Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#61 Post by Ex-Ascot » Sat Nov 24, 2018 6:10 am

No Capt we have passed through DXB at least 20 times before, no grief. If they tried anything on with us they wouldn't know what had hit them. My first phone call would be to the press, everything else would follow. EK is an excellent airline service wise and we are very happy with that aspect. The treatment of their crews, their admin and management are a different matter. QTR gives us a far better schedule to fit in with other flights, ships, transfer times and long sectors at night. Seems that their business service is the tops so we will give it a whirl.

So as you say it is practicalities. As long as the service is as good or better than EK, fine, we will stick with them.
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#62 Post by Capetonian » Sat Dec 29, 2018 4:22 pm

Amongst the other negative reader comments on a Telegraph article about DXB, this one stands out :
On the whole I think I'd prefer to watch the sun set through the bars of my cell over Guantanamo Bay
This isn't bad either:
Yes why don’t you go to a country which has no moral compass, treat women like scum, arrest anyone who bumps into an emirati, has a revolting track record on human rights and abuse and murder of domestic servants....??
Oh and don’t forget the King imprisoning his daughter who tried to escape....!?
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#63 Post by Capetonian » Fri Mar 08, 2019 10:43 am

“Brits - Please support veteran Andy Neal & Stop Visiting Dubai!” - desperate father pleads
Detained In Dubai - Mar 07, 2019 13:23 GMT

Andy Neal, recovering from PTSD after service in British army

Desperation is building as army veteran dog handler Andy Neal's imprisonment continues. “I simply can't believe that Dubai can lock up my son for nearly half a year without just cause and the UK government has left them get away with it. It's heartbreaking to learn that this is not even an isolated incident, that Dubai has been doing this to British nationals for years and that, an organisation like Detained in Dubai even has to exist. The British government is aware that Dubai jails people without evidence but they don't tell you about that on their website. The perception they create is that if you obey the law, you'll be fine and that's exactly what Andy did, he's not fine - he's a hostage” explains Maurice Neal, Andy's father, “I urge British citizens to stand up for Andy and express their outrage at the jailing of an innocent man, STOP VISITING DUBAI”.

Andy Neal has been detained without evidence for over five months on allegations of selling drugs based on a single witness statement that the witness confirmed was inaccurate. No drugs were found in Andy's possession, in his car, in his house or in his blood. All tests returned negative, his technology and phones searched, all confirming zero involvement.

Andy's friends and army colleagues described him as someone who condemned drug use and has no interest. He is a family man and a dog trainer and handler in Dubai. Andy also suffers from PTSD after his service in the British army and has been denied treatment while in custody. His mother Sue Neal, who is living a parent's worst nightmare, has not been able to sleep and lives in a constant state of stress. Radha Stirling, founder of Detained in Dubai who is representing the family said “The police not only failed to competently investigate the case, but have locked up an innocent British family man for over four months.

“UK citizens are not strangers to legal abuse by the Dubai justice system. This organisation was in fact formed after Londoner Cat Le-Huy was detained for seven weeks without evidence. Perry Coppins, a 61 year old maritime security officer was detained for carrying prescription anti-depressant medication and only released after our campaign”. Mr Coppins was denied his medication in custody, and his condition deteriorated rapidly as he suffered severe withdrawal, including hallucinations, bouts of blindness and weight loss. Coppins has expressed sincere concern for Andy’s plight.

Maurice continued “Andy has been deprived his much needed medication for PTSD, and has been denied psychiatric care. Sue and I are beside ourselves with worry about what long term impact this detention will have on him. He is a brave but vulnerable man and is just not equipped to deal with this ongoing abuse”.

Sue and Maurice appealed again to Jeremy Hunt, who has just left the UAE to intervene in the case of a British veteran who has given so much to his country.

“Dear Sir,

My wife and I send this email to you personally in a high state of anxiety, distress and feelings of great helplessness regarding the detainment in Dubai of our innocent son Andrew Neal.

He has now been detained, without charge ,without evidence against him for five months. Allegations against his involvement in "drug dealing" have already been officially withdrawn by the so called witness to the "Prosecutors" but they have done nothing to release an innocent man.

