In a tiny country on the Arabian Gulf, 2006 could go down in history as pivotal in the struggle for recognition among a largely South Asian migrant labour force. Earlier this year, a short while after the Ports fiasco threw a spotlight on all things Dubai, 2,500 Asian construction workers rioted in Dubai at the site of what will be one of tallest skyscrapers on the planet. This was only the tip. Kicking off the aftermath Human Rights Watch released a condemning report on worker abuse in the U.A. of E:
One of the world’s largest construction booms is feeding off workers in Dubai, but they’re treated as less than human,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch. “It’s no surprise that some workers have started rioting in protest. What’s surprising is that the government of the UAE is doing nothing to solve the problem.”
Migrant workers comprise nearly 90 percent of the workforce in the private sector in the UAE. They are denied basic rights such as freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. [Link]
In addition, they urged countries to involve improvement of labour practices when negotiating free trade agreements with the U.A.E. This type of international media coverage has put a considerable amount of pressure on government to amend existing labour laws. Though the U.A.E. Minister of Labour, Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka’abi, denied all claims present in the Human Rights Watch report it took him a heartbeat’s worth of time since to announce that worker unions could be legal by end of year.I respect Al Ka’abi for championing new ideas, which are taken for granted elsewhere in the world, I understand he has to keep up appearances in a political environment that is becoming increasingly hostile towards opinion in the West. The whole ports deal left many feeling a little jipped, no doubt. However, the U.A.E. government has never been a sharp tool when it comes to effort that doesn’t result in monetary profit. In my opinion, Al Ka’abi needs to do a whole lot better, quite a bit faster.
In 2004, the Labour Ministry introduced a law requiring companies to pay a bank guarantee of Dhs. 3000 for each new hire and a special discount price for all existing employees. This guarantee was meant to cover workers’ salaries in case of nonpayment by employer. As a bonus side effect, construction companies were provided with another reason (in addition to paying for visa costs) to keep salaries low and work hours numerous. Imagine that! Wouldn’t have thunk it in a million years…
If private companies are hard to control with poorly outlined measures then private staffing companies are an even bigger problem, both in the U.A.E. and abroad. These firms recruit cheap labour from South Asia, promising them steady salaries, then confiscate their passports on arrival while wrangling out repayment of visa and flight costs. The latest measure put forth by the Ministry involves shutting down such agencies and creating government-owned “cities” where the labour force would reside. Al Ka’abi has also been mentioning the creation of a singular staffing agency, overseen by the government, to process all labour recruitment and be held responsible for paying salaries. This move would affect a large majority of labourers whose lives have been crippled by having to repay illegal loans to scammy recruitment agencies.
Meanwhile, this past Friday marked the end of a five-day strike by 1,500 workers demanding a Dhs. 1000 minimum monthly wage. That’s about $272 U.S. A month. For minimum eight hour work days, six to seven days a week. The workers’ demands were rejected because a raise “goes against their legal contracts with the company, which have always paid them on time.”
Meanwhile, a 29-year old U.P. native, Iqbal Alam, hung himself in a labour camp because he was not allowed to return home.
Meanwhile, 31-year-old Birbal Singh was crushed to death after being run over by a construction vehicle while working on a beautification project in one of Dubai’s most wealthy neighbourhoods.
There is a definite disconnect on the lines of urgency between labour demands and government proposals. Any movement towards improving workers lives seems to be borne of external pressure, whether in the form of international opinion or labour protest. Significant action is required on the government’s part as workers begin to realize and act on their own market value, these folks who have given their lives to build other people’s dreams should not have to settle for any less. What the U.A.E. needs to understand is that they probably won’t:
According to 36-year-old Kamal (not his real name), who spearheaded the Burj Dubai protest, more needs to be done. “These protests received attention in the press and were forgotten about, we need to do more. I was involved in a sit-down protest on the motorway last month, but the police came along with sticks and beat us on the backs and head. Many of my friends were hospitalised and deported. The riot got a lot of attention, but things haven’t improved for us. We already know what we have to do next, we take our protests into the malls and to the beaches. Our situation needs international attention and only by unsettling tourists can we achieve this. They need to see how desperate we really are” [Link]
for shame! this is part of the post-colonial mindset, the colonized arab mind is poisoned by emulation of white european male pattern of domination and subjegation and turns upon the brown!
razib’s will probably start doing a tobateksingh around now, “uperdeygurgur…”
anyway… sad though the above situation is, i thought some of you might want to read about this.
hey L., i wasnt quite sure what you mean by this … how does the new law work to the construction firms’ advantage?
