation. This article is damning in certain respects but antipodises the positive aspects recently expounded in a huge PR puff by British journalist Piers Morgan. For we who live here, yes, there are huge elements of truth in what he says as well as small factual innacuracies. Its well researched, well written, highly critical and sweeps broadly across a number of issues we are all aware of but might be powerless to affect. However what it does do, is perhaps make us realise where we really stand in his scale of Dubai? Which category do you fit into and are the essential truths he points out your own reality? Most people here are merely trying to survive and live a basic honest lifestyle, similar or better to that they would find at home. If I were to criticise anyone, it would be the vacuous, chavesque tourists he interviewed in Double Decker. Typical office clerks from Essex who find it cheaper to come here than Spain and who are too old now to take a Club 18/30 shagfest holiday in Ibiza. Is that what Dubai is to become? Lets see what the 'authorities' make of this article shall we? Or will it be supressed as usual? According to the new rules of decency, it should not be allowed... :? :? :? Knight Misery Called Life The author was merely playing on stereotypes....You can definitely approach locals and they will be more than willing to converse with you. Just don't go barging into people's faces in malls, and expect hem to be courteous. Trust me Dubai has made a lot of people very rich, Dubai has provided for the livelihoods of millions.....You should only visit parts of India and see people building lavish houses and flaunting their wealth. They were only mere drivers in the UAE. Yes the horrid tales of laborers, is alarming....But the government is working on it! I don't know much about the laborers or their sufferings so I'll refrain from commenting. But I assure you, there are tons of conflicting reports. Misunderstanding of the bankruptcy laws, have caused pain to a lot of people( I totally sympathize with the Canadian women). But in present times people are aware. And finally before coming to the UAE, people know the deal....They accept the conditions and willingly come. Going forward Dubai can only improve, and it must! Just look at the region, Dubai is a beacon of hope! BlackburnRovers
This one line proves you didnt read the article...
The laborer interviewed was told after arrival he would have to work 12 hours in the desert (contrary to what he was told initially)....
When he wanted to return (due to the false promises), he was told he couldnt and his passport was confiscated......
The main culprits are the recruiting agency and the company, but if Dubai started jailing people for such acts (breaking contracts, witholding passports), such cases would decrease BlackburnRovers
Well said. I didnt see Dubai fanboys compalining about the documentary even though it was nauseatingly brown nosing about Dubai.....
The article was well researched and covered a number of people and real cases. The chavs' quotes were horrible as well... michaeldubai Long article - but worth reading till the end. Good writeup. Elements of the article are not something we would read in the local papers except for a few bits and pieces here and there. As was written in the article - many people are aware of the situations but turn a blind eye.

Nope MCL, not true - all classes of workers - from labourers to well-educated senior staff have been misled. Examples are plenty even on this forum where people have asked for help. Many companies do not even stick tot he conditions of contract, take away passports, delay pay. Everyone receives a rosy picture before they come here. Some lucky ones realize their dreams, others do not. rudeboy here we go again lol same ppl criticising dubai. i wonder how many of you are in dubai? living in fancy villas and appartments and getting paid a large sum of salary :D. Chocoholic erm Sheikh Zayed might have had a vision for the 'country' but Sheikh Mo, is the one responsible for 'Dubai'! Also DD why do you keep harping on about Palestine etc etc, this article is about Dubai, it's discussing Dubai's issues so there is no need to even mention the others, which get their fair share. Some of the people interviewed are crass and the stereotypical expats, which does really annoy me. However, the 'worlds' eye is on Dubai, it has professed to be something it is not for years now, and the truth is getting out there, and oh my gosh, shock horror, people might actually have to start taking responsibility for what goes on. People might have to be treated better and laws might have to change, god forbid it might actually have to start operating like a 'real' city! rudeboy
dubai is country with many nationalities. so DD can talk about anything in the general chat room about anything from palestine to india. can u tell me where it mentions in the forum rules that u can only talk about dubai???? Chocoholic The article is on Dubai - so why is it necessary to go off topic and bring that into it? It isn't, plain and simple. And RB, I was asking you in the first place! Anway back ON topic! It's an interesting piece, but nothing we don't already know and see everyday as residents here. This isn't the first attacking article and it certainly won't be the last. The powers that be have no control over international press and what they say, they can only control what happens in the UAE. rudeboy
lol so when i talk about american police why do ppl go off topic lol :D kanelli rudeboy, we know it is a common tactic for UAE cheerleaders to try to distract or side-track discussions containing criticism of the UAE by bringing up other countries and their issues. Don't underestimate people's intelligence on here, it gets annoying. viking-warrior Had to write :) Dubai set its self up as the "Iconic" arab state, starting with Sheikh Rashid's commercial vision for the state (Dubai) a sound business plan based on commerce. It was his sons and cronies who rather than sitting on the guaranteed revenue from the UAE's oil started to aquire assets and leverage against them, a bit like the millionare buy to let merchants in the UK only multiplied a million times over. By this time the banks seeing the gravy train of "government guaranteed" debt started to flood the system, Dubai World, Dubai Holdings, Dubai Properties et al benefited. You know the rest. Point is, Dubai set itself up to be the ICON, so don't be surprised when the defects are pointed out. The old locals and families are horrified at this display of meglomania and history will show that this is a turning point. The party is over. And before camelhumper spits his dummy and feeds you all happy happy joy joy tea - most of the contents of that article are true. My family has been in Dubai since the mid 70's and experienced the changes on a day to day basis some good some not so good. However the common thread has always been the Johnny Come Lately expat who spouts off the shelf support without knowing the history or alliances that have permitted this situation to arise. Dont ever think that you have the support of the "government" or its guardians one wrong step and you to will be living in a Toyota Corolla. Now go read the government sponsored Gulf News, where some British toady MP on his free holiday to Dubai, is distancing himself from the "slanderous british press". Pathetic - ritual suicide on the alter of self serving politics rudeboy the women are ganging up on me today. did sage the old devil send u guys :P Chocoholic Only to true sadly. You speak to some older Emiratis and they hate what DUbai has become and many will say 'when this is all over, we'll go back to the old ways'. To be honest can't blame them really. No-one asked for their opinion, no-one asked for their input. Misery Called Life With respect to the woes of the canadian woman........ %20%20%20%20&page=local%20news&title=Tough%20situation rudeboy
i guess u wish the england was the same 10 years ago. right? Chocoholic Ten years ago? Try twenty! Anosh Right now it can be a fact, but dear things changes with the passage of time. Its not the good time for DUbai, but how much this time will remain. 2 months, 10,, one year .. But the time will come to get prosper again... rudeboy
lets discuss about that then :D if UK leads a good example am sure UAE will follow too ;). UAE is copying everything else UK is doing like salik and race horses so why not better human rights?
