tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post7664876314888172931..comments2024-03-27T15:45:49.926+04:00Comments on Life in Dubai: The most vitriolic piece on Dubai so farSeabeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-2071504823508617162014-05-22T15:28:58.226+04:002014-05-22T15:28:58.226+04:00Really well sounded out response.
The section on...Really well sounded out response. <br /><br />The section on the labourers rights felt a bit brushed over.<br /><br />However, the sections highlighting the sensationalist approach taken by Hari are really well made.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-59215315390932264802013-06-17T18:52:21.446+04:002013-06-17T18:52:21.446+04:00What possible motivation does a journalist have fo...<i>What possible motivation does a journalist have for such a story. He's just doing is job.</i><br /><br />That's unbelievably naive Anon...you must be one of the few people left who still believe 'it's in the papers so it must be true'.<br /><br />Of course Hari has his own agenda.Seabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-370822474087981022013-06-10T14:07:10.134+04:002013-06-10T14:07:10.134+04:00Having lived and worked in Dubai, I in fact, find ...Having lived and worked in Dubai, I in fact, find the story to be understating the misery of some in Dubai. I would suggest that many of the positive comments about Dubai and attacks on the journalist are part of a well funded public relations campaign to prop up this dictatorship. Take a look at the comments. What possible motivation does a journalist have for such a story. He's just doing is job. Meanwhile, the regime has a strong motivation and money to do some reverse spin.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-65884672322326237052009-05-12T10:19:00.000+04:002009-05-12T10:19:00.000+04:00Vitriolic perhaps but Dubai is not the only place ...Vitriolic perhaps but Dubai is not the only place in the world suffering bad press. <br /><br />http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2009/0511/1224246255608.html<br /><br />A quote from the above linked article might applies equally to a number of economies: "If the economic boom taught us anything it is that we have quite a capacity for dangerous self-delusion."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-81995157242639689142009-04-23T19:28:00.000+04:002009-04-23T19:28:00.000+04:00My views of Dubai’s socio-economic model were the ...My views of Dubai’s socio-economic model were the reason why I decided to leave the UAE in late 2008, after living there for almost a year while being involved in a business that promoted the image of the country in the international media.<br /><br />In the following link I blog my reply to an online discussion forum initiated by Sultan Al Qassemi about his recent response to Johann Hari's article, and I reflect upon my experience of living in Dubai:<br /><br />http://alanfurth.com/dubai-and-iafurthhttp://alanfurth.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-44155094486008826832009-04-14T10:31:00.000+04:002009-04-14T10:31:00.000+04:00Logan, it's a long and complex story, but I'll try...<B>Logan</B>, it's a long and complex story, but I'll try. <br /><br />'Slave labour' means forced labour with no salary. It's a deliberately emotive phrase of course, used by sensationalist writers such as Hari, and is not true of Dubai because the labourers come here voluntarily and have a salary.<br /><br />That doesn't mean there's not a huge amount which needs to be done to improve the way they are treated and housed. Inspections need to carried out much more frequently and the laws need much stronger enforcement. Probably the penalties on companies which violate the laws need to be increased too.<br /><br />There is a lot that needs to be done.<br /><br />Also, the labourers are-all-too often ripped off by their own people in their home countries, who act as employment agencies but give a very false picture of conditions and salaries. When they get here they find it's very different from what was promised. That's being addressed by agreement between the governments here and in the labour-supply countries, who are restricting it to approved government controlled agencies.<br /><br />You also have to put it all in the context of a guest worker society. We're here temporarily on the sponsorship of a company, we can't become citizens. When the job ends the residence visa is cancelled.<br /><br /><B>SAS</B>, Hari has made a career out of writing deliberately provocative articles. I assume at least some of it is what he actually believes from his very left wing perspective but I also suspect that a lot of it is just deliberately provocative to keep him in the limelight.<br /><br />The pirate article was just another along those lines. Some truth, some very left wing ideology, some very questionable claims and conclusions.<br /><br />For anyone who hasn't seen it <A HREF="http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-you-are-being-lied-to-about-pirates-1225817.html" REL="nofollow">here's his pirate story.</A>Seabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-8899568084052840112009-04-14T05:50:00.000+04:002009-04-14T05:50:00.000+04:00Johann Hari's article about Dubai was nothing more...Johann Hari's article about Dubai was nothing more than a vitriolically racist hatchet job against a remarkable city that has opened its doors to close to 100,000 of his compatriots. For every British journalist, willing to vilify Dubai for the sake of sensationalistic headlines, there are tens of thousands more willing to vacation, or do business in Dubai, even move there. Success is the best revenge for such hatemongering, and I hope Dubai has plenty of it when the current economic crisis recedes.