As a decorated soldier in the British Army for twenty four years ,serving in conflicts around the world we feel he deserves a more proactive response from the government to obtain his speedy release.

We are increasingly concerned for both his and his wife and children's welfare. Andrew was diagnosed with severe PTSD by the Army before he left for civvy street, and this detention is making all the symptoms return. We fear for his long term mental state if this situation is not resolved quickly.

Please can you inform us of what the government and you personally are actively doing to obtain our sons urgent and long overdue release from this hell we are all going through?

Please with the greatest respect we need your urgent help to release the whole family from this torture and return Andrew to his loved ones first in Dubai and then return to England as quickly as possible"

- Maurice and Sue Neal.

Mr and Mrs Neal’s request comes after Colonel Patrick Mercer appealed for British government intervention. “It is completely unacceptable for the UK government to allow this kind of treatment of a British citizen. Andrew Neal has served his country with distinction for 24 years. A combat zone dog handler operates in extremely dangerous conditions, putting his own life constantly at risk for the safety of his comrades. For our government to abandon Andrew Neal after this service would be completely unacceptable.” Jeremy Hunt has previously advocated for the release of Matthew Hedges and other Brits facing injustice abroad. With Andy being a former serviceman to the United Kingdom, Hunt has even more reason to show his support.

The British government signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Arab Emirates intended to help the UAE’s media effectiveness in the UK. Radha Stirling commented “It is quite troubling that the UK would enter into this agreement at the very moment that a British citizen [Matthew Hedges] was being falsely accused and imprisoned. We have a number of innocent Britons, such as Andrew Neal, currently detained in the UAE; and countless others in the past who travelled to the Emirates precisely because they have been led to believe it is a safe destination, but who subsequently found themselves arrested, intimidated, tortured, and forced to sign false confessions which result in wrongful convictions. Instead of cooperating with the UAE to do even more to promote that country, the UK owes a duty to its citizens to increase their travel warnings and educate the British public about the severe dangers of traveling to or through the Emirates.

“If the UK government is going to help the British public learn about the services provided by the UAE government, will they then include information about the falsification of evidence, the use of torture, the detention without trial, and the ability of creditors to have people thrown into jail indefinitely for bounced cheques? These are among the ‘services’ offered by the UAE government about which most British citizens need to be made aware.

“Andy’s case is one of the most blatant representations of the injustice that occurs against expats and foreigners in the UAE, and throughout the Gulf States, on a regular basis. Not only is there no evidence to suggest he is guilty of what the police have alleged, in fact, all evidence proves his innocence; yet the authorities continue to hold him. We have seen similar instances in other cases time and time again. The British government remains hesitant to act, and have actually committed to improving the image of the UAE, which inevitably means cooperating in hiding the gross abuses that the Emirates’ legal system habitually commits. The British public, therefore, need to stand with Andrew Neal and his family, along with all the other innocent foreigners victimised by the endemically unjust UAE system, and begin avoiding Dubai as a destination for tourism, work, and investment. The Emirates cannot continue to get away with these constant and unapologetic violations of human rights with impunity.”

UAE Criminal and Civil Justice Specialists. Contact us on info@detainedindubai.org or press@detainedindubai.org

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#64 Post by Smeagol » Fri Mar 08, 2019 11:27 pm

My own experience of ME countries, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and UAE, living there for a total of 7 years is that providing one has a 'reasonable' employer ie one that treats you no worse than a second class person, pays you on time and allows you some freedoms, most countries are not too bad. I will actually exclude Kuwait as I found that was a sh1thole in 1986 and probably still is, the others were generally fine PROVIDED you do not piss off someone with more money or clout than you, which usually means any Arab. Minor transgressions such as traffic offences will ALWAYS be your fault so pay up and try not to get too upset. Anything more serious will inevitably lead to some time in gaol. They are not nice, I spent only one day in a Kuwaiti gaol, that was long enough.
The usual reason for living in such counties is money and life there is like a balance or set of scales with a bucket of money on one side and a bucket of sh1t on the other. As long as the money outweighs the sh1t, all is good. As soon as the reverse is true LEAVE!