what do you say UK? dubai1970 &section=0&article=121289&d=7&m=4&y=2009 "Linda Heard I WHY do foreign journalists love to hate Dubai? While it’s certainly true that like the rest of the planet Dubai is experiencing a downturn through no fault of its own, if you read some of the shrill headlines, the emirate is on the point of becoming a deserted wasteland. “Dubai is in danger of becoming a ruin-in-waiting” writes the Toronto Star, which describes the city as “some sheikh’s mad idea of what a metropolis should be”. “Dubai-bashing is in fashion right now,” an official from the Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai told Time magazine. He’s right except that gleeful attacks on Dubai have been prevalent ever since the 1990s when its charms were no longer a best-kept secret. Just look at the envy or inverted snobbery oozing out of these pre-downturn descriptions. Dubai is like “Singapore on steroids”, wrote a staff writer with CNET News. Tim Hames writing in the Times compared Dubai to “Disney in the desert, though with a coastline”. “Is this a new science-fiction novel from Margaret Atwood, the sequel to ‘Blade Runner’ or Donald Trump tripping on acid?” asked the author Mike Davis, who described Dubai as “an emerging dream-world of conspicuous consumption, which locals dub “supreme lifestyles”. Hester Lacey, who wrote an article on falconry for The Independent said she went to Dubai imagining “endless gruesome shopping malls flogging designer rubbish” and was “prepared to dislike the place” but she does, rather grudgingly admit that she wished she had stayed longer to take advantage of everything there is to do. Is there anywhere in the world that is so admired and so disliked at the same time, purely due to its aspirations to excellence? For me, Dubai will always be a miracle of innovation, foresightedness and entrepreneurship. My very first glimpse of this incredible city was in 1975 when the newly opened Inter.Continental on the Creek was its only luxury hotel. Today, of course, there are over 300. At that time, there were very few schools and hospitals and not very many roads. It was very much an enigma then. Surrounded by sand was a Lebanese-run dress boutique that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the Avenue Montaigne, selling French fashion and sunglasses. I later wowed my friends at home wearing one of the shop’s evening gowns but when I told them I had bought it in Dubai they invariably responded with “Where? Never heard of it?” When I finally moved to Dubai in 1983, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I ended up staying for 14 years, some of the best of my life. And no, this had nothing to do with shopping malls. It was more a permanent sense of endless possibility in a land that was — and is — cosmopolitan, calm, simple, yet sophisticated. Even then, overseas visitors who were bowled over with the place would usually tag their enthusiasm with, “Well, this isn’t real life”, as though “real life” somehow has to be hostile or an endless struggle against adversity. It was almost as though they were unable to conceive of “real life” being a joyful adventure. I’m no psychic, but I won’t hesitate to predict that Dubai will emerge from this global crisis even stronger than before. Indeed, it experienced something similar during the 1990/91 Gulf War. Then, untold thousands of expatriate workers left for home, tourism dried up and companies tightened their belts. I recall my own asking us not to throw away unwanted photocopies as the backs could be used to jot down notes. In fact, things were so bad that I was asked to take two months unpaid leave. But, in those days, Dubai wasn’t a headliner so its economic struggles went relatively unnoticed. Today’s media gloom and doom merchants of which there are many point to Dubai’s lack of oil and the fact that it is highly leveraged (which country isn’t?). They shine a spotlight on idle cranes, temporarily shelved construction projects and plunging property prices as a sign that Dubai is finished. When residents begin sleeping in their cars or under canvas as so many thousands are now doing in the US, I might believe it. A place like Dubai that emerged from the sands to become a world-beater in just over 30 years is here to stay. Just wait until the economic tide turns when I’ll bet foreign speculators will be heading to Dubai hunting for bargains in their droves. In the meantime, this relative lull may not be such a bad thing. It allows Dubai to take stock and decide upon its future direction. A commission has already devised a new code of public conduct related to dress and public displays of affection more in keeping with its religious and cultural roots. All that glitters may not be gold but Dubai is the exception that proves the rule. May it continue going for gold for a great many years to come for the benefit of its own people. And, if nothing else, to prove its hysterical media critics and other envious onlookers wrong." Cheers rudeboy nice :D envious onlookers i like that. i wonder if these envious onlookers are in uk :D Chocoholic The lull is in fact a good thing. It is teaching Dubai and the UAE in general that you cannot carry on at such a pace and not suffer the consequences when things do a little pear shaped every now and then. In future when things begin to be on the up again, I just hope that people will proceed with more caution than they have done. BlackburnRovers I'd take Linda Heard's articles with a touch of salt; she is very pro-Dubai/Saudis....probably because she gets her paycheck from there... Some of her quotes are extremely sycophantic, particularly the bit below: "When I finally moved to Dubai in 1983, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I ended up staying for 14 years, some of the best of my life. And no, this had nothing to do with shopping malls. It was more a permanent sense of endless possibility in a land that was — and is — cosmopolitan, calm, simple, yet sophisticated. " dresden The article by Mr. Hari is very one sided.
Having said that, I agree with 100% of it, but he clearly used quoted-examples to further his point of view.
I'm sorry but using statements from ignorant British expats does not cover the thoughts of the general expat population. Many of us are well aware of the issues and do not agree with them.
I cannot think of a single monumental city that was built without slavery. Although in modern times these things should not happen, the reality is that they have, continue, and always will happen . Its just the way it is.
We do not live in a utopia. Dubai is one of the farthest places from it.
Anyone who thinks otherwise lives with their head in the clouds.
I came here to accelerate my career, even though I could have done so back home albeit not at the same pace. No different at all from the labourers and expats highlighted in the article.
I researched extensively before making my decision which helped me get settled in. I have 5% sympathy for the Canadian couple who went from ritches to rags; and thats only because of the husbands health condition. Party party party, then times get tough and you say "oh sh*t, life is soooo hard..... I hate this place.... they have such stupid laws". Well, it didnt seem that way when you were partying on a beach and drinking your arse off did it? I bet they didn't think twice about the laws when a $2.00 per day worker was opening their doors, sweeping their floors and washing that Range Rover of theirs either.
Burn in hell you as$holes.. You make me sick. I'll give my sympathy to those who deserve it. RobbyG
Whether you like it or not, its just a analogical expression. And a true one indeed.
If you don't understand the risk involved with such a leveraged building boom and absurd risk profile (110 percent leveraged over Dubai GDP) then you seriously have your own financial troubles already!!!
I would seek council if I was you! :wink: :lol: :lol: rudeboy
spoken like a TRUE Lion. RobbyG
And the lion spoke the truth.
One sided it is, hence the title was named: THE DARK SIDE OF DUBAI.
Not the flowery one, not the pink ribbon one. THE DARK SIDE, thats negative for the people who still don't understand.
Dresden is here for his career progression. An egocentric approach perhaps in the eye of the few, but its the way the worlds is built. Can't deny it either.
Say Rudeboy, your supporting an expat from Germany now! You're progressing son. Thumbs up little bugger 8) :lol: pinoy1 No brit the author interviewed showed even a bit of sympathy for the labourers and maids. I do not understand why this article from the UK painted a very horrible image of its people. RobbyG
Honest opinioned reporting perhaps? Speedhump
Absolute rubbish Robby! Opinionated rather than opinioned. I have told you before that the British press love to destroy anything that looks good, and build it up again afterwards just to show they have the power, and they do unfortunately (look at Jade Goody, if you have to...). They hate a success story and I am very sure they have been waiting for a chance to smash into Dubai, after describing it as paved with gold for the last few years.
It's pure gutter journalism, and that's what most newspapers are today, because it's what so many jaded, disillusioned people want to read; something about someone worse or worse off than themselves. Thats why people watch soap operas like Eastenders, etc in the UK; to see people living trashy lives. I don't understand it but it's huge.
You don't have this in the Netherlands? Even if you don't, surely you understand the syndrome?
You have to be very blind indeed to see that no country is all bad, and this article makes no attempt to be unbiased. They even describe a hotel as like a broken tooth for god's sake, how manipulative of people's emotions is that? You think the article might be honest? I thought you had a better brain mate, rancour and hate seeps from every word of that article, I just wonder who or who's money is behind these recent attempts to blacken Dubai and the AG (not just the journalist I am guessing.....). RobbyG
Sure, I know that people drive on fear and demise of others.
But this article isn't really all that strange in relation to its title. Again it says very clearly; THE DARK SIDE OF DUBAI.
I don't have to repeat that anymore I hope. The article isn't about the colorful side of Dubai. Its the downturn, the depression side.
But if you see this in the light of an amusing story!? You got it all wrong.
Nobody reads a story that is 16 pages long and contains 8800 words!!! as amusing!?
This is his own opinion about stuff he sees as 'The Dark Side of Dubai', and he wrote an excellent article about it. Not a soul that can deny that. Its compelling and a bit biased to one side, but thats clearly explained in the HEADER name.