<br /><br />By the way, has anyone noticed how Hari has demolished his own credibility by acting as an apologist for Somali pirates ? He vilified peaceful and prosperous Dubai while acting as a PR man for seafearing thugs. Need I say more ?SASnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-53410139313632034882009-04-13T22:00:00.000+04:002009-04-13T22:00:00.000+04:00What about the allegations of near slave labor? Ho...What about the allegations of near slave labor? How true is that?@logantreedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10890614622614672313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-29224935747381025062009-04-10T12:14:00.000+04:002009-04-10T12:14:00.000+04:00Rupert, I read the NYT every day so I'd actually a...<B>Rupert</B>, I read the NYT every day so I'd actually already seen it, and I'm getting a huge number of visitors from the NYT's link, but thank you for the link anyway. Much appreciated.<BR/><BR/>(I span the US!! - the Los Angeles Times links to me too) :-)<BR/><BR/>I think I'll post about the interest this article has attracted...Seabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-35903254813173862212009-04-10T05:15:00.000+04:002009-04-10T05:15:00.000+04:00You know I can't help think, some of this is sort ...You know I can't help think, some of this is sort of reverse PR, pulled in given conservative local folk power. I mean, isn't mass expat departures and minimum arrivals what most conservatives want anyway? Or perhaps this is the PR way of population control? If you think that's silly/weired? Think what was in the works earlier. DXB's last name is 'Outrageous'.roshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03271894997251528158noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-77185369396951057112009-04-09T23:44:00.000+04:002009-04-09T23:44:00.000+04:00I've never been to Dubai, but I've lived virtually...I've never been to Dubai, but I've lived virtually my whole life in the developing world. Although the ostensibly annoying expats were one of the most striking things in the article, what really caught my eye -- and what I am 99% sure cannot be denied -- is the human rights abuses mentioned in the article. I've spent 80% of my life in Malaysia and Singapore, two former British colonies with a fairly decent (though far from fantastic) rule of law, and it's extremely routine for even locals to take on maids, and abuse them like nobody's business. It's almost a given that they'll take the maids' passports away. It's also well known that the myriad migrant workers responsible for much of our development live in similar conditions to those described in the article. I'm fairly confident that if these abuses happen in nominal democracies like Malaysia and Singapore, they happen all the more in countries like the UAE.<BR/><BR/>Having said that, it's obvious that some perspective is necessary; these things go on in Dubai, but they go on almost everywhere in the developing world. That doesn't mean they should be happening, and if we can start turning things around in Dubai, all the better.John Leehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16316489754000191267noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-47135619408081772482009-04-09T21:37:00.000+04:002009-04-09T21:37:00.000+04:00Perhaps you didn't notice that the title of his ar...Perhaps you didn't notice that the title of his article is the "DARK SIDE" of Dubai. By definition he isn't trying to talk about the already well-publicized counter examples of which you speak (successful developments etc), but to shed some light on the side that no one ever sees or hears about amidst the avalanche of positive marketing spin on Dubai that most Westerners have been buried under for the last 10 years.<BR/><BR/>I've actually lived in Dubai and noticed much of what he describes myself (though not as severe, but then again I left before the global markets crashed). <BR/><BR/>Given that the Dubai defenders must concede that at least some of the allegations in the article are true (i.e., the Humans Rights Group-documented abuses against foreign labourers), why don't you expend your energies fixing Dubai's weaknesses rather than denying that they exist?Tariqhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16005299113233960797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-86249946346193529872009-04-09T19:15:00.000+04:002009-04-09T19:15:00.000+04:00Famous in New York now!http://freakonomics.blogs.n...Famous in New York now!<BR/><BR/>http://freakonomics.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/04/09/dubais-dark-side/Rupert Neil Bumfreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04460239805603476978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-39668134789998177772009-04-09T11:17:00.000+04:002009-04-09T11:17:00.000+04:00The main reason why there is so much vitriol again...The main reason why there is so much vitriol against Dubai is because, while other places admitted the financial problems, Dubai went on denial overdrive, claiming everything was fine. Do we have to paste quotes/comments during Atlantis' launch or Cityscape claiming Dubai will be the only city in the world to escape the recession. <BR/><BR/>Local media didnt help the situation as you had them cheerleading blindly, and any negative forecasts were dismised as jealousy. <BR/><BR/>In most places, you hae the eternal optimists and pessmists jostling for media space. Here, official avenues were all behaving blindly, while realistic comments were confined to blogs or the comments section of Arabian Business....Mohammednoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-17631905263225177772009-04-08T15:16:00.000+04:002009-04-08T15:16:00.000+04:00My question is...How fast was the cabbie going to ...My question is...