Job Discussion Forums

manonatrain · Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 88

Not to scare newbies, but I would like to put public presure on the Ministry
of Education in the Sultanate of Oman to overall their Higher Education System. Cool

It is being run into the ground, and the Sultans dream for a great country
is going to fall apart rather quickly unless they begin to stop allowing
BULLIES and CRIMINALS to run the Universities.

AS FOLLOWS

UA 196/02 Fear for safety/Fear of Torture 27 June 2002
or ill-treatment

OMANDr Faiza Alani (f), Australian national

Australian national, Dr Faiza Alani has been held at the Seeb police station in
the capital Muscat since 26 June. She is reportedly being denied food, water
and toilet facilities. She has not been charged and has been denied access to
lawyers. Her passport was confiscated by the police in July 2001 and she has
previously been held in incommunicado detention and ill-treated.

Dr Faiza Alani is reportedly currently suing an Omani national, who claimed to
be a representative of the Ministry of Education in the United Arab Emirates
(UAE). She had responded to an advertisement in a local Australian newspaper
requesting academics to teach at a new university in the UAE at the end of
1999. She was interviewed and hired in Australia, but was reportedly told
shortly before she was due to fly out, that the university building was not
completed. She would have to teach in Oman for a short period until it was
ready.

She agreed to teach at a college in the town of Rustaq, north of Muscat, but
later found out that she had been deceived. The Omani national reportedly
received a commission from the Omani Ministry of Higher Education for every
foreign teacher he brought to the country and there was never a job for Dr
Alani in the UAE. He also occasionally withheld the allowances she was
entitled to. Following failed complaints to the Omani Ministry of Education, Dr
Alani decided to sue the man who had hired her in Australia.

Following this, the police in Rustaq began to pressurize her into dropping the
case. In July 2001, she was stopped and had her belongings, including her
passport and handbag, confiscated. She was said to have been taken to an
unknown location and kept there for several hours during which she was attacked
before being released. She was unable to return to Australia as her passport
was confiscated and found herself without a job as she was fired from the
college, without being told why.

On 8 May 2002, Dr Alani filed a case with an administrative court against the
police. Two hearings have taken place so far. The last one was held on 24 June
and was adjourned until October. When she left the court, the police asked her
to go the Seeb police station in Muscat, where she has been held since the
morning of 26 June.

veiledsentiments · Joined: 20 Feb 2003 Posts: 17644 Location: USA

It looks as if she was held just long enough to get her deportation papers finalized. See update below---

One piece of advice that I have always given to anyone job searching is to be sure you know who is hiring you. I have always avoided any agencies or individuals that I don't know their reputation and credentials. Personally I would only accept a job with national universities or colleges that have a history that you can confirm on boards like this or directly with current and past employees. Even the ad this woman applied to sounds suspicious. Why would an Omani national be hiring people for some new university in the UAE? Actually a close reading of the details make the whole story sound strange - too many loose ends in it that make no sense. Much of it seems implausible to me. Having dealt with this country off and on for the last 15 years, I have never heard of anything like this happening before or since. But whatever the complete facts of the story, it seems that she is back home and that is good news for her.

The world has way too many crooks and charlatans -- and from what I read on this board, many of them are in this business. When you take off to a foreign land, the last thing you want to deal with are the police, jails, and courts. They are not pleasant in any part of the world. Take care ----- VS

PUBLIC AI Index: MDE 20/002/2002

2 July 2002

Further information on UA 196/02 (MDE 20/001/2002, 27 July 2002) - Fear for
Safety/Fear of Torture or ill treatment

OMANDr Faiza Alani (f), Australian National

Amnesty International has received information that Dr Faiza Alani was deported
to Sydney, Australia via Dubai on 1 July.

She is very grateful for all the support that she was given by Amnesty
International and requests that we continue with our efforts against
injustices.

No further action is requested

manonatrain · Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 88

I find it interesting that the poster named Vieled Sediments is ALWAYS
defending negative situations in ANY country in the Middle East. Can
anyone say MINISTRY OF INFORMATION or DISINFORMATION.

I bet my life that this poster is NOT a teacher and is a government employee. It is common practice in Police states to control and sway
things said about governments and countries.