Its not a double sided article. Its his opinion about the serious side of life in Dubai. And its very sick compared to the labour unions we use here in Europe for building a road/high rise or other multi billion dollar infrastructure project. No slavery here I can tell you.
Cut the crap. It is what it is in the 21st century. If they don't want to learn from the curve we experienced in the earlier ages of growth, then they surely are able to resist the critical notes about that ignorant policies they use to support the building boom and human rights demonisation. dresden
Fackin right I'm here for me... why the hell else would I be here?
If I were a humanitarian worker I would be in other places in the world where slavery and poverty are MUCH GREATER than Dubai. read: Africa (yes, the whole continent, not just an individual city), India, Thailand (child prostitutes) and the list goes on.
When I first came here, these things shocked me. I was dumbfounded to hear about the treatment of expats until I realized that the ones who hate this place are mostly the ones who are greedy and not-content with what they have. I am willing to bet they will not be happy anywhere in the world. (Labourers excluded)
Having said that, I am yet to hear one "successful" person in Dubai complain about the place... regardless of how they 'made it'.
The media LOVES to put down Dubai; a lot of it is true. But in my opinion, there are MUCH more important things to write about and bring world attention to. I.E. the conditions of people in 3rd world countries.
Lets see them do a story on the Labourers' villages in India. Truth is, no one gives a flying feck about their hometowns because its not "exciting". How many papers can you sell by telling people about the poverty in some little village in India? Now, tell them about the "dark side of dubai" -- the oasis of the middle east (with all its hype)... then you'll get some interest.
Dubai has "celeb factor"; forget about it being a big farce. People will much rather read about Tom cruise going nuts than some random John Doe.
Another things Im sick and tired of is the constant bitchin and complaining about the laws and how hard it is to live a free life.
Guess what? You're in a place governed by Sharia law. Take it as it is or get the hell out. I'm sure the Emirati's would love to see a whole ton of expats leave.
How would you feel if some "non-citizen" expats came to your hometown and told you that your laws are unjust and unfair and your way of living is "not as good as their home towns". You would tell them to go back to where they came from.... atleast I would. :roll:
I just LOVE how some expats can bit*h and moan about the place, then get back into their porsche's and Range Rover's, drive back to their nice cushioned homes/jobs and still be upset.
Last I remembered, to be in such a position right out of Uni, my father/family had to "be somebody" of influence. It was not the "average" position of a recent grad. I was brought up in a 1st world country where the sky was the limit!
Everything comes at a price... What's the price of your "hometown" freedom? Speedhump
:cheers:

Muslims in the UK are pushing for Sharia law to start to be implemented there. The sick part is that some Members of Parliament and even Law Lords have sounded in favour....what a country.

Hear bloody hear! sage & onion
You should ask RG what that word (Lull) means in his language. RobbyG
Ohh this is good laugh here Sage. You got Chocs 'by the nuts' so to speak. :lol: :lol: :lol:
A 'Lul' (one L) is the Dutch word for human dick.
And if you consider the context of words in which Chocs described the fact that a dick is in fact a good thing (totally agree with Chocs here), that it teaches Dubai and the UAE a moral lession (again, very accurate), and that running down Sheikh Zayed Road with a building pace that gets the Penus in oval (pear) shape...is quite true too.
Chocs manages to point out what a true lul(l) can carry. Ten points for Chocoholic/or you rather prefer a box of chocolates!?
Thanks Sage, for the header...I didn't see it earlier on :wink:
:lol: :lol: :lol: Dubai Knight So a thread that has shifted from Dark Dubai to Dutch Dicks? I shall sit and watch to see where it goes next! :lol: :lol: :lol: Knight c3f
Knight, are you a mod? RobbyG
:lol: At least some of us sees some form of relation in capital 'D'.
Indeed....wonder what comes next :wink: Dubai Knight
More of a 'Rocker' actually, but I have been known to wear mohair suits and tool around on a mirrored up Lambretta from time to time!
8) 8) 8)
Knight RobbyG
Something recently passed my glary eyeballs:
A quote from Peter Schiff:
"When elementary school kids want to escape the confines of their circumstances they pretend to be pirates, princesses, and Jedi knights"
Any familiar aspects to Mr. Dubai Knight !? :lol: 8) :lol: Dubai Knight
Yao callin me a princess?
I should come round there and give you a sound thrashin with my pink handbag...
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Knight Tom Jones
The human banana???? :D :D
Didn’t think a banana can change its state of rigidity!!!
Unless the bananas in Holland are different!!! Maybe the bananas over there are limp and only become hard when placed next to beautiful pears!! I don't know!!
Hey RG,…what about the other parts of ..….. no… no.. just forget it, lest we get edited by the Sage real quick!!
Dark Dubai, then Dutch Dicks, now Dubai Dolls & Princesses… Where does it end?? DDDDD…!!!
:D :D RobbyG
I could have known that MB-guy had his facts straightened when he said to 'you';
"Lewd, lascivious, paedophile, promiscuous, incestuous, beastiality loving, drunkard, drug abusing, homosexual, immoral, deceptive, hypocritical westerner!'
:lol: :wink: RobbyG
Jonesy, you try typing 'd ick' on a forum with a netiquette change into 'banana'.
At one time you just settle with the changes after a while, if you know what I mean :lol: :wink: Dubai Knight From Dark Dubai to Dutch Dicks to a Damn good Duffin up with a Dolce & Gabbana Duffel bag...its all Double Dutch to me! Damn! :lol: :lol: :lol: Knight desertdudeshj Not to forget DD as in desert dude 8) Dubai Knight
I Did.
Deservedly.
:lol: :lol: :lol:
De Knight desertdudeshj :( RobbyG
Where are my Dikes!? Lost in transition... ;) Speedhump
Robby where did the word amusing spring from? Not from me. I don't think this article is in the least amusing. Nor do I think it's an 'excellent'article. Journalism this one sided is rubbish and your acceptance of it is disappointing.
You're so willing to ignore that fact that it is incredibly convenient for the already developed world to deny other countries the opportunity to develop themselves as competitors, by demanding that they do so under far stricter conditions (whether it be ecologically, morally, whatever) than the current economic powers had to. Keep China, India, UAE, etc. down by telling them no coal powered plants, no cheap (and willing) labour, and nothing that will harm your country's environment. Nice that the 'civilised' world became 'civilised' due to utilising these very factors, but now say 'no more'. You can be as liberally minded as you want but you wont stop these countries doing what it takes to drag themselves into the 21st century. Accept it and move on. As you said 'it is what it is'.