Sounds like gulags to me.
razib wrote:
Yes, but you’d think they would have one or two Wilberforce type people in their midst. They’re a bunch of automatons – everything’s acceptable unless the white man says no.
naw man, this is what happens with a sudden rush of blood to the hedwig.
I have always wanted to make a documentary on the lives of domestic workers who work in the Middle East, especially in the Gulf states. It would of course need me to develop big kahoonas. I also completely agree that the governments of these “host” countries simply pay lip service to labour/human rights but shouldn’t the governments of India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Philippines etc. etc. also start kicking some butt??
Damn it… its 3:00am and I wish I never watched The Exorcism of Emily Rose.
whats the deal with the arab companies holding the passports of their foreign employees and stuff? can someone elaborate on that for me, isnt that in itself a denial of some kind of right? Its really disturbing to think that behind all those massive shopping malls and gaudy hotels lies the blatant exploitation of South Asian workers. From what i hear there is also a bustling stream of sex workers being imported from South Asia to the Arab states, even more exploitation!
I think the discrimination doesnt extend to just the way the arabs may treat the desis, if you look closely there is alot of inter-Indian racism, alot of the north Indian families discriminate over the poorer Malabaaris, Malyalees and Tamils.. my 2 cents good post neha my lovely
-nv-
I think the discrimination doesnt extend to just the way the arabs may treat the desis, if you look closely there is alot of inter-Indian racism, alot of the north Indian families discriminate over the poorer Malabaaris, Malyalees and Tamils
the 11th commandment:
brown duz not speak ill of brown
anyway, those arabs need to liberate their mind from colonialism!
does that mean i need to overlook all the social ills within my own country? finally i can get a t-shirt with “im pro slum demolition” emblazoned all over it…
-nv-
does that mean i need to overlook all the social ills within my own country? finally i can get a t-shirt with “im pro slum demolition” emblazoned all over it…
look, wutz the point of airing dirty laundry in public? let’s keep an eye on the big picture: screw whitey!
Razib,
Very true, my funky brown brother. That entire region of the world was a beacon of egalitarianism and human rights until the pesky Europeans came along and imposed their strange tyrannical ideas on them. Same applies to India before the British Empire too.
wink
{Jai struggles to stop himself from blurting out “Hail Mogambo”}
Hi people, I wouldn’t dismiss this as an Arab vs South Asian problem, as many of the companies that employ these people are very prominent Multinationals with Head Offices in USA and Europe. They deal with their employees here in a manner that would see them being sued to smithereens, should they dare to do so in Eurpoe or the USA. They even have an official term for this cheap labour: Third Country National – neatly printed in bold letters on your salary-slip every month!
Conk them malabaris. conk conk conk. ow ow ow. kick at them malyalees. kick kick kick. boing boing boing. stick it to them tamils. stick stick stick. ooe ooe ooe.
i feel bettter now.
I was astounded when I heard about the protest at the Burj. 18 years in the UAE and the only public demonstration I ever saw was after the Ayodhya incident (a demonstration that was only tolerated because of the religious dimension). I speak to friends in the UAE every week and they say that diffused riots have continued since that time – unreported in the media but very visible to people on the ground there. A good number of these workers are from Kerala and know a thing or two about unionization. I hope that if/when it does come to bargaining time, they kick ass!
Most middle class and professional Indians in the UAE that I know support these actions completely! In fact I wonder if it will inspire into action those professionals who have been putting up with unfair rules/practices for decades – c/o the law introduced recently that teachers in the UAE had to retire by the age of 40 (most teachers are of South Asian origin). Similar rules existed on the domestic front – the craziest thing that I ever heard was from my cousins in Abu Dhabi that in those days, there was actually a rule that only Europeans and Arabs could drive SUVs!!!
Neha, kudos for pointing out the fact that this particular issue is a little more complicated than racial prejudice. While that prejudice is real and is responsible for much of the socio-economic and political inequality in the country, in this situation, many of the recruitment agencies and construction companies/labour camps are owned and run by South Asians themselves. I do personally know some who have worked hard to improve conditions and create a better environment and security, but the sad reality is that in many places South Asians themselves have too easily been willing to profit from the exploitation of these workers.