Another observation on living in such places. Do not think that the representatives of HM Government there will do much to help you if you have a problem, they usually will not. My own experience of our embassy staff is that they do not wish to know about problems but as indicated in Cape's article above only want to highlight a good relationship with the country concerned even when that country is mistreating a British national.
I lived in Kuwait just before the invasion by Iraq (I left only a couple of months before it happened) and most expats were aware that invasion was a possibility if not a probability. Most embassies had contacted all their nationals in Kuwait and had some for of plans to evacuate them or at least to provide helpful advice on how to leave quickly. British embassy had evacuation plans...........but only for their staff!

In conclusion, I think that the ME was a nicer place to live 20 -30 years ago and I would not want to be there now. Dubai was always a glossy external facade covering a festering pile of ordure and Abu Dhabi has now followed.
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#65 Post by Slasher » Sat Mar 09, 2019 2:55 am

An accurate summary of the Gulf region Smeag and yes nothing has changed really.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#66 Post by Rwy in Sight » Sat Mar 09, 2019 7:30 am

The usual reason for living in such counties is money and life there is like a balance or set of scales with a bucket of money on one side and a bucket of sh1t on the other. As long as the money outweighs the sh1t, all is good. As soon as the reverse is true LEAVE!

It seems this is the most constant appearing statement about the life in the ME.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#67 Post by Sisemen » Sat Mar 09, 2019 7:51 am

It was fine in the late 60s when the Brits called the tune B-)

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#68 Post by Capetonian » Sat Mar 09, 2019 8:49 am

Smeagol's comments are fair and accurate in so far as working in the Emirates is concerned.

What this overlooks is that, for reasons I am unable to fathom other than that it's hot and cheap, millions of people go there on holiday every year, lured by the promises in gushing email campaigns from travel companies trying to sell off the airlines' and hotels' excess capacity.

When you go somewhere to work, there is an expectation that you will perform some due diligence and find out something about the place, and that an employer will provide information about living conditions, safety, restrictions, import allowances, and so on.

Going on holiday is a different matter. The advertising mentions nothing of the seedy stinking corrupt underbelly of the place. It does not mention that certain everyday over the counter medications (codeine I think is one) are illegal and that importing even a small quantity for personal use can have severe consequences.

It does not mention that although the bars of the international hotels, and the 'clubs' are full of prostitutes and their clients drinking day and night, sex outside marriage is illegal. This is used both as a lure and as a weapon at a whim. The same applies to the consumption of alcohol in this 'Islamic' state. The interpretation of the law is subject to the convenience of the authorities.

It does not mention the fact that the place was built and run on slave labour, with the slaves living in the most awful conditions.

I am on the mailing list of a handful of travel companies and almost daily I receive a 'special offer' extolling the virtues of this shithole in the desert. It's time people started to have some conscience about going there and supporting such an evil regime, not to mention the common sense, in their own interest, to stay away.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#69 Post by Smeagol » Sat Mar 09, 2019 1:57 pm

I understand where you are coming from Cape and would respond that most people when going on holiday ONLY look what the holiday brochure tells them so Dubai fits the bill perfectly. Sea, sun and sand combined with a nice hotel and some booze is all that they care about. The fact that the country is totally corrupt, the hotel was built by what amounts to slave labour and staffed by similarly treated TCN's (Third Country Nationals as they were affectionately known) is not even remotely considered.

The counter argument would be that there are many other countries which are just as unpleasant when the surface veneer is scratched.
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#70 Post by Woody » Mon Apr 08, 2019 11:13 am

Looks like quite a few people from here had better avoid

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-47847740
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#71 Post by Smeagol » Mon Apr 08, 2019 9:49 pm

Think the UAE is off MY holiday list!

Even if my passport does not say Mr Smeagol.
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#72 Post by Capetonian » Sun Apr 28, 2019 11:23 am

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... onths.html

As an aside, I have started writing to travel companies who send me their publicity extolling the virtues of this shithole and its airline, telling them in fairly measured but straightforward terms why it's on my shitlist and why I would not go there or use its airline. I also tell them that should they continue sending me stuff about DXB, I'll boycott them (irrelevant actually as I never book through agents anyway but they don't have to know that.)

