Desert Flower: The Dubai Thread.

[NGONGE]

It’s the winter of discontent on SOL these days!

 

Viking, the UAE spends huge amounts of money every year to help Muslims all round the globe, saaxib. The Gulf countries in general do the same. I would have thought you read all the CIA reports about Gulf nations supporting “terrorism†and businesses that operate under the cloak of “charitable causesâ€! This alone, if it doesn’t explicitly reveal the number of charitable institutions originating from and run by Gulf States, will at least give a hint of the efforts being made.

 

In the Darfur case that you’ve cited, I’d recommend that you google for the UAE Red Crescent site and read about their contributions. QL mentions the schools and mosques, but in most cases, these are not mere schools and mosques, these are regeneration projects organised by and fully funded by the UAE government.

 

Funny that you should mention Israel. Now, though it’s pointless of course to say that America showers Israel with money and loans, ergo, Arabs should do the same to their Muslim brothers! History stands witness to the Gulf nation’s position in general. I’m sure you remember the famous Oil crisis and the stand of most of the Gulf countries! The UAE in particular decided to stop oil production and selling altogether until the demands of the Muslim against Israel were met! I’m sure most people realise how much money a day must have been lost by such a gesture. Was it just a gesture though?

 

 

Now I turn my attention to Caveman. It’s true that most of those that built that country were Indians, other Arabs, some Somalis and many Westerners. However, and as you can see from the development of cities such as Dubai, the plan is to have most the strategic jobs run by Arabs and locals. The country declared its independence in December 1971! In those 34 years, they’ve managed to turn what was a barn desert into a breathtaking oasis! Half-witted people could not have done this; surely there must be some brains behind the whole thing?

 

I personally know and am privy to two organisations that provide scholarship programs for UAE nationals. Every single year, each sends more than four hundred students to study in Western Universities. Trust me, for a nation of three million citizens (and most of those are not even UAE nationals) you’ll be surprised at the number of graduates from world famous universities and those with PhDs!

 

Having sang the praises of the UAE (or at least appeared to do so); they’re still proud, idiotic and moody (though that’s improving with time). They still don’t apply human rights. The law is dictatorial. Foreigners, in the whole, are usually treated very badly. Indians are looked down to and treated as talking animals. In their eyes, a citizen of that country is “more†human than anyone else. Empty pride prevails.

 

Still, all the newly educated thinkers and intellectuals are trying to tackle most of these problems. Many talk and try to address the plights of fellow Muslims and a huge number do what they can to keep the Iraqi and Palestinian struggles top of the agenda at all times.

[Salma]

^^^ Good, but Iam sure some nomads will concetrate on Para. # 6 ONLY

[NGONGE]

^^^ You counted them?

What a crazy "Arab" you are!

[Faheema.]

Is there such thing as Equal Opportunity Employer in the UAE? Because it seems to be the only place (maybe not the only place, but economically advanced ) that can put preferred race/nationality within a job description…and get away with it. :confused:

[Salma]

^^^ Who said so??! Then what you call all these Asians(Indians,Pakis,Philipines,Bangalis,,,etc)Arabs,Africans & Westerns!!! Don't tell me you consider them all ONE race

 

Have you been to UAE? OR u just heard that!!!

[Faheema.]

I think you misunderstood my point sis, you’re right there are many different races/nationalities that work within the UAE. Lakiin, my point is. If you’re an employer and you want the best candidate for the job, you should not be specifying the potential candidate's race/nationality.

 

For instance, if a company is owned by an Indian, Pakistani or Arab they’ll expressly say Arab, Indian Pakistani. Equally, an employer does that over here (UK) and they’re taken to court for race discrimination.

 

You catch my drift

[QUANTUM LEAP]

Subxanallah What is it with Somalis and moaning about others for not doing anything. Well in my humble opinion Arabs have done alot of Muslims good regardless of what others say. Their help reaches helpless kids through Islamic charities worldwide. They build schools that help generations of kids who would have otherwise been without education and hospitals that treat millions of patients and not to forget mosques used by more muslims than one can count. Now some people here dont think that that does amount to anything. Well you are mistaken and it would be prudent of lot to acknowledge what they have done and the millions they have helped albeit it being very little in your minds. If you look at Somalis alone, there are not many countries who have assisted somalis in their quest for better lifestyle and businesses than middle east countries in general and especially UAE. The best Somali businesses today are in places like Dubai and the only point of travel and contact for many somalis is from UAE to their war torn country. Thousands of kids have grown and educated by Arab funds and their parents given job to acountry less people and recognising their pasports despite others not doing so and most of all the Arabs always respects the Somali way of life and treated them better than many foreigners.

