neurotic Iraqi wife
October 30, 2008
The Fading Pearl of the Emirates...
I was gonna write about Iraq, but I changed my mind after today’s car accident. Yes I was in one, and no, no one was injured. But I need the world to know how contradictory this place is. Advertising freedom and democracy to the whole world. Advertising equality and humanity. Its all Bull. I have many Emarati friends, and I hope they don’t get offended but the truth has to be told because this is getting way out of hand.
I will start with today’s incident. My sister was dropping me off since I refuse taking my car out of the parking space. A four wheel drive car was behind us, RIGHT behind us. I mean stuck to my sister’s car. The whole way she was driving, they didnt keep a distance, and started flashing the headlights, and mind you she wasn’t even on the fast lane. She took a turn, right next to my place, the guy kept flashing her with the headlights. She cant move forward cuz there are cars infront. People usually flash the lights for intimidation, and easily enough, my sister lost her cool and was intimidated. As she was waiting for the car infront of her to move, the 4 wheeler drive passed on her side, skidded, dented her car on the side and moved away! I couldn’t believe it. SHE couldn’t believe it!
I ran out of the car chasing after it, if they think they can get away with it then theyre wrong. I scream at the top of my lungs for him to stop. I called the 999 police number and reported the accident. I approached the car, knocked on the window, not knowing what or who to expect. A young local, in his 20’s, pulls down the window. Looks at me with disgust. I said, why did you do that? Why did you harass us all the way, and then hit the car? He got out of his car, pointed his finger at me and started saying profanities. Every curse word he knows I guess.
Just because he is a local does NOT give him the right! He continued by saying things like, I will smash your face with a rope, I will smash your face to pulp, etc. I stood there shocked. Then I went off “Who the hell you think you are? Just because you are Emarati doesn’t give you the right to treat people like animals. Do you know who you are talking to?” I don’t even know why I said the last statement, but I was angry.
Police arrived, meanwhile I called my bro, cuz sometimes they take advantage if they see women alone. And ofcourse the whole neighbourhood was standing out watching. Atleast we have witnesses. But that wasn’t needed, as it was obvious it was his fault. I could see the police were sniggering with the guys at us. Aaaaaaah how much I wanted to scream, scream and punch their faces! Thank God his insurance will pay for the damages he incurred on my poor sister’s new car. Its her first one, and she always took care of it. It’s the only thing she owns, and worked hard to get.
The Emirates, the land of the free. Yeah right. No one is free unless you are an Emarati. I have seen incidents were Indians were mal treated. Pushed at, insulted, slapped, just because he is an Indian. Spoken down to, just because he is an Indian. There are no human rights here. No one has rights unless you are an Emarati. Im sorry, I do apologize for all the friends that I have, but you have to wake up. Wake up and educate your people. Other people’s lives are not worthless. Be it an Indian, an Iraqi, a Brit, etc.
We are all humans and you have to respect us. You cant just go on like that. Even if this is your land, it’s the Indians, the Pakistanis, the Filipinos, the Palestinians, the Iraqis, the Lebanese, the Brits, the Americans, etc who made it what it is today. Yes your money, but their effort. Even animals have more rights than us here.
No this cant go on. I don’t care anymore. Im fed up. This was considered my home away from home. I grew up here, I went to school here. But now, now I don’t know if I wanna call this home anymore. I dunno if it fits to be my home.
Just 2 days ago I witnessed 2 men fighting for a parking space. One got out and strangled the other. One was Arab and the other a Pakistani. He literally strangled him and punched him! People gathered and tried breaking them out. I saw it from my window and I started screaming. I should have taken a video, but was too worried about the victim. No, this definitely isn’t the place it says it is. Yes it may be paradise relative to other places, but how can you live if you have no rights. How can you survive, if you know, that one day, any day, you can get in trouble with the law because you pissed off a local.