Mangolassi – let’s do that documentary babe!
Razib, I completely agree with you about post-colonial mindset in the sandlands but I also think the same pattern of exploitation extends itself to the workers’ homelands. The UAE may be able to shut down agencies that bring workers over and keep them in debt but what of the same types of companies that exist in India or Pakistan or Bangladesh?
Dubai with its money and absolute power over industry is in a position to effect massive change over labour conditions and practices. It can choose to lead other Arab countries in this respect by setting an example. It can open channels of communication regarding these issues to countries in the Sub Continent and in South East Asia. I think that eventually they will do this and more if they want to keep the facade of paradise shiny & clean, I only wish they would find some shred of internal motivation and hurry the f*ck up.
D, companies import thousands of labourers and this law was a disadvantage. They began to have less interest in keeping work hours regular and paying for overtime because of how much they shelled out to bring the workers into the country in the first place. The 2,500 workers that went on strike at the Burj costed Naboodah-Laing over 2 million Canadian to bring into the country, not including visa costs or airfare or cost of renting lodging land. Their site at the airport which held a walk off the day after the riots involved 10, 000 workers. This money goes into govt. coffers. The companies see no direct postive results from this spending, they take it as a tax for services not yet rendered and try to pass it off on workers.
You know what I would like to see… a “Desi Work Stoppage Day in the M.E.” I would laugh hysterically and do a Mithun dance.
My dad once told me about a case in Kuwait back in the day when many Kuwaiti families would employ khanzamas (usually Pakistani women who would primarily cook nice nice biryanis). One family refused to let a khanzama return home to her sick son. So she killed her employer’s son. Morale of the story: Don’t mess with the Pathan woman. Is this maybe why the Kuwaitis started getting nice, obedient, well-tempered Southies and Sri Lankans to work in their homes?
Badmash: How should we approach the documentary… I am too well-fed to go undercover as a domestic worker. Well-fed and lazy. mmmm
Hmmmm, I’m thinking that I should do the undercover thing (since I can speak Mallu and eat rice with my hands) and you should be behind the camera 🙂
Seriously though, I will be visiting Dubai in the near future and I really want to learn more about what’s going on. Let’s see…
NV wrote: whats the deal with the arab companies holding the passports of their foreign employees and stuff?
We’ve had this discussion in SM before. It’s an employer practice, not just an arab practice. See here.
Mango Lassi BABE 😉 – I too would do a little jig with you if desis removed themselves from work for a day. Trouble is, as Badmaash pointed out, the troops are divided by money lines. The middle class don’t mix with the labourers and vice versa. Plus, most private companies are owned an operated by desis and have a vested interest in encouraging against protest. What a messed up situation. That is why we need you and Badmaash to get on that documentary! The peoples need a unifying voice!
Badmaash – If you’re interested in visiting the Burj or other Jumeirah sites then perhaps I could talk to my dad, he may be able to get some access for you. By access I mean smuggle you in somehow on a routine visit 🙂
i see… the twist ‘twixt the tax and the tithe.
does the bank not return the ‘guarantee’ post expiration of the work-term. i suspect not, but would be interested in your pov.
Neha – for real!!!? Yes! I’ll email you once I get there. Btw, do you remember that Ayodhya riot back in ’92? It was right in front of IHS!
Neha – “The middle class don’t mix with the labourers and vice versa.”
I totally agree that the desi society in ME is super-stratified but I love to hear about new initiatives taken by lovely desi log. In Kuwait a movement called the Swadhyay Parivar (http://www.swadhyay.org/main.htm) has been pretty active in the last 4-5 years or so. Desi families from the middle class cook food and go to the labour camps and spend time with the workers and try to help them by listening to their problems and providing advice and other services. Our neighbours in Kuwait are fairly active in this group and finally got my cynical bourgeoise parents to join. The labourers can also offer services for donations which they then distribute to various charities. Sounds pretty cool eh?
Mangolassi – looks like they do some good work! Neha was there anything similar in Dubai? The only thing I ever head of was a group of Indian women who used to supply cold water and light protective clothing to the newspaper salesmen – dozens of them stationed at traffic lights around the city during morning/afternoon rush hour (35-45 degrees Celcius), all year round!
