Independent UK: Dubai is finally financially bankrupt – but it has been morally bankrupt all along

[marmar]

Johann Hari: A morally bankrupt dictatorship built by slave labour
Friday, 27 November 2009


Dubai is finally financially bankrupt – but it has been morally bankrupt all along. The idea that Dubai is an oasis of freedom on the Arabian peninsular is one of the great lies of our time.

Yes, it has Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts and the Gucci styles, but beneath these accoutrements, there is a dictatorship built by slaves.

If you go there with your eyes open – as I did earlier this year – the truth is hidden in plain view. The tour books and the bragging Emiratis will tell you the city was built by Sheikh Mohammed, the country's hereditary ruler.

It is untrue. The people who really built the city can be seen in long chain-gangs by the side of the road, or toiling all day at the top of the tallest buildings in the world, in heat that Westerners are told not to stay in for more than 10 minutes. They were conned into coming, and trapped into staying.

In their home country – Bangladesh or the Philippines or India – these workers are told they can earn a fortune in Dubai if they pay a large upfront fee. When they arrive, their passports are taken from them, and they are told their wages are a tenth of the rate they were promised. .........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/johann-hari-a-morally-bankrupt-dictatorship-built-by-slave-labour-1828754.html

[snagglepuss]

1. K&R thanks for posting nt

[derby378]

2. A little lesson for Dubai from SYRIANA

"But what do you need a financial advisor for? Twenty years ago you had the highest Gross National Product in the world, now you're tied with Albania. Your second largest export is secondhand goods, closely followed by dates which you're losing five cents a pound on...You know what the business community thinks of you? They think that a hundred years ago you were living in tents out here in the desert chopping each other's heads off and that's where you'll be in another hundred years, so on behalf of my firm I accept your offer."

[WCGreen]

3. Ain't it the truth..

Sin country, a sham, a front for the decadent leaders of the repressive Arabian regimes...

[Craftsman]

4. Karma Happens

[juno jones]

5. K&R! great article.

The sickest thing were the Brit expats who were obviously enamoured of being served by an enslaved underclass. Sick, sick sick.

[DJ13]

6. Heres an indepth article detailing life in Dubai

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/johann-hari/the-dark-side-of-dubai-1664368.html
The dark side of Dubai - Johann Hari, Commentators - The Independent

[thelordofhell]

7. So much for Dick Cheney's summer home

[Bolo Boffin]

8. I've been there. This is all true.

Rather weird looking from our tour bus at the buses full of "indentured servants" being bussed from worksite to shoddy living quarters.

[Diclotican]

9. marmar

marmar

Not excactly news.. Have been known to everyone who had followed the stream of "workers" to Dubai and the other states in the region for at least 15-20 year.. It is good that the Independet finaly is telling the truth, but it have not been a secret for the last 10 year... Even as the first buildings in the "new" Daubai was beeing build report was many about the outright slavery that most of peopole who is building this city was living under.. After work hour they was not even allowed to get into the city, but had to camp inside their chelters, house is a insult to everyone who own or rent a house.. it is just chelters and a form of basic home...

Diclotican

[Bobbieo]

10. Could not have happened to a more deserving group of people!

[Diclotican]

13. Bobbieo

Bobbieo

Maye then now they can learn that workes who do the buildings also need decent housing, and a decent wage.. Not be used as slave labour?. I dobut becouse many of this country in the middle east, specially the arabs se themselfs as the master race.. And that everyone else is not good.. Even if they are from the same belif...

One co worker I had once said that specially the saudi-arabians is bad peopole.. And he should know it

Diclotican

[valerief]

11. So that means more money transferred from US coffers to Dubai accounts, right? nt

[santamargarita]

12. Isn't Dubai the Republican Promise Land?

If so, I wish they'd all go there.

[MrsCorleone]

14. Yep. It's Milton Friedmanism on steroids, the republicans' uber wet dream.

Only the repub base fails to understand that democracy is impossible in Dubai's style of complete deregulation.

Studying this epic failure will be fascinating.