No I will not keep my mouth shut. Not anymore. I know that none of the media here will not talk about anything that happens in this place. I know that the media keeps everything hushhush, because they don’t have the guts, but no I will not be silent. I cant be silent. Im disappointed. Disappointed in the country I grew to love. I grew to admire. I used to use the Emirates as the dream that I want Iraq to be one day. That’s how much I loved it. Its with Sheikh Zayed’s (May he rest in peace) vision and ambition that this place became the pearl of the gulf. I loved that man. I mourned him for weeks upon weeks. And it is unfortunate that his Pearl, my pearl is fading. The Fading Pearl of the Emirates...
I will start with today’s incident. My sister was dropping me off since I refuse taking my car out of the parking space. A four wheel drive car was behind us, RIGHT behind us. I mean stuck to my sister’s car. The whole way she was driving, they didnt keep a distance, and started flashing the headlights, and mind you she wasn’t even on the fast lane. She took a turn, right next to my place, the guy kept flashing her with the headlights. She cant move forward cuz there are cars infront. People usually flash the lights for intimidation, and easily enough, my sister lost her cool and was intimidated. As she was waiting for the car infront of her to move, the 4 wheeler drive passed on her side, skidded, dented her car on the side and moved away! I couldn’t believe it. SHE couldn’t believe it!
I ran out of the car chasing after it, if they think they can get away with it then theyre wrong. I scream at the top of my lungs for him to stop. I called the 999 police number and reported the accident. I approached the car, knocked on the window, not knowing what or who to expect. A young local, in his 20’s, pulls down the window. Looks at me with disgust. I said, why did you do that? Why did you harass us all the way, and then hit the car? He got out of his car, pointed his finger at me and started saying profanities. Every curse word he knows I guess.
Just because he is a local does NOT give him the right! He continued by saying things like, I will smash your face with a rope, I will smash your face to pulp, etc. I stood there shocked. Then I went off “Who the hell you think you are? Just because you are Emarati doesn’t give you the right to treat people like animals. Do you know who you are talking to?” I don’t even know why I said the last statement, but I was angry.
Police arrived, meanwhile I called my bro, cuz sometimes they take advantage if they see women alone. And ofcourse the whole neighbourhood was standing out watching. Atleast we have witnesses. But that wasn’t needed, as it was obvious it was his fault. I could see the police were sniggering with the guys at us. Aaaaaaah how much I wanted to scream, scream and punch their faces! Thank God his insurance will pay for the damages he incurred on my poor sister’s new car. Its her first one, and she always took care of it. It’s the only thing she owns, and worked hard to get.
The Emirates, the land of the free. Yeah right. No one is free unless you are an Emarati. I have seen incidents were Indians were mal treated. Pushed at, insulted, slapped, just because he is an Indian. Spoken down to, just because he is an Indian. There are no human rights here. No one has rights unless you are an Emarati. Im sorry, I do apologize for all the friends that I have, but you have to wake up. Wake up and educate your people. Other people’s lives are not worthless. Be it an Indian, an Iraqi, a Brit, etc.
We are all humans and you have to respect us. You cant just go on like that. Even if this is your land, it’s the Indians, the Pakistanis, the Filipinos, the Palestinians, the Iraqis, the Lebanese, the Brits, the Americans, etc who made it what it is today. Yes your money, but their effort. Even animals have more rights than us here.
No this cant go on. I don’t care anymore. Im fed up. This was considered my home away from home. I grew up here, I went to school here. But now, now I don’t know if I wanna call this home anymore. I dunno if it fits to be my home.
Just 2 days ago I witnessed 2 men fighting for a parking space. One got out and strangled the other. One was Arab and the other a Pakistani. He literally strangled him and punched him! People gathered and tried breaking them out. I saw it from my window and I started screaming. I should have taken a video, but was too worried about the victim. No, this definitely isn’t the place it says it is. Yes it may be paradise relative to other places, but how can you live if you have no rights. How can you survive, if you know, that one day, any day, you can get in trouble with the law because you pissed off a local.