 

Nifty I would have you know that equal opportunity is just aface saver rather than it really working. It is away for companies to find out who is who and what quota they have to accomodate rather than they wanting to do it out of good faith. Far too many people out there are well qualified but to date cant find adecent job that they are qualified in.

[Caveman]

Vikings you raise an interesting point.

QUANTUM LEAP,NGONGE:

Its probably good strategy to bring foreign know-how to Dubai, and I totally agree they are trying help other Muslims. They even help Somalis, when I visited there last June I met few entrepreneurial Somalis, there was two Somali guys who started their own semiconductor biz, they even hired couple of Indian programs. But it’s important to note that its big business and globalization, which plays dominant feature in Dubai. So the major benefits go to western countries that invest Arab money in Dubai, built it with cheap Indian workforce and other migrants. I don't agree on the theory that Islam and globalization can live side by side in a society, which is exactly what UAE trying to experiment.

 

The IMF, World Bank and multi-national companies are blood-sucking leeches who suck the economy of the third-world countries and do not let them go until they have drained every single drop of blood out of them. Surely, Dubai don't need IMF and World Bank money thanks to digging of san dunes, but when you read the reports from the Secretary-General of Arab League "Amr Moussa" himself, when he stated that "the combine GDP of all 22 Arab countries is less then that of Spain", it makes you wonder who is really benefiting of all those major projects in Dubai and other Arab countries. Its one thing for a Wealthy Islamic nation to becomes a flagship for globalization in the middle of Arabia,

but its whole different matter for raising the stander of living for its inhabitants.

 

My argument is lets look beyond accomplishments of Landmarks in Dubai, but the concept free-market capitalist order of globalization which consistently promotes a market economy that puts greed and material wealth above human respect and dignity. globalization and multi-national corporations are using Economic systems to control free thinking societies like Dubai, we are amazed by few marvel Buildings while the same system of globalization is creating wars/revolutions/sanctions/genocides for under-developed countries and wealth, prosperity for the Western countries. Lets focus on effects of multi-national corporations for poor inhabitants of this earth especially Muslims who at this very moment are suffering from extreme injustice and prosecution even in their own countries.

 

 

Salaam!

Later

[NGONGE]

With the utmost of respect saaxib, let me just say, HUMBUG!

 

Is there an alternative to “globalisation� Would it sideline Islam in the long run? Is the faith of people that easy to brush aside? How does any of this relate to their “good will�

 

I understand that you see something wrong here, and there probably is but what I don’t understand is the point and goal of your criticism! Everyone agrees that the Muslim world is in disarray, many argue that we should compete with the West in business and trade in order to regain our position in the world! They state that Islam is safe regardless of what we do or don’t! Others insist that we stay away from anything remotely western and follow our own Islamic ways! Most complain about the state of the Muslim world today! NOBODY gives any alternatives when criticising! So, what will it be? Should they go forward? Go back? Or, stand still?

 

The Dubai authorities are trying to create an alternative to oil. Since most Arab countries don’t have any manufacturing industry to speak of and since Dubai don’t have the natural resources nor the huge labour to start up such a huge sector, they decided to go for the biggest industry available and accessible to them, service industry! So far, they seem to be doing a good job! If things continue in the same vain and the oil eventually dries up (or an alternative energy source is found), I dare say Dubai will still be standing and acting as the vital trade destination that it is.

[OG_Girl]

Originally posted by Classique:

OG-G: Girl why don't you come to Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) this year. We can enjoy our times and discuss about "How 2 build a better future n Somalia". That would include Skycrapers in Somalia

Sure girl, you know how much I enjoy your company, You will have me whole January just don't say OG_Girl, you boring me, I will bring your friend The pharmacist too .