It is only VIELED SEDIMENTS which is constantly on the prowl thru
the Saudi pages, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Qatar etc..to control what is SAID.

mmmmm...suspicious indeed.

In fact. Amnesty International HAD to become involved as the
government was involved in the scam. The Ministry of Education, The school in Rustaq which hired her, and the WASTA that protected the
Omani national.

The teacher was deported so that they could not pursue charges, against
their will. After being held in prison.

Type in the teachers name mentioned in the report under yahoo.com
and you will find more info.

I think it is important for TEACHERS who come to this site to recognize
that there are many states we all teach in which carefully MONITOR information being said in public about them.

I would never say these things publicly in Oman, but I feel it is important
that the MINISTRY OF EDUCATION IN OMAN be held responsible, and accountable.

Oman is awesome, but the things that go on behind all the smiling
are terrifying. The national papers here read like HAPPY HAPPY country,
no crime all is HAPPY..

BEWARE. Remember that you are not at home , and that you must
tread cautiously when teaching overseas. Oman is the best of the
Gulf, but this is an ugly mark.

johnslat

Dear manonatrain,
" find it interesting that the poster named Vieled Sediments is ALWAYS
defending negative situations in ANY country in the Middle East. Can
anyone say MINISTRY OF INFORMATION or DISINFORMATION.
I bet my life that this poster is NOT a teacher and is a government employee. It is common practice in Police states to control and sway
things said about governments and countries.

It is only VIELED SEDIMENTS which is constantly on the prowl thru
the Saudi pages, Bahrain, Oman, UAE, Qatar etc..to control what is SAID.

mmmmm...suspicious indeed. "

You are, in my opinon, WAY off-base in your insinuations about veiled sentiments. I spent over 20 years in the Middle East and I've been reading this board for years. I have NEVER seen any post from veiled sentiments that was in ANY way disinformative or misinformative. The poster in question is no longer in the Gulf - she's back home now. But she put in her time there and I, for one, highly value her opinions and thoughts. You, of course, have the right to disagree. However, I think your implication that this lady is engaged in propoganda for some governments is unfounded, insulting and over-the-line. If you're turly willing to " bet " your " life ", I'll be more than happy to take you up on that wager. PM me and we can discuss the details.
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 8:20 am Post subject:

Well said, John!

Have you noticed that whenever someone says anything at all which is not overwhelmingly negative about the Middle EAst, manonatrain comes in with the tired old line that they are recuiters or even government agents?
I know, because he said it about me, and I would in no way consider myself an apologist for the EfL buisness in this - or any other - part of the world.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

manonoatrain would be doing himself a favour if he went back to Stoke Newington or wherever he comes from. He would do all of us a favour if he stopped posting his paranoid drivel.

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

Having once spent 24 hours incarcerated in a Middle Eastern state's prison I can tell you first hand that it's not an experience anyone would wish to have.I was not allowed to phone the embassy,I was denied access to a Dr. despite having a broken limb and was generally treated like a piece of doo daa even though no formal charges were ever pressed.The prison itself was a roach infested ,bare concrete health hazard,with one toilet,(a hole in the ground),for about 70 inmates.Dinner was served in one big bowl and we all ate from this with our hands.Lights were switched off at about 1pm to keep you in a darkened and disoriented state.I just love the Arabs.In Dubai recently a French national was raped and is now in such a prison on charges of solicitation.....need I continue?

johnslat · Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2003 11:33 pm Post subject: I fought the law and . . . .

Dear biffinbridge,
I never spent time in a Saudi jail, but I have friends who did. And your description was probably, if anything, too mild. Of course, anyone who goes over there to teach should have a darn good idea of what they're getting into before they pack their bags - though even that won't necessarily save them from some bad run-ins with the " law ". Actually, finding out first-hand just what a theocratic religious police state is really like can be an educational experience. I know that doing so made me almost fanatical myself on the subject of the separation of Church ( or Mosque ) and State. And it gave me a much greater appreciation of those freedoms, liberties and laws that may of us in the West may sometimes take far too much for granted. It didn't blind me to all the faults we have here in the USA, but it did make me see how relatively well off we are, compared to certain other lands.
Regards,
John

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 5:59 am Post subject:

Biffinbridge,

I'm sorry to hear about your unpleasant time in a (Saudi?) prison, but please don't generalize your experiences to all Arabs. Be aware that many non Gulf Arabs despise the Saudis (and, to a lesser extent, Kuwaitis), and would hate to be lumped in with them. Having said that, there are lots of wonderful people in KSA, and they too often suffer under the injustices of their own countries.