I guess we won't be seeing you in Dubai this year then. RobbyG Its al little more nuanced than what you just sketched; First off: the word amusing is easily derived from this phrase you said earlier, I quote: "...because it's what so many jaded, disillusioned people want to read; something about someone worse or worse off than themselves. Thats why people watch soap operas like Eastenders, etc in the UK; to see people living trashy lives. I don't understand it but it's huge." Well thats amusement of others people hardship or miserable demise or whatever you call it. Soaps amuse people, its not intellectual food, but it is amusing food for people to absorb. Second: I don't deny these countries their right to develop. (because they have every right to obtain the same living standards as we have here in Western Europe). But at least do it wisely since the world is being milked from its not so widely available resources. If this continues in the future by emerging economies/countries that are not that sophisticated in their efforts to sustain the ecological environment we live in, it will be desastrous for the whole world by our faults made in early history! Its should be obvious for you to understand that the advanced nations need to educate the least advanced nations in order to not make the same mistake we are making today...fortunately with a late transitioning to lower carbon emissions, solar power, wind energy, LNG Energy, Electric cars ( for the environment friendly owners, not DD of Dubai ;)). Since there are corporations with a huge carbon footprint nowadays (which Western technology is now able to measure) like in the US of A and in China/India etc (growing and spoiling natural resources abundantly), it is wise for us, THE WORLD, to take personal responsibility, otherwise regions such as Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, the US, you name it will feel the consequences of a rising sea level due to global warming. Its a phenomenon not to deny, bcause its there and its measured and the effects are clearly visible in climate change effects during winters and summers in Europe. Also there has been a study that shows that storms over the world control temperature corrections in certain climates and these gradients are becoming larger. That means more tornado's, twisters and other destructive natural phenomenons. They get intenser and are growing in occurance. If the world doesn't respond now and improve for the better, we all have to suffer from it, and guess who suffers the most when we don't do shit? Thats right, the poorest countries in the world. So, its up to the savvy minds like Al Gore and Bill Clinton to persuade all these leaders in the world to actually commit to some form of compensation for emitted carbon dioxide from factories, by building new forests and buy emission rights, that can be used to emit more than regulated, but with a penalty that is used for enhanced technology to filter carbon emission from the air, etc. The list goes on and on what we have to do to make our world sustainable. We are now only extracting from it, all of its resources. This is unsustainable. Education is key to survive TOGETHER with the poorest nations and emerging countries. You and I can start, by closing the lightswitch when we leave a room. Put out the TV instead of all night on Stand By. Electricity plants are HUGE CO2 emitters. They burn fossil fuels like gas to create steam. It also deprives us from clean water, as this is used for generating the steamturbines in order to create electricity. Its a vicious circle that has to be changed for the better. The question for you is; Are you willing to participate? We either do it WITH or Without you. The final transition will just be harder to deal with eventually. ;) And third and final: Sure I will come to Dubai, but not for becoming an ignorant a$$. I'm doing it for the better for me and my environment, like I always do within some limits set by myself. 8) desertdudeshj G you speak wisely and I respect that you know that fully but all I heard was Global warming blah blah blah blan Polar Ice caps melting blah blah blah sea levels rising blah blah blah coastal towns drowing blah blah blah. Basically the same rethoric heard a billion times over from the greenie phobes. In my life time I clearly remember the wise scienctist telling us that another global ice freeze is imminent and we are heading towards the next Ice Age ( ironically it was also around the time of the oil crisis of the late 70's )and now the same fools are telling us we are going to cook in a microwave and lucky ones will drown. The green movement is just another ploy and scam to create more jobs more money churning industries and another argument and weapon to stop the growth of developing nations. A desperate attempt to be less dependent on resources held by these country. But I can guarentee you that if tommorow all the energy reserves were held by these so called " developed " countries In a few years the green movement would die and new studies will show we need to burn as much fossil fuel as possible to avert a new extinction level natural disaster waiting to happen. You've had your fun but now you won't let us have ours. Look back into the history of the earth the global climate changes keep on happening. What polluting nation brought on the ice age ? what turned the lush green plains and valleys into the desolete sahara desert of today. Its just the way nature is. Livestock and rainforest produce more green house gases on a daily basis than all humanity combined. You can't fight nature and its pathetic to be trying to make a quick buck out of spreading fear. Yes I LOVE MY CARBON FOOTPRINT and have full plans of increasing it by getting anothe big block V8 in the near future. And don't you dare tell me I can't. Cheers 8) P.S : @ Chocs palestine is VERY relevent in this argument. Ruskie The ice age is coming but who cares we'll be in Dubai. Nice and warm eating sand. :) desertdudeshj 8) FTD
Yet you are not so keen on allowing people the freedom to drink alcohol? RobbyG
Respect is one point. Listening to arguments is a second virtue you could have instead of saying; bla bla bla green bla bla bla drown. :lol:
Ok, I round off by saying this;
The green movement you talk about is not what I support. In Holland we have the left political wing that contains all those softies advocating the 'Green stuff", limiting every freedom you and I now have basically. The true BLA BLA BLA. I'm not representing that, mind you.
What I do advocate, is the normal personal responsibility we all have just to keep our children healthy and prosperous without leaving a huge bill of problems.
Part of that Green movement is to be commercialised for only one reason! To make it affordable. If it wasn't to be commercialised, not a single soul would do anything about it. Thats why its needs political attention and regulation to keep it affordable over time. Everybody has to contribute by one way or the other. Taxing products, emission rights, mostly brought up by the private sector who sees profit in these investments. You can't change the mind without some form of stimula. A decent return on investment (ROI) is an incentive for the banks and industrials to invest in these sustainable energy solutions.
Each individually on this planet earth just cannot foot the bill for such innovations. It NEEDS to be commercialised to be prosperous in the distant future. Working against it will only enlarge the (financial) bill and the effects it will have on our health.
Final thing: Ice ages you say? Normally a mini ice age could occur every 10,000 years was my knowledge. In the last decade they found out that poles can shift abruptly as well as our worlds climate control system called the Atlantic conveyor system.
IF you really want to know how melting of the icecaps triggers a freeze out, you should read this article, and especially alinea 4: What can disrupt the Ocean Conveyor?
Everyone who wants to know how our climate system works and why we should treasure it, read this scientific research presentation article:
http://www.whoi.edu/page.do?cid=9986&pid=12455&tid=282
Cheers mate desertdudeshj
This is in regards to emissions not Alcohol. WTF dude stay focused man, focus.
This is not about freedom of your rights ( the last desperate card left to play in every argument ) Its about being a hypocrite. If I were to drink like a mofo and pass out every night and then not alllow you to have Alcohol then that constitutes as hypocrisy.
Who are all you to be lecturering the the Emirates about crimes against the enviroment when you yourselves are the biggest enviromental criminals out there.
Sorry buddy your attempts to divert this argument to a subject so near and dear to your heart that you migth actually go to war over it. Alcohol, wont work here. desertdudeshj Excatly G nature works on its own path and really cannot be influnced in any major way by us no matter how hard we fart ! EDIT : When the western world is done righting its wrongs " enviormentally " and become zero emission states then they can start pointing fingers at other. US even as gesture refuses to sign the Kyoto Agreement. Just as Israel goes and does what ever it what it wants and when ever it wants. Why don't the global world powers set an example first before demanding others to do what they themselves clearly don't. RobbyG
What is that for reasoning DD?
The air you breath and the gasses you emit, aren't restricted to an imaginary bordercrossing!!? I hoped you knew better!
You didn't even look at my article I searched for you! Or did you?
Its very clear that we influence our environment as an accelerator. Within 20 years time your desert climate is able to change into the coldest region on the planet, due to stoppage of this Atlantic conveyor in the Ocean. Just read the article for your own knowledge.
DONT TRUST ME, read you way into sanity when you find the willingness and time. I just give you some food for thought and simple to understand scientific material.
With regards to Kyoto; I don't know if you follow the news lately, but we have another US President, some guy named Barack Hussein Obama. He is willing to ratify Kyoto protocol as long as there is a flexible approach on emitting rights. This also affects other 190 (I believe it was) nations that (voluntarily) ratify it. The more the better.
You don't like transitions do you? Its either black or white and no grey.
