For the pedantic amongst us, it should be noted that the photo of the globe and the truck in the pyramid are of The Emirates National Auto museum in *Abu Dhabi*, and not actually in Dubai. (I can’t identify where the bush lined road is). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_National_Auto_Museum
by the way the independent article is a pile of kak, why? just before the financial meltdown dubai was great and awesome etc.. when it all went south the daggers where out and with the greatest respect to journalists, a free five day holiday in the sun suddenly turned into serious, indepth investigative journalism and some poor brits who lived a life they couldn’t afford.
It’s an interesting read, but I urge you all to take it with a pinch of salt.
all the best.
Slofu, I think the use of the word “slaves” is an exaggeration in its self. cheap labour yes, slaves no.
I work in the design industry I have done for many years, at times like many of my peers you feel your a slave, but the fact of the matter is, we work and accept the work and work harder than ever as conditions around us change.
I ask you, what would the Laborers in dubai be doing right now had they stayed in their country of origin? what role do middle men from the same countries they originated from actually play in the injustices they suffer. you can play dubai all you like, look back in history and see who built the railway in north america, describe the conditions they worked in if you can, likewise the panama canal, the suez canal, the milling industry in england.
Amjad, if I seduce you with the prospect of fair work for fair pay, then take your passport so that you effectively can’t leave, pay you less than a fair wage while grossly overworing you, feed you less than nutritious food and water (while you can’t afford better), and afford you shelter that would make some prisons look like the Four Seasons, would you be OK with it since some still have it worse? If my intent was to make you feel as though your only alternative was to die, you would effectively be my slave.
I make no excuse for what past colonists did to natives and workers. It doesn’t justify current, similar wrongdoings.
SLOFU, are you aware of the machinations of dubai labour? I’ll tell you what i know.
employment offices / middle men in the country of origin make the seductions you point out in your post. most of the labour force is illiterate, and hardly up to date with what they are due or not of rights. I lived and worked in dubai for 18months, never did anyone keep my passport, in fact it’s illegal to do so. while there are some wrongs the general vibe of your post and that of the 5day holiday investigative journalists is a of sweeping generalisation.
whats the root of the problem?
poverty, poverty that leads desperate people to hardships to make a better life, if not for themselves than for those who they care for.
Some if not most come from leading nations in the Indian sub-continent, states that have the means to object to conditions and pressure for better, but would they? no. there are wider issues/deals far more important that the welfare of their own.
and dubai as any other nation/state building their future skip a few things in the process, i as well as you wish them fixed, but i can’t tolerate the hypocrisy of developed/civilised nations advocating what the do not practice, like what? well let’s say the forceful repatriation of a gypsy community on the outskirts of paris to their home country…. and many others.
my beef with these articles is that they never said anything negative during the boom, only when it went bust did the knifes come out.
back to you
Amjad, it’s no news that journalists are paid to sell/tell some stories, and not others. Among journalists are many fair-weather fans and bandwaggoners. So what? Perhaps the boom allowed them to see/report some good things in Dubai, and the bust made apparent some bad things.
Yes, poverty spurs people to look abroad for work, and opportunistic headhunters will sell naive and desperate people into virtual slavery. It doesn’t matter to me where they live or work, nor their country of origin, etc.. It just matters that they, as well as those complicit in such affairs be stopped.
14 Comments Leave A Comment
Iain says:
December 10, 2010 at 2:21 amFor the pedantic amongst us, it should be noted that the photo of the globe and the truck in the pyramid are of The Emirates National Auto museum in *Abu Dhabi*, and not actually in Dubai. (I can’t identify where the bush lined road is). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirates_National_Auto_Museum
Paul Anthony Webb says:
December 10, 2010 at 4:07 amI want to see inside of that globe …
slofu says:
December 10, 2010 at 2:07 pmhttp://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html
Salemid says:
December 10, 2010 at 3:21 pmRather obscure photography post for iso50, I like it!
Michael says:
December 11, 2010 at 12:47 amReminds me of a playground for an American-esque kim sung il
Ryan says:
December 11, 2010 at 12:57 amnice work.