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#73 Post by Woody » Tue Jul 02, 2019 9:08 pm

Their Royal Family is even more dysfunctional than ours!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-48843168
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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#74 Post by Undried Plum » Tue Jul 02, 2019 10:01 pm

Image

He should sack his tailor and keep that wife.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#75 Post by Sisemen » Wed Jul 03, 2019 1:14 am

I thought that the RSPCA prosecuted people who dressed up monkeys?

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#76 Post by Capetonian » Sun Aug 25, 2019 8:43 am

“Homosexuality is illegal in the UAE, with punishments from serious jail terms all the way to a death sentence. Any expression of an LGBT identity, or of being in any sort of LGBT relationship is strictly forbidden in the Emirates. In recent years we have seen an Australian man report an assault to Dubai police, only to find himself charged with homosexuality, and sentenced to over a year imprisonment. Others have been arrested for “appearing” feminine in their clothing.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#77 Post by Slasher » Mon Aug 26, 2019 1:32 am

Yeh I have to admit Cape one of the good things about the ME is that poofters stay well and truly in the woodwork where they belong, although as I understood the law the death penalty was imposed only on arse bandits who raped blokes or kids. During my tenure I never heard of poofs being beheaded for just being poofs in either Sandy Arabia or the UAE. In the KSA, locals or expats are ordered to fcuk off out of the country in 48h or face 8 years. In UAE local and expat homos are given 24h to leave or face 5 years. Locals cop 10.

Dressing up like a girly in public in most cases gets you a strong warning if it's merely frivolous and you apologise profusely. Try the same stunt again and it's a year or two behind bars. Period. Dunno what the penalty is in the KSA - locals I believe cop a stint in Plum's old digs for a year.

Can't say the penalties above are 100% accurate as I didn't give a crap about the disposition of poofs and girlyboys foreign or local. None of my colleagues did neither.

The younger ragheads are all for booting these buggers (pun not intended) out of the country rather than have their lives taken by the State, except of course for those who commit those criminal offences mentioned above.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#78 Post by Capetonian » Mon Aug 26, 2019 5:41 am

That's not the point, slash, I am quite relaxed about homosexuality. I regard it in the same way as I regard vegetarianism, some people choose to practise it, but it's not for me and I don't wish to have it forced upon me.

The problem I have with Dubai in particular is that rules are inconsistently and vindictively applied by a regime which knows that sex tourism, use of alcohol, and prostitution are openly espoused and encouraged by both state and airline (EK), all being 'illegal' under Islamic law. As I have said, I have nothing against any of those practices carried out by consenting adults, I have a problem with the utter hypocrisy of the authorities.

Given a choice of a 'holiday' in Dubai or Saudi Arabia, I would prefer the latter. And yes, I have been to both.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#79 Post by Rwy in Sight » Mon Aug 26, 2019 6:55 am

I might be an extremist even for this site tolerance but I fail to see the point: once you travel eastwards beyond Tel Aviv (not going to get any kudos with Cape for that) it is important to make some research on your destination. Check if you can drink, have the fun you like and so on. If a poof gets in trouble for showing he is one in a country it does not tolerate it he only have himself to blame.

And I do agree with Cape about SA as holiday destination although I have yet to go to Dubai.

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Re: Why Dubai is so vile, despicable, and reprehensible

#80 Post by Slasher » Mon Aug 26, 2019 10:18 am

Correct RiS. One has to do their homework. For example in Thailand if you pat someone on the head or defile the King's image you're in deep sh!t (as a lot of ignorant farang have discovered to their chagrin). Saying sorry or pleading ignorant doesn't cut it.

Similarly one has to really brush up on the dos and donts with the ragheads of each country, be it a Kingdom or emirate. I survived just fine by obeying their not-too-imposing rules and using some commonsense along with it.

Cape may tolerate poofters but I found it great that these sickos weren't in my face at all. Ever.

Vegetarians don't shag the arse end of vegetables AFAIK.

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