I cannot understand that reasoning... "What they did to the climate, we can do and there is no learning curve for us to be seen"....how ignorant is that! desertdudeshj I'll be honest with you G I didn't read the article but lemme tell you I'm no dumb ass when it comes to how the climate works and how oceanic currents have a very big part in it and I'm already fimilar with the Altlantic conveyor system But at the end of the day you can find numerous studies agreeing with your point of view. I can google up as many telling you global warming is just hogwash. Which I actually believe not becuase I read an article some where or saw a documentry on BBC about it. Its becuase every few years something or the other comes up, Sars , bird flu, Mellenium bug, New Ice Age and now global warming. If I were to pay attention to everything out there I would be living in a constant state of fear and paranoia. It is human nature and a very succesfull marketing tactic to spread fear. In fact dubai is famous for it. How fast news spreads here by word of mouth you would be amazed and everytime its passed on a little more spice is added to it. Every freaking day some one will come to me say. Did you hear there is a new law out that they are kicking out all the expats or from now or they are not going to renew visas for people living here for more than X amount of years etc etc and blah blah. I am a very skepital person by nature and this does not help. All my friends know that aswell, and know I need solid proof to believe in something so an article ot two is not going to convice me. Now I'm not a total enviromental jerk, I'm totally against waste, dumping and litering and strongly support recycling. We have organised many wadi and desert clean up campaigns in fact there is one this friday morning. But this whole global warming issue is just a scam in my view. Like I said a retarted attempt by the west to reduce thier dependacy on foriegn oil. How would you feel if you were the most power full person on earth but you life source was held by a small enemy of yours. Doesnt make you feel all powerfull all of a sudden now does it. What do you think all this imaginary war on terroism in Iraq and Afghanistan is for. Its no big secret that the "West" has had its eye on the oil fields of this region for quite some time now and everytime it get expensive they start at it again. Here are a few articles from my side for you from your beloved Idependant and Cnn which you put so much faith into Why is Canada investing so much money into extracting oil from the oil soaked sands of Athabasca. Its so pathetic the effort and time required to seperate the oil from the sand, but hey if it is one more step towards becomming oil independant then why not Why dump so much money into seperating oil from sand. Why not spend on that money on "green" energy. What happened to saving the enviorment and habitat of Alaska ? Its a global sham in my view and I'm entitled to one. Cheers EDIT : Nothing to do with transtions I'm all for positive transtions not useless and imaginary ones and Yes it's all black and white with me brother. In my life, grey does not exsit. RobbyG
C'mon whats that for 1973 rhetoric. This is no way comparable with what I showed you. I got you the best sources on the net, and you supply with a bunch of conspiracy plans that the US probably did had as alternative plans they never brought into reality. Everybody knows that oil was the driver of economic growth. If you stop oil, you stop life and we don't want that to come into the wrong hands now do we!?
So, what happens is logically a transition away from oil, this time with another factor that is common with carbonate fossil fuel, global warming. Perfect mix, time to diversify and do it for the better! The world is not gonna wait until a fossil fuel (which already reached its peak oil moments) is competely depleted!? You think we don't want to grow anylonger!? Here I go, talking 'we' again, since your reply is triggering that divide again. I dont wanna go that way...
Its us, the world.
Tar sands exploitation by Shell in Canada are only feasible with an oil price around $80-90 dollar a barrel. That is simply to diversify sources and to create more supply that dampens the speculative price, partially. Its only economically viable at certain prices. Thats why currently those sands are on basically on hold. Too expensive to exploit in current downturn.
And I can counter your argument why Canada does let oil sands be exploited. Its because there is an increasing oil demand from emerging countries and a depleting supply from the Middle East and others supplying oil around the world.
Everyone is the Western world still wants to drive the fuel slurping cars until they are transitioned to innovative and improved alternatives, like electric cars, or full dependance on clean hdyrogen fuel (safe tank stations are not economically viable to implement around the world, yet). Not even mentioning the auto lobby in the US, but they are going broke now, so thats no problem anylonger. They learnt it the hard way by not being innovative. If you wait too long, you get old and slow and your business model can't and will not survive. Thats what happens in the US now with GM. Chrysler and to a lesser degree, Ford.
You could have come up with this yourself, since you say you are greatly at levels on technology. But I have my doubts, since I find your arguments very old fashioned and conspirating from the Cold War struggle of obtaining stragic resources in the Middle East during the 1970 - 1980's (US vs Soviets)
Those days are over dude. Its 21st century talk now. You know that too. :lol: desertdudeshj
What ? Only if you knew the things I knew.
And what 70's rethoric man. Most probally like 99% of people living in the west believe the Iraqi Invasion and now trying tussle up Iran is all about the war on terror you are one of them. Its all about the black gold homes.
The gulf war is the now and the 70's reference is just to show you how long "they" have been drooling to get to it. And now they have found the perfect excuse.
Trust me dude, like I said eairler if USA, UK or Europe had all the oil reserves you wouldn't even know what an electric car was.
Just like you say I choose to ignore the enviromental issues you choose to ignore this. Dude your the one who has to come out of the frame and look at the broad reality.
And the fact remains people will be still be driving petrol driven cars long after me and you are gone. So why fight it, Join in man. get your self a gas guzzler and feel the power of a real machine and not a puny four pot deisel. Oh sorry I forgot you have to leave a kidney behind everytime you fill up at the pump. But you guys are trying your best to make that better now isn't :wink:
Cheers buddy
P.S : when you say "This is no way comparable with what I showed you." WHY NOT ? after all one of the articles is from your cherised independant written by Cahal Milmo one of their chief reporters. The independant which in the other thread you can't help sing high praises of its accurate factual journalism and how well written it is ? Now whats the matter ? Its all of a sudden lost all its credibilty ???
Oh and Checking out mate need to get some Zzzz's Speedhump Wow, I missed a LOT of words :D I have to say I take a bit of each side. I do believe we are harming our environment, we always have. You can't kill rainforest, the lungs of the planet, and expect to live. You can't kill all the lions and tigers and then wonder why there is imbalance in the food web on which a large part of the planet relies to keep in balance. But global warming? We all know that projections made on a global basis tend to be way out of line with reality. That's why like desertdude I don't often accept scientists' projections, and global warming theories are just that; scientists' projections. I don't accept that the effects will be as predicted. As desertdude rightly pointed out, what happened to the world being wiped out by SARS, etc. etc....? All just waffle by men in white coats. My main point however is that you cannot build a new economic power without a massive amount of cheap fuel and labour. So don't even try to tell the world's developing countries that they can't use either, they won't listen. They'll stick two fingers up at Robby's wise 'learning curve of developed nations' and they are correct to do so, since the west is wagging a finger not to altruistically protect the environment, they are doing it to protect their markets and their economies. That story will never change. Money rules the world and man is a competitive animal (repeat animal, lower cortex is ultimately king no matter what highbrow motives are spouted by leaders of civilised countries that already have their comforts). uaekid it brings me joy to see this much world wide attention on my little country.. even if the articles are in a negative views !! UAE became got successful in being the center of attention world wide even from the industrial countries not for its oil like the old days but for the other economical jump and development, it is amazing the things that has been done here and I got to give to the UAE or any other country that would do all of this in just 30 years or so, I mean look at the other GCC, they got the same resource UAE got but how we used it was the different.
for that negative view of UAE or Dubai, I would say compare it to a similar city then you 'll see and know the real picture and only then evaluate it accomplishment.
for those who has this negative view ,who lives here or want to come here for business, you are a clear hypocrite for being here and bad mouthing Dubai at the same time ! you either have to do one ,that's if you have any principle in life. and you if you failed down the road some where or failed to be what it takes to be in such a city then that's your problem. do not blame your failure on an object (a city) !!
Dubai had issues yes and delt or dealing with it like any other place, I mean look at the history of any giving country and I mean any, every one started with the similar problems. you gave the years to solve it so why not give Dubai ?
RobbyG ,
I guess UAE still has a good side corner in your dark view but I don't have to look deep to compare my country to yours where if our labors has problems but at least we are letting them in and not shutting door on their faces like you recently did !! not to mention the human rights your country has been accused of, or can't you search that.
Dutch block borders to Romanians, Bulgarians over job fears
28 November 2008, 00:28 CET
(THE HAGUE) - The Netherlands has opted against opening its borders to workers from Bulgaria and Romania from January 1 amid heightened fears over job security, the social affairs ministry said Thursday.
"The minister told parliament (Thursday) that there will be no free entry to Romanians and Bulgarians from January 1," Bea Versteeg, spokeswoman for minister Piet Hein Donner, told AFP.
"The economic crisis has caused concern for rising unemployment, and that is why the minister won't open the borders.