No I will not keep my mouth shut. Not anymore. I know that none of the media here will not talk about anything that happens in this place. I know that the media keeps everything hushhush, because they don’t have the guts, but no I will not be silent. I cant be silent. Im disappointed. Disappointed in the country I grew to love. I grew to admire. I used to use the Emirates as the dream that I want Iraq to be one day. That’s how much I loved it. Its with Sheikh Zayed’s (May he rest in peace) vision and ambition that this place became the pearl of the gulf. I loved that man. I mourned him for weeks upon weeks. And it is unfortunate that his Pearl, my pearl is fading. The Fading Pearl of the Emirates...
14 Comments:
You have so Much Right!
Welcome to planet Earth Neurotic. It doesn't matter what Country you live in, there will always be those who say ''bend down that we may go over you''. There is a defender of the poor, who doesn't sleep. I am thinking that your travels, and places you have lived are having an effect on you. The Emirates has gotten a reputation in the West of a place not to visit, a little phyco on the ideology. It seems you think like a Westerner, not the phyco right-wing ones, but the educated liberal ones. You know in the West, that young man would of been hauled away for assault.
Let's see. A man crashed a car and his insurance is paying for the damage. Two man fighting for a parking space. What is the big deal? Why newspaper should report such things? I think you are nuts.
The Pearl? I got in a fight with her one time when I thought she was a boy. She was dressed up as a Webelos Scout. I was gonna make fatty a tough kid. She was White and Round in a Blue Boy Scouts uniform. I punched her and she instantly turned into a great big mature girl! I started crying. A memory system completely devoted to tears. She never talked about her cross dressing. She wanted me to understand habits.
The lousy driving in Arab countries is not unknown (why women in the KSA want to drive is beyond me). We sure have our share of road rage here in the U.S. I used to enjoy driving or riding around the city here, but in the past several years I just come home gritting my teeth. You ought to see some of the idiots that drive around the college campus where I work :-O Solo
Keeping Nascar on the track keeps the devil out of school.
Hello All,
well neurotica u r 200% right. i had also seen the LOCAL ARAB PRIDE( i would call that ignorance .......... NO OFFENCES BUT TRUTH IS TRUTH).
The EMIRATI PRIDE can be seen everywhere in the hotels,roads,parking areas, shopping malls etc etc etc. PRIDE can be accepted bcz its ur land so be proud but ignorance, well it cant be tolerated. They should know that is we people who r making their business running ......... i mean the people from outside the EMIRATES isteslf be it Asians or british etc.
EVEN if u would talk to the customer service people in the hotels,shopping malls and the airports they would talk to u as if u have done something wrong to them and now they dont want to talk to u. THEY SIMPLY IGNORE THE PEOPLE WHO NEED THEIR HELP(even though they are paid for the CUSTOMER SERVICE JOB ...... so strange).
I saw an incident when two Emarati men did not sit on their own seats in the aeroplane and sat with an other British. Their chit chat disturbed the British so he told them to be a bit quiet and then what i witnessed was horrible the Finger pointings and the stupid arguments by the Emirati men. They were in their National airline so the PRIDE doubled. And after that incident i saw the Air hostess excusing on behalf of the Emiratis to the British.
take care neurotica and be safe on the roads.
Sea Life, do u see it happening as well???
Anon, not sure there is anything to be done actually. No matter how much we expose it, nothing will happen. Im still appalled. I know this happens everywhere, but not to this extent.
Anon, I doubt you understood my point. Read my post again. I dont want newspapers to write about accidents etc, I want newspapers to expose the realities that people suffer here, ok?
Solo, driving here needs another whole post. Point is, we are all humans and we shouldnt be talked down to because we are NOT emaratis!