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Cleopatra, i have to disagree with you. in my experience- in Qatar- Arabs all tend to stick up for each other. The vast majority of my students have family ( or camels) in Saudi and they won't hear a bad word about Saudi. I think they they tend to look at Saudi as some sort of motherland. My experience is only limited to qatar so maybe I am wrong
BTW Biff was in Qatar, not Saudi

Cleopatra · Posted: Mon Sep 29, 2003 8:08 am Post subject:

DMB,
Remember that Qatar is a gulf country - I was talking about non Gulf Arabs who generally have a very dim view of the Gulfies. Also, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have traditionally had very strong ties becasue of their common religious background. In contrast, the Saudis can't stand the Kuwaitis - and vice versa. Maybe they don't like looking in a mirror?

biffinbridge · Joined: 05 May 2003 Posts: 701 Location: Frank's Wild Years

Thanks for the correction...I should have qualified that...I just love Gulf Arabs,(Saudis,Kuwaitis,Qataris and Emiratis).No probs with the North Africans/Northern Gulfies at all.I spent 3 years in the Gulf.Arab hospitality is a myth.I found their idea of friendship was a very exploitative one.I your friend you get me whisky.I your friend I use your house to **** chinese lady.You very good teacher you help me in exam... etc etc.They treat non nationals like dirt,women even worse and are generally speaking are the biggest hypocrites on the face of the planet.I did my first 24 months without leave,(2 straight summers), and remember bidding farewell to my Qatari boss as he departed on 8 weeks summer holiday because it was "too hot" to stay....yeah right.21st century meets the bronze age.........

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

To survive in Saudi, look on the place as a warped kind of "Raj". The leading roles are taken by Saudis, and we westerners come next in the pecking order. Than, after us, come theothers, starting with the other Arabs and then goind down through the "Hindis" to those at the bottom of the heap.

Provided that you remember to defer to Saudis in everything, your life will be easier. A good insight into this place will come from reading or re-reading the works of Kipling.

However Number One Rule, stated eleswhere, is MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE A REASONABLE EMPLOYER.

If you work for Al-R**** or one of tose other leecghes, look out !

SweetOne · Joined: 19 Jul 2003 Posts: 109

I can't help but wonder what it was that caused Biffinbridge and a few of Johnslat's friends to end up in jail? What crime did you commit to spend 24 hours there? And what did your friends do that was so horrifying to the Saudi gov't that they were incarcerated? And for how long?

manonatrain · Joined: 06 May 2003 Posts: 88

well John S. I do bet my life she is either
not a teacher or possible �An Arabist�( a western person who
goes so far over to the other side they are more extreme than the Arabs).

I work with such a teacher who is constantly on the prowl for
anything SAID and who defends the administration so vehemitly they
laugh at her. She is from the UK, and a nice girl, but what is her point ?

Sorry to hear you don�t like me posting Scot. I enjoy reading your
posts even though they piss me off sometimes. What is this need
to CONTROL this board anyway....

I do take offense to VS vieled suggestions that the TEACHER who
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL had to intervene for was in some way to
blame.

I love the Gulf, but I feel free to be critical of the nastiness behind
closed doors. I know surviving here means shutting up and eating the
sand. I do publicly. In fact, I�spend all my free time with the local Omanis. Sleeping under trees, eating dates, riding camels, ... I also
know many people (expats) who have suffered terribly over small
matters.

Cool

Obviously you have been here longer than I John, and I respect your
posts. I know when I read them that you do indeed work in the ME,
just by the info you post.

Why not vent here. It is safe and it is true.

Reasons to go to jail. 1) Pressing charges againts an Omani.
2.) Giving a hang signal to another car who just cut you off
3) You get raped.
4) you name it.....