"This doesn't mean that we will not allow them by 2010 or 2011, when the economy starts booming again and we need the people."
Donner gave no indication when the decision might be reviewed, but like all other EU member states, the Netherlands had up to 2012 to decide.
The minister will inform the European Union of his stance, said Versteeg.
Bulgaria and Romania became members of the European Union in January 2007. At the time, the bloc exempted other member states from providing automatic entry to Romanian and Bulgarian workers for a two-year period ending December 31, 2008.
Member states had to inform the EU by year-end when they would start granting workers from these countries exemptions from requiring work permits, explained Versteeg.
As at April 2008, the Netherlands counted 100,000 labour migrants from middle- and eastern-European countries that joined the EU in 2004, the vast majority of them Polish.
The country reported a 3.6 percent unemployment rate in October. Red Chief
but those develloping countries suffered from pollution at first. When I visited South-Eastern China 8 years ago I could only estimate the scale of the problem - every riders and every women on the streets wear special masks... A thick smog was permanent even under the bright shine sun.

After that I understood that all those western things about catalyst, electric cars are not only words. You can easily make Hell in one separate city w/o Global Warming problem... Snow As far as I know Abu Dhabi n Sharjah employ Indian workers as well with same salaries and apply same passport/sponsorship rules. Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and probably Saudi do too....why is he fixating on Dubai??? And why only after the UAE stocks have collapsed did he report this??? desert surfer
Because he is a reporter and this is his job.... he is reporting what he is seeing.
Unless u have a habit of thinking about other woman/man while mating with ur spouse u wont get the art of reporting....
this is oneof the best Dubai bashing I have read in a while. sage & onion
Most of the article is grossly exagerated. pinoy1 ^ Which parts of it do you think are exaggerated? Chocoholic I don't think it's exaggerated at all. quatroporte
huh!!!!!!
I admit the article represent true conditions in UAE.... however, that article speaks about extreme situations which does not represent reality in Dubai!!?!?
here is a nice reply by a blogger in regards to this article

Quoted Comment Source:
the credibility of the BCC article is questionable... Misery Called Life
Cuz if he had written about Sharjah, it would never have made it to the independant and none of us at DF would even bother commenting.
If the article was about Saudi, then posters on DF would just Yawn and say "So What's New?"
You see only Dubai can invoke such responses. Britain's ministe of interior who is in Abu-Dhabi, even publicly distanced himself from such"over exaggerated" articles by Brit Publications! michaeldubai
If you're in the lion's cage, is it right to piss off the lion? RobbyG
You are right about 'the black gold' being a strategic resources we all need to have. The US imported it for decades without using their own resources beneath the ground, just because prices remained so low for decades till the '90s. Now they start drilling in the Appalach shales and tar sands in Canada, simply to be less dependant on an oil price of 100+ dollars a barrel.
In the US thats nearly 4 dollars a gallon (~3.75 liters) but in Europe we have this nice little fucked up tax system for government spending on innovation. In Holland we are paying 1 euro 60 per liter !! That 6 euro a gallon and that is: 7.5 dollar per US gallon. !!!! BOINK Helloooo!!
Are you nuts, I'm not able to drive a gazz guzzler from the US of A. I really don't even want to drive it with that sick carbon footprint those GM cars have! I drive German BMW. I drive a in-line six cilinder, 2.0 liter injection M52 Single VANOS engine from 1996. Excellent sportcoupé car and it slurps about 1 liter every 14 kilometers when driving normal. 150 horsepowers under the bonnet. :wink: More than enough for a Sheihk Zayed Road traffic congestion :lol:
Because of the supply demand issue we currently have between oil authocracies and Russia, the Europeans are trying to get away from this dependancy since Russia shot off Ukraine a winter back and that means Germany doesn't get a feet of gas either at that point!
I merely logical that we seek alternatives and gaining common ground from it by strategically using the resources we have in the Western world.
What is the price for a liter petrol in the UAE?
Thats what I'm saying. You get it at cost price, maybe even government subsided. But not here in Europe I can tell you that. If I go to Venezuela, I get a gallon for 80 dollarcents with subsidy from government.
Some of you really live in a fantasy world. Wait till you visit Europe and have to pay for a hotal arrangement, a ful gas tank or a decent sandwich. Bye bye paycheck. Every product available has its dependancy on oil, one way or the other. You don't think the Western World let oil get back to $150 dollars again now!?
We need to get rid of the full (read: lesser degree) oil dependancy. This is unsustainable for everyone in the long term.
The Green issue, is merely a good incentive to change it all for the better. I won't deny that as you implied. ITs actually a good thing to lower your carbon footprint one day. Maybe our legacies can all live a few years longer without nature disrupting our daily standards of living.
I'm done. :wink: quatroporte
read this RobbyG
Haha the UK hypocrisy spurs up again: 8)
The comments from Wilkes followed an article in the UK's Independent newspaper on Tuesday under the headline The dark side of Dubai.
He referred to the UAE as the largest market in the region for British exports, saying that his government was committed to strengthening ties and exploring business opportunities in the region. Anosh Oppsss.... The Independent published a lengthy article by Johann Hari headlined “The Dark Side of Dubai.” One of the prominent Emiratis featured, Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi, hits back at the report. Misery Called Life
Well spoken! :)
Underestimating the importance of using renewable sources of energy, would be a tremendous folly, that would inevitably lead to the doom of mankind! pinoy1
I was expecting him to deny the allegations regarding the maltreatment of labourers and all the race-dependent stuff going on around here. Oh well. RobbyG
This 'Sultan' guy knows he can't deny it. Thats one step in the right direction.
The whole article is merely a response from the 'government' just to point out this was 'The Dark Side of Dubai'. He tried to give a counterweight by saying there is a "Bright Side of Dubai'. And rightfully so.
But that doesn't change some of the facts Hari pointed out. Fast development comes with vast problems. And like 'Sultan' said; buildings are being built with top of the range 'green' technologies, so they definately are doing things right! That won't be denied here.
Its about what is really wrong, that needs addressing. The good things we have read enough in the promotion folders and the sunny beach vacations we long for... :wink: quatroporte
I feel that Independent article made many of you happy!?!?!?!!! it says the truth... yeah it highlights some of Dubai major issues.. like the labour camps etc... but that article is just picking on extremes...
another comment quoted

Speedhump
Yes that's exactly right. If you know anything about London in the Nineteenth century it was the same hell on earth, terrible pollution, the people dying of all manner of lung related diseases and so on. All buildings in the City were BLACK through soot. Other towns (industrial/mining) were even worse. That was the price that our forefathers paid for the industrialised world as it is now. And of course not just in the UK, although that was the centre of the industrial revolution and so probably suffered worst.
You can't make steel with electric cars; massive scale heavy industry (the scale that the entire world currently demands by its over-consumption of goods) is dirty and polluting, there's no way around that. For the people of the west to demand milllions of cars, electric goods, etc. each year from the east and then whack them for polluting their countries is a crime in itself. The Caspian Sea is dying because the countries that border it won't agree on pollution controls necessary while they pursue their policies of economic advancement.
Once these countries achieve economic wealth then and only then might they decide to do something SERIOUS about environmental factors. It's the way the west did it and cannot deny. pinoy1
I admit I am one of them. There's too much injustice going on around here and nobody wants to do anything about it because it is either they're not someone the gov't will listen to anyway or they're one of those benefiting from these injustices. Snow
He is reporting what he is seeing...in his biased mind. RobbyG
Thats correct. People are inherently 'not the brightest' of souls. We had to educate ourselves and learned the hard way. But at least we learned from it, and we will educate the world on ignorance if they tend to stick with it.
One way or the other, the biggest polluters in the world will get what they seed. And the biggest human rights violators, will be turned their back from one day. Also, denying International rules and regulations that are in place for the common wealth creation in this world, are economically punished by investors and governments, eventually. North Korea is a good example among others not mentioned.