Neurotic Soul, so u agree with me. I actually have seen worse, the guy did give me the finger mind you. And his profanities angered me to the point where I was so ready to throw my phone at him. Whats funny, the police didnt even bother. In Britian, or anywhere advanced he would have ended in jail, just to teach him a few lessons, and maybe he will refrain from being spoilt.
HELLO NEAUROTICA LUV, THIS IS TO BE REGRETTED HAVING SUCH RUDE BEHAVING YOUTH BUT MIND YOU THERE ARE EMIRAAATIS &EMIRRATTTIS MANY OF WHOM ARE INFACT HALF AXIS OFEVILIRANIEN ORGIN AS YOU KNOW MANY ARE INTERMARRIED HERE FROM ACCROSS THE GULF &THEY HAVE THEIR LOYALTIES THERE MUCH LIKE IRAQ SADLY SO !!!!BUT STILL IT IS DISPICABLE HAVING TO PUT WITH THAT KIND OF AN INCIDENT.CHEERS LUV.WWW.BFBS.COM OLAFF:)
Hi Neurotica,
I have been a long time reader of your blog, and this is my first comment here.
Your post really struck a chord with me. I too have witnessed this arrogant pride and righteous attitude that the Emiratis possess, to the point where it is sickening.
While on transit in Abu Dhabi Airport, the locals would just push to the front of the line for the coffee shop and expect everyone to stop what they are doing to serve them.
Unfortunately, the colour of your skin and your passport determines the level of respect that you receive there. The locals seem to think that they are the grain of the earth and their mistreatment of Foreign Labourers is humiliating.
They are so proud of their nation, which, yes is built with their revenue, but with the sweat and hardwork of foreign labour, who I might add suffer appalling work conditions and are paid pittance.
Seems that wealth has gone to their head. A millionaire in the UK cleans his own car on a Sunday morning, whereas Emiratis look for someone to hand them a glass of water from just a couple of meters away.
Indeed all that glitters is not gold, and the bubble will burst soon.
I have lived in the UK and US, where one would expect prejudice, but no, infact the real prejudice and insults come from the UAE nationals themselves!
I'm currently doing a brief stint in the Philippines, which has a large workforce in the UAE and surrounding Gulf countries. I always tell them that I am Iraqi, so that they can see not all Arabs are the same as they hear from their family members who work abroad. We have to try and fight of these misconceptions- look how arrogant the Emiratis are now, imagine how arrogant and backwards they were 1400 years ago when our beloved Prophet (pbuh) delivered the message to them!
Saying that, yes there are genuinely lovely Emirati people, but unfortunately they are represented by the masses, the wrong masses that is!
Anyways Neurotica, keep up with the blogging and I am waiting for your book!
Olaff, no matter what their origins are, THEY SHOULD STOP their attitudes, its not acceptable
Yellow Flower, a book? Lol. I guess you will be waiting for a long time. I have no motivation what so ever! Wish I do.
As for this issue, I totally agree with you, I think money did go up there, where supposedly their brains are! But I also believe it all comes down to education and upbringing. The few local friends that I have are definitely not like this, infact theyre so humble and down to earth! But Im gonna make it a point of mine to bring this issue high up. How? I dunno, but I will keep writing about it, until someone somewhere does something. Doubt it, but you never know. I lost hope in newspapers. Theyre useless!
Neurotica,
You hit the nail on the head! Yes, you're right, education and upbringing play a major role in how humans interact with each other.
Sometimes one can't do much about the upbringing (you can't choose your family) but one can always learn to open the mind and soak in knowledge. The better educated people are, the more likely they will respect people for who they are, regardless of background.
You're right, stuff like this needs to be highlighted. And it is, some of my friends who holidayed/reside in UAE,and expats have increasingly noted the rude demeanour in which locals treat the foreign workforce etc.
I guess like you said, it all comes down to education and upbringing!
Hi there Neurotica, I apologize on behalf of the disgusting behaviour of my countrymen.
Rest assured, I will try my best to educate my people. I can not let this go on.
-Dana
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