Mango, while I am so very impressed by the Kuwaiti Swadhyay branch for providing such services to the workers I am by nature wary of all things Swadhyay. In no way am I trying to subdue the great work being done in Kuwait, I am only explaining my personal opinion of the Swadhyay core. Please take this as an aside, a “just be careful” from a highly paranoid human being.
The Swadhyay organization is in serious crisis in India where it is centered in Gujurat and Maharashtra. My grandparents were really into it at one point and used to take me to meetings when I was a child. My parents freaked out about this because they had some very different views on the org and the massive trusts they had built up in India by recieving a percentage of every member’s material worth. My personal experience with the Dubai branch was great, albeit a little exclusionary (not too many non-gujus about). However, a few of my family members in Ahmedabad have had their generous donations burned by Swadhyay politics. Hence my conditioned skepticism of associating Swadhyay donations with charity.
Rumors of extortion, exaggerated claims, undeclared income, and god complexes surrounded Pandurang Shashtri’s death, his adopted daughter tried to claim all donations of cash and land as her own as she was appointed Swadhyay leader but I think this caused a huge divide among the Swadhyay kendras in India.
Anyway, I tried to look up the Dubai Swadhyay’s activities but got nothing. Nor could I find anything regarding programs to help workers. I bet they exist but people are probably just too scared to be open and online about it. Also, UK-based group Mafiwasta is also out there petitioning for the UAE to allow collective bargaining and free association for workers.
Badmash, I was in Calgary in ’92 so I missed them riots!
Man… first the Art of Living and now Swadhyay… how many organisations do I have to protect my parents from?! 😉
Oooo, Mango, what is this Art of Living you speak of?
neha, the root of all this oppression is the whie male patriarchy. i’m just saying we should focus on the big white picture.
Neha – If I didn’t know you to be one of the most informed people I have ever known I would have demanded to know which rock you have been hiding under. The Art of Living (http://www.artofliving.org/) was founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (to be noted please… one Sri was just not enough) and has become one of the latest “movements.” Mostly caters to the rich and famous of India and teaches various breathing excercises and meditation methods so that people can get their chillax on.
Personally I get more of a kick out of Baba Ramdev who refers to Coke/Pepsi as toilet saf karne wala pani. There you go. I have just opened the Pandora’s box to hindu spirituality/charities/cultism/dhakosla. It would be interesting to see a piece on all the Babas and Gurus that are around.
PS: Please do not take me to be flippant about hindu spirituality… I tend to mock things I am ignorant about.
I am so sheltered! Damn, Mango Mango, Sri Sri is up for the Nobel Peace prize this year!
Oh sheet, that is so funny. He’s the dude with the pharmacy that supposedly makes ayurvedic meds out of animal products and never pays his employees. Baba Baba much be stupid rich to be able to wash his toilets with pop.
lingus lingus… that’s mean! In my last visit to India I saw his TV show. The man is definitely charismatic, extremely well-read, and very telegenic. He leads yoga sessions every morning and they need stadiums to manage the crowds that show up. dont know about his pharmacy – but everything i heard him say made sense – heck anyone who hears him would admit he is talking sense – i also saw a show called people’s court or something like that and he was asked to defend himself against the charges on tv – and he made a very good argument – i am as leery of indian godmen – but this guy is talking sense in respect to the environment, personal health, lifestyle management – and in a language that is very very accessible – so – even if the charges around his pharmacy are true – i would still say the value he is bringing to india (yes… he has universal appeal from chennai to delhi) is immeasurable
On a personal note, I find it galling that there are athletes and celebrities who hawk smokes and pop and chips … and it was refreshing to see this one person stating the obvious and in such passionate terms. Anyhow,… just wantedto put it out there.
Neha, Nice job!!
Some of the links are broken.
Here is an another great link about the discrimination in Middle East. http://mezba.blogspot.com/2006/04/why-do-you-want-to-return.html
Thanks, Neena, fixed! Thanks for the link too
Dhaavak “The man is definitely charismatic, extremely well-read, and very telegenic”
I kinda agree but when he sucks in his phepde (dear gawd.. sometimes I amaze myself at my knowledge of hindi) it is unnatural. And his two sidekicks give me the creeps. Also, maybe my dislike stems from my dad insisting everyday on the phone that I do bhastrika and prandayam. boo.