You don't wanna be going on your own now are you? Give in some way and you'll reap the benefits of that. Its called diplomacy. Ignorance and denial never worked in this world. At least where I live in... :wink: michaeldubai
righto! The contents of the article are related to the title - Dark side of Dubai. We see so many articles on "The fun side of dubai" in the local papers everyday. If one guy goes and publishes the truth in a single article about the dark side - what tickling everyone's bums?
It may pick on extremes - but it is the truth. If everything is workign fine for you and you dont feel or want to do anything about those less fortunate than you - stay out of the picture. FTD
Never said it was, just highlighting your own simplistic attitude e.g. that you want to ban people having fun unless it correlates with your own ideas of fun, which is apparently beyond reproach. Speedhump
You missed it again didn't you? I'm beginning to think the blinkers are deliberate!
How lovely for the west to come over all green and ecologically sound now they have made themselves cosy and rich by ignoring the envionment while they made their pile of gold. Let's not let anyone else do it, now we've got our wealth we suddenly realised that it was a bad way to do it so you new guys can't! But we still want you to do all our heavy industry for us nice and cheap because we can't any more, we're too busy eating fois gras and playing with paper commerce..... hmmmmmmm
Come on, no budding superpower is going to fall for that one. Its a ploy to stop the long heralded Decline of Western Civilisation. There's going to be no come-uppance for your current 'bad guys' (just as there wasn't in past centuries), China already owns a staggering amount of US debt and is still buying more, they are buying up the sources of ore and coal too. Diversifying upstream is where the real power is and they're grabbing it while no-one else can afford it. :D :D
You love to tell other people to get real; try a dose?
:idea: Speedhump Robby, I love the fact that you're an idealist, honestly. It's touching. But stop trying to expect that it will actually work. ;) Chocoholic SH, you really do need to open your eyes, you are talking about the 19th century which is irrelevant! We are living in the 21st century! These shouldn't happen. If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem. Stop being so blinkered! Speedhump
Did anyone else fail to stop their mouths falling open when they read:
'Mrs Andrews could stop sleeping in the Range Rover, sell it and pay off part of the dept (sic) and perhaps sleep in a cheaper car like a Toyota Camry.'
I'm horrified that I laughed, but what truly incomprehensible thought train could have come up with that.....
Astonishing stuff. I think there's a saying 'only in America' - maybe we have a replacement country :D sage & onion As I said before lots of exageration Ruskie
Don't blame us we are just doing business. I think you'd be upset if Ukraine stole billions dollars worth of gas that was intended for you. Speedhump
very childish to think you can understand the present without looking at the past, so who's blinkered.....?
'If you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem' - trite received 'wisdom' and usually untrue! RobbyG
Who's blaming? Not me. Russia has every right of buying strategic resources. Its simply Europe that is lacking political courage to put a stop to it.
I don't know if you read the papers lately. Russia's Gazprom just bought a 20 percent stake in ENI from Spain. Thats another company that had a share in Italy's shoe, where the new Algerian Pipelines should come out on.
Gone, strategically obtained by Russia. Europe has got a lot to learn from quick and decisive unilateral leadership actions. Fools are we sometimes.
Idealist are realists. No daydreamers or gazzguzlers. I prefer being idealist. The universe is inherently instable, but it always find itself some form of equilibrium. Lets keep it that way shall we? :wink: :lol: RobbyG
You already gave up the slightest piece of hope you had left, I reckon 8) Speedhump
LOL. Jaded..? Moi..?
A TRUE realist, and NOT an idealist.
;) RobbyG
A bit of a negative realist then. I am the positive one and will influence my environment in that same way. Keep up hope sonny, realistically.
You could learn something here before jumping of that 70 story high rise you about to jump from. :lol: You already gave up hope for a better environment. Speedhump
Bless you mate, thanks for your concern! :)
Seriously, it is possible accept the world as it is, warts and all, without wanting to top yourself, I do and I'm at peace with it :D
I hope you can see generally I have a sense of humour (OK, maybe black, almost Russian!), it helps too.
Also I haven't given up hope, I like the fact that your views exist even if I can't subscribe to them myself. I can get hot on topics, the UAE is quite a conduit for the smuggling of endangered species for example. That's a disgrace. The authorities are trying though, so what to do? Bora Bora
Exactly. Someone managed to get Crudeboy into the country. Speedhump :D RobbyG
What to do!? Simple
Oppose it as soon as the opportunity arises!! :twisted: We got an article that gives an incentive :wink: Speedhump
Fair comment. Tom Jones Let’s face it! What’s going on in Dubai, with regards to the labor abuse, is no different from what’s going on in other countries where there is a chance for such abuse to flourish. Let’s take for example India, where most of the abused laborers in Dubai come from. Human rights abuse in India, including labor abuse, is big and well documented. It ranges from child labor to human trafficking in servants and prostitutes, to slavery, to the exploitation of workers, to the abuse of women and children…etc. The movie Slumdog Millionaire just barely scratched the surface of some of this abuse. Abuse is sadly part of the dark side of human nature. The strong abuses the weak, the rich abuses the poor and the powerful abuses the powerless. Labor abuse (including maids abuse) in Dubai can only eliminated, or at least minimized, by having tough labor laws, labor unions, free press, freedom of speech, the strict enforcement of the labor laws not to mention reforming the present sponsorship system. Red Chief
Royal DUTCH Shell has a big stake in Sakhalin Energy due to bribing Russian goverment in 90s...
BP has 20% of its fields in Russia for next to nothing...
Why can't Gazprom have anything in Europe?
What's the problem, dude?
It's simply Russia that is lacking political courage to kick them out, both of them... RobbyG
Now you are pretending to be the victim. while Russia got every right to buy that, making Europe its victim. That you didn't understand from my rant.
You should read a bit better too and not be all that negative. Its is the Russians that show to let its former allies down in the cold, by winter gas supply shut-offs. In Europe they have nothing to say about gas supplies. Russia controls the wheels. Don't you think we have a sincere reason to complain?
God damn Russians control the worlds resources on that vast 'continent' you have over there! Do you mind the Europeans taking up a little share of resources!??
Don't go cry to me now Red Chief. The Russians are already claiming parts of the polar caps by increasing their military presence around Alaska. The f@cking icecaps aren't even molten yet!!!! Eager MoFo 8)
:wink:
ps: BTW, Shell got ripped by Putin in the last seconds of Sachalin project, so they had to deliver near 25 to 50 percent of its profits to Russia, or they were able to pack the bags and leave instantly!. How about unfair after multibillion dollar of investments, with rights granted during Sovjet governments that were as corrupt as your ancestors!. Red Chief
Are you ignorant? Who paid those billions? Russian goverment were, all their overrated expences... Good game all those sharks play...
Anyway Russia is absolutely right to speak with West on the language they clearly understand...
Of cause Supermajors want to treat Russia as Nigeria, buying big stakes for next to nothing, like it used to be in 90s...
P.S. Soviet Gov.? It's awesome, guy! :? RobbyG
Well, I got to agree with you. Russia is doing way better with Putin on the wheel. Its a firm leader and he's surely showing he's got power of resources and the means to back them.
Its is however a dirty game they play. But a profitable one. O wait, thats what capitalism was al about ;)
I merely hope they get somewhat more reasonable in the future, as this war mentality is showing signs of a new cold war, but instead of nukes they use natural resources now !!