 

Shyhem, what I can say?! I am half Somali, Half Egyption and last time I checked the Map both Egypt and Somalia were in Africa :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

 

Classique , Don't waste your time... how you can reason unreasanble people!!.

 

QL,

 

I just can't believe how the whole topic turn about Arab!!. Was about Dubai , but what to say Somalis can't pass any chance to show how Arabs are bad and how they are morons... this getting boring, let us move on and start to bash South Americans

 

 

Salam

[QUANTUM LEAP]

Globalisation is not such aterrible thing as long as the policies of that country make sure the play field is fair and that the people of that country gain as much if not more as the multinationals. The problems arises when there is acorrupt government that doesnt care about what these multinationals do in their own backyard. I believe that Arabs are gaining all the way from this globalisation because these huge multinationals have made it possible for this place to become avery powerful trading region and ameeting point for alot of businesses and business people. The only awful thing is that people in developing countries actually come to believe that the western way of life (centre around advertising and consumption) is actually better than their old way of life. With the kind of leaders we got back in the third world wouldnt it be better being aglobal village than afew sponging away on the richess of the country as is happening in many parts of Africa.

[- Femme -]

Absolutely Beautful.

 

All I have to say about the arab hate going on: :rolleyes: (<---bal ku dhar bal! :rolleyes: )

 

OG Girl: LOL@lets bash South Americans...were getting there hon! I mean...how can be pass up the opportunity for being so racist, narrow-minded, and ignorant?

[Viking]

NGONGE,

One Swedish organisation called SIDA has recently donated SKR 192 million (about $28 million) to help the children of Darfur. There are also many other organisations from Scandinavia and the rest of Europe who are on the ground trying to make a difference, including the ICRC. The beureaucracy and corruption in the lower ranks of some organisations such as UN is immense so this help hasn't really translated into anything tangible, yet. The vast contributions still come from gaalo and not our fellow Muslim brothers from the Middle East (who are very visible when it comes to extravagance).

 

 

The UAE in particular decided to stop oil production and selling altogether until the demands of the Muslim against Israel were met! I’m sure most people realise how much money a day must have been lost by such a gesture. Was it just a gesture though?

Such a gesture does indeed hurt westerners, you know why? Because if a litre of petrol costs 1 pound, they collect 75p, 75% of a pound we spend on fuel. As for Israel, they are still occupying Palestine (more of it since they built the wall) and killing an average of four Palestinians a day, displacing and making them homeless by the thousands. Most of them live below the poverty line; but hey, they should atleast be thankful for the "gesture".

 

At the end of the day, some Muslims are trying to build the tallest building in the world, while their brethren are without shelter and eating dried grass straws. How do you justify that? What will they say when Allah SWT asks them how they spent their wealth on the Day of Reckonning?

[rudy-Diiriye]

lets chill 4 minute and curse the devil!haah! good ole dubai! land of prostitutes and dysfuntional arab shiekhs! u know what! it aint the blink blink but whats behind the facade!

 

one decadent family owns all that crap! u telling me about ppl who use to wait for the xuulo and fruits that the somali seamen use to give when they were starving bedwyens 40 yrs! even their culture dances, these ppl use to sing about the somali seamen that u use to feed! ever heard of that!

 

and now u gonna tell me that their care about their dark skinned brothas!! hell no! employment over there is first given to contracted laborers from asia! i new quite few nomads who went and came back cuz when they found out that they are somali, their pay gets cut!!

 

lastly, the day your visa expires, it dont matter if you wife just had a baby or one of your loved ones is in a hospital, they will pick them up from the hospital bed and put them on plane to lalaland!! they just dont care!!

 

as far as the sudan problem is concerned, all arabs, special the kingdom regions, have insited these problems cuz of the oil rumours!! so lets not get carried away cuz of few building!!

[sheherazade]

Does one have to be an Arab-hater to be disappointed in seeing an expensive needle in the sky? We've been told what that represents...shiver.

 

Classique, are you in Dubai? I'm going to be there some time next year. Would love to meet you. A job wouldn't be bad either. Get busy, girlfriend. Waasta fooq al qeynuun and all that.