<BR/><BR/>How fast was the cabbie going to grt to MoE from Sonapur in 10 Minutes? (Even if it was a Friday.)<BR/><BR/>There is a good side and a bad side to all cities. Fo example, a lot of flak for Slumdog Millionaire comes from the fact that it has concentrated on the 'Dark Side' of Mumbai. But if it hadn't then it probably wouldn't have got the recognition it got.<BR/><BR/>I suppose the same is the case with these type of articles.<BR/><BR/>And as with life we should take the good with the bad.Meherabhttp://meherab.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-29537809456419620842009-04-08T14:25:00.000+04:002009-04-08T14:25:00.000+04:00I totally agree with Dave's view. Have read th...I totally agree with Dave's view. Have read the article in whole and thoroughly this morning, and I had the same comments to my colleagues & friends: for the past 4-5 boom years most of us expatriates often complained at how the Western media's view of Dubai only focused on the positive, completely ignoring the fact that - yes - there are many issues that are simply swept under the world's biggest Persian rug here. Now, it's almost like the journalists are back-tracking in a most extreme way, but only focusing on the negative. And although it's quite exaggerated at points I also agree: Dubai forced the world's attention upon itself. And as any celebrity in the public eye will tell you: questions become personal and attacks become nasty - ESPECIALLY if you take the "Atlantis-approach" to life and don't ever issue a decent statement from your point of view.ZeTallGermannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-5391298794796613342009-04-08T01:04:00.000+04:002009-04-08T01:04:00.000+04:00I'm on your side with this Seabee, and like you, I...I'm on your side with this Seabee, and like you, I do not discount what Hari points out, but I take great exception to a massive, inexcusable omission that most international media seem to make when covering Dubai.<BR/><BR/>If you are interested....<BR/><BR/>http://jamesohearn.blogspot.com/2009/04/great-unseen-middle.htmlJames O'Hearnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09403962558124511636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-46430870781725276262009-04-08T00:17:00.000+04:002009-04-08T00:17:00.000+04:00I live here and yes there are a lot of pics of she...I live here and yes there are a lot of pics of sheik mo. Most expat are not happy. People are rude. Terrible place to bring up kids. No sense of history. We come here because of an easy life built on top of slavery. I see it here, its very obvious and undeniable. And don't think that if you treat your staff well u are above criticism, your just as guilty as the slave traders. Will be leaving back to Canada soon. Ahh civilization.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-22041190659240152882009-04-07T17:13:00.000+04:002009-04-07T17:13:00.000+04:00It's getting a bit ridiculous all this Dubai-bashi...It's getting a bit ridiculous all this Dubai-bashing. It seems like every British paper is sending out a journalist for a three day trip, getting the worst stories they can find, and putting them in an article.<BR/><BR/>People forget that Dubai was a normal town before the boom of the late 90s. It's not like the town has 'fallen from the sky' or whatever the article said. <BR/><BR/>At least the article contains a small amount of perspective at the end, when the author realises that the only reason he can feel as though London doesn't have the same problems, is because London's resources and imports are created on the other side of the planet.The Sandmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08355602469002587935noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-25355825764037087432009-04-07T16:17:00.000+04:002009-04-07T16:17:00.000+04:00having worked in PR i can also say this, there is ...having worked in PR i can also say this, there is nothing like spin backed by truth. if this article is way out of line, why does Dubai not come out with truth, or even you, come out with the truth by answering each of the allegations one by one, and prove that the author is a liar? ball in dubai's court.<BR/><BR/>no one really seemed to complain when all the earlier PR articles going out about Dubai were all lies, as long as they were positive. Now that there are some truths coming out, it becomes a conspiracy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-74603036682730149992009-04-07T15:31:00.000+04:002009-04-07T15:31:00.000+04:00Yes, it's the tall poppy syndrome Dave. I've often...Yes, it's the tall poppy syndrome Dave. <BR/><BR/>I've often posted about it - attract the attention that Dubai did around the world and the spotlight you've turned on yourself lights up some of the dark corners you didn't want people to see.Seabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21258644.post-75043649765060926782009-04-07T13:15:00.000+04:002009-04-07T13:15:00.000+04:00Is Dubai-bashing set to become the next Olympic sp...Is Dubai-bashing set to become the next Olympic sport? The article contains distorted "worst case scenario" snippets of what this place is really like.<BR/><BR/>However, I think the naivety in which Dubai marketed itself over the last fews years, coupled with its lack of real estate transparency, greed and "alleged" human rights violations, have been major ingredients for the backlash now appearing in many publications.<BR/><BR/>You can't open the doors of an emerging city and attempt to control it with a tribal mentality.<BR/><BR/>Let's face it, Abu Dhabi has sat back & watched for several years now, and how much adverse publicity have they received? Not very much I think.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03473866776176076777noreply@blogger.com