Haha, I must give Putin credit for his efforts. Russia does way better than the former Soviet era's. 8) :lol: kanelli
Very true, but I suspect this all seems more sensational in Dubai because it is marketing itself as a 1st world country, but it is only the veneer, underneath it is still very 3rd world. Speedhump I agree with that Kanelli, I guess that IS the main reason it's so easy for people to bash Dubai. You can't make a developed country overnight. Things are changing for the better and laws are developing in the right direction but it all takes time to change habits and courses of action developed over generations, and the fact that the authorities turned a blind eye to the treatment of workers, boy jockeys, maids, etc. for so long is just that's the way it always was in the past (and not just here!). uaekid Lets review what chocoholic said earlier , if you are not part of the solution then are part of the problem ! and let's talk about those issues UAE had. yes it is a an excellent thing to be dedicated to human rights ,I'm totally with seeing human race having a better life but did they ? jockeys Lets take for example the boy jockeys, everyone called for them to stop this practice which was not suitable for the underage ,but when they and their fathers lost over 4000 jobs and got deported back home and again faced the poor level of living, where are those ppl who called for this practice to stop ? Vanished all of a sudden. how could those ppl been part of the solution ? was the campaign for them or against them ? was is to only to satisfy someone egos who stopped half way of making a better life for them jockeys .the end result was to leave those families there to die . so you see ,you became part of the problem ,not part of the solution. Just like when I ask my loved ones chocoholic and her girlfriend (what do you thing is the right approach to solve a cretin issue ) ,their reply's would be ( how should I know ) !! no matter what, you will end your day in in the comfort of your fluffy bed. And the same goes for the rest of those issues … Speedhump Child jockeys have been 'imported' by pretend 'uncles' (in other words human trafficking) and sold to racing farms, you know this. They are abandoned there and suffer not only excruciating terror strapped to huge animals, but also suffer s*xual abuse by their employers. It is all documented, even here, we're not talking about articles written in western newspapers. Nine year olds cannot and should not work as jockeys, or in sweatshops in India or Asia, or anywhere for that matter. You know very well they have been used as puppets and had no choice in the matter. They still are, in illegal racing meetings which are occasionally exposed. Why? What on earth possesses adults to abuse small powerless children this way. The government have made half-hearted attempts to stop it by issuing new laws several times since the 1990's (in fact I think just issuing the same law again and again), but it still goes on. Bora Bora
Well said. uaekid
read my post carefuly speedhump. Speedhump
I think that I did. You are saying that these childen were worse off at home. I am just completely disagreeing with you, because you are talking only about money (and of course are assuming that they are paid and fed properly, rather than being half starved to keep their weight down, as the older and bigger they get the less use they are).
It's an argument you maybe can apply to some of the badly treated construction workers here (all those that came here with their eyes open and were not duped by Indian/Bangla/Pakistani tricksters at home and then corrupt building companies here), but not to kids who are having their lives destroyed and have no power to stop it. It's immoral.
If you are defending the use of child jockeys I can't think of anything else to say to you! uaekid what was the goal of the hall campain ? a better life for them ? do they have it back home ? do you think they won't get abused to make moeny over there ? all I'm saying is that whomever started the campain shouldn've never stop when UAE sent them back ! they should've provided an alternative for them and their families . correct ? Speedhump I understand your point. If they get abused at home that also is bad of course but I hope you're not saying that it's OK to abuse them because they are here because that's madness. Or are you sayng that rather than send them home to poverty, the UAE government should have set up a fund for them here or a charity or something. Allowed them free schooling, healthcare, even foster parents, as many other countries do. RobbyG
This reasoning of yours is lunatic. What kind of person are you Kid!
Your crazy between the ears. Sanity gone and lost, if you ever had that in that 'pellet' of yours! Speedhump Define RobbyG: In the words of the comedian Harry Enfield '"I say what I like, and I like what I bloody well say!" :D (means blunt speaking) ;) RobbyG
I see you have ambitions in lecturing preach and social behaviours?
Blunt I can be, like a Hammer on your Camelhump. Instead of flattening, it shifts to his belly, becoming a wrath.
Blunt enough for ya I hope :lol: 8) Speedhump LOL, I have to start calling you Iron Robby Tyson :P Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi You can read my rebuttal on Friday's edition of The Independent. Look it up if you wish. RobbyG
I already heard another one I like more: 'Canonball Rob' :wink:
My left foot was representing that name during my soccer time in my recent history. The balls didn't sway, they impacted the keeper like a bullet/canonball.
Its very appropriate here too 8) RobbyG
Welcome Sultan.
It is nice to greet someone who can really discuss some of the issues that need attention.
I read your rebuttal. It was a modest one.
How would you describe Hari's total overview? Reasonable perhaps considering his 'negative' but realistic opinion of the 'Dark Side of Dubai'?
I think it is a good thing to address certain issues that are ignored in the UAE media, as part of the complete views people have on Dubai.
We had years of promotion talk and positive publicity that addressed 'The Bright Side of Dubai'. I think its fair to say this was to be expected.
This kind of columns would not be appearing, in my opinion, if reporting in Dubai (or UAE in general) would be somewhat more open/free, without putting certain pressures on local media.
Can you elaborate on this view of mine, Sultan? pinoy1
I don't get you. Are you trying to justify the abuses these people are experiencing from their employers or are you trying to shift the blame to someone else?
Answer this: Do you think there is nothing wrong with these employers making those people go through such suffering since they'll go through the same suffering back home anyway?

Unbelievable logic. Accept that these things are happening and correct it. Cycle ends. Khalas! uaekid guyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyys I'm not talking about the kids, I'm talking about the ppl responsible for sending them back home . why didn't they follow up on their living conditions back home ? god do I have to speak Arabic to make understand RobbyG
Kidddddddddt,
You are living in your own world. For once try to understand how your opinions are received by 'the rest of the world'.
Maybe this is an eye-opener for you....but I doubt it. 8) uaekid robbyG, it is a matter of being honest with yourselves which is hard to find now a days . if you can not admit that those people who called for this campaign made a mistake in not completing their mission ( a better life for the kids ) then lets just end it here. I'm happy the hall issue got solved and I'm happy that those kids are safe now yet if you / those guys really cared then they should've found an alternative for them back home other wise not has been solved really. uaekid hey lets look at the bright side of it for ones. with the invention of the robots jokies ,I wouldn't be surprised to see a new s*e*x t toy hitting the market ( the lonely women spanking boy ) LOOOOOL desertdudeshj UAEKID not to be derogatory or offending but its spelled whole not " Hall " at first I thought it was just a typo. Sorry to go offtopic but robot jockeys are the biggest joke arn't they. Nothing but a whip attached to a whirling motor ! It looks so freaking stupid man. If Camel Racing is really part of the Emarati culture then get proper jockeys like in horse racing. Why can it only be kids or a remote controlled motor ? Ok fine you will have longer times but atleast it will look like a proper sport then. Just my 2 Dhs ( Inflation is getting higher so 2 fils just won't cut it any loner :D ) kanelli uaekid, you are missing the point. From the UAE's perspective they should be making sure that people are not abused on UAE soil and people have legal rights to protect them. For example, if there are no child jockeys allowed in the UAE then of course the kids will be back in their home countries doing who knows what, but then it is their country that needs to protect their interests there. If some foreign charities want to operate to provide money and assistance, then that is fine - it happens all the time in many countries. It is ridiculous to say that shitty conditions here are less shitty than back in their home country so it is a better deal and people shouldn't be bothered by it. RobbyG
Kanelli said it all. This is how a government should care for its residents. With respect, without regards to skin color or cultural heritage uaekid
no dear I'm not saying it's ok since the abuse is less here, I'm saying if we \you care then the care should be where ever they are. you saying ( of course the kids will be back in their home countries doing who knows what, but then it is their country that needs to protect their interests there .) makes your care only forced in not letting work here with those conditions and hill with them ones they are back home !! is that it ? humans are humans no matter where they live kanelli, I'm sorry but you guys are making no sense by not agreeing that they and their families should've had an alternative knowing what they will face back home.
but I see no point of discussing it further. lets let them be their country problem, right.



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