(that independent article is intense)
Jag says:
December 11, 2010 at 11:07 amI love the first photo. Nice work!
Holy, what a disturbing article! Gaaaah…! Felt like I was watching a creepy movie about “Perfectville”
Amjad says:
December 12, 2010 at 12:40 pmby the way the independent article is a pile of kak, why? just before the financial meltdown dubai was great and awesome etc.. when it all went south the daggers where out and with the greatest respect to journalists, a free five day holiday in the sun suddenly turned into serious, indepth investigative journalism and some poor brits who lived a life they couldn’t afford.
It’s an interesting read, but I urge you all to take it with a pinch of salt.
all the best.
slofu says:
December 14, 2010 at 12:58 amAmjad, are you suggesting the claim that Dubai was largely built/maintained by virtual slaves to be baseless, or grossly exaggerated?
Amjad says:
December 15, 2010 at 11:59 amSlofu, I think the use of the word “slaves” is an exaggeration in its self. cheap labour yes, slaves no.
I work in the design industry I have done for many years, at times like many of my peers you feel your a slave, but the fact of the matter is, we work and accept the work and work harder than ever as conditions around us change.
I ask you, what would the Laborers in dubai be doing right now had they stayed in their country of origin? what role do middle men from the same countries they originated from actually play in the injustices they suffer. you can play dubai all you like, look back in history and see who built the railway in north america, describe the conditions they worked in if you can, likewise the panama canal, the suez canal, the milling industry in england.
let me know your thoughts
slofu says:
December 15, 2010 at 1:37 pmAmjad, if I seduce you with the prospect of fair work for fair pay, then take your passport so that you effectively can’t leave, pay you less than a fair wage while grossly overworing you, feed you less than nutritious food and water (while you can’t afford better), and afford you shelter that would make some prisons look like the Four Seasons, would you be OK with it since some still have it worse? If my intent was to make you feel as though your only alternative was to die, you would effectively be my slave.
I make no excuse for what past colonists did to natives and workers. It doesn’t justify current, similar wrongdoings.
Amjad says:
December 16, 2010 at 8:54 amSLOFU, are you aware of the machinations of dubai labour? I’ll tell you what i know.
employment offices / middle men in the country of origin make the seductions you point out in your post. most of the labour force is illiterate, and hardly up to date with what they are due or not of rights. I lived and worked in dubai for 18months, never did anyone keep my passport, in fact it’s illegal to do so. while there are some wrongs the general vibe of your post and that of the 5day holiday investigative journalists is a of sweeping generalisation.
whats the root of the problem?
poverty, poverty that leads desperate people to hardships to make a better life, if not for themselves than for those who they care for.
Some if not most come from leading nations in the Indian sub-continent, states that have the means to object to conditions and pressure for better, but would they? no. there are wider issues/deals far more important that the welfare of their own.
and dubai as any other nation/state building their future skip a few things in the process, i as well as you wish them fixed, but i can’t tolerate the hypocrisy of developed/civilised nations advocating what the do not practice, like what? well let’s say the forceful repatriation of a gypsy community on the outskirts of paris to their home country…. and many others.
my beef with these articles is that they never said anything negative during the boom, only when it went bust did the knifes come out.
back to you
slofu says:
December 16, 2010 at 4:25 pmAmjad, it’s no news that journalists are paid to sell/tell some stories, and not others. Among journalists are many fair-weather fans and bandwaggoners. So what? Perhaps the boom allowed them to see/report some good things in Dubai, and the bust made apparent some bad things.
Yes, poverty spurs people to look abroad for work, and opportunistic headhunters will sell naive and desperate people into virtual slavery. It doesn’t matter to me where they live or work, nor their country of origin, etc.. It just matters that they, as well as those complicit in such affairs be stopped.
Thomas says:
February 19, 2011 at 5:36 pmThis is in fact a great discussion, I love reading comments of intelligent people.
I am a slave too, we are all slaves.
I know more than you.