Job Discussion Forums

[johnslat]

Dear Deicide,

Whether the miracle comes to pass or not, I wish you all the best.

Regards,
John

[Deicide]

[Middle East Beast]

[Middle East Beast]

Dear John,

I first entered the dingdong of Saudi Arabia in 1996.

I wasn't there in the 70's or 80's, but it's hard to imagine it being worse in any respect, especially in terms of human rights.

They still chop off people's heads in public (probably with street vendors present) and flog people for words.

I'll have to take your word on conditions when you were first there.

But I see things getting worse as compared to the mid-90's.

[johnslat]

Dear Middle East Beast,

I'm talking specifically in terms of "sensitive issues" being discussed more openly. And I see a big difference between the early 80s and now.

Perhaps we few more "old-timers" who were there in the late 70s/early 80s (such as that fellow-geezer scot47) can post and either agree or disagree with my impressions.

Regards,
John

[scot47]

Public discourse in KSA is certainly a lot broader than it used to be. A look at the Arab news or the Saudi Gazette shows that things are now more freely discussed.

A large factor here must have been the creation of Arabic-medium satellite TV channels free of government control.

Outsiders should not make the mstake of assuming that the locals are all desperate for change and "liberalisation". This is not California !

[Stephen Jones]

[007]

Well, Al-Arabia satellite TV channel is owned by the Saudi Royal family, and was setup to counter-balance the Qatari based satellite TV channel Al-Jazeera!
The Saudis are very critical of Al-Jazeera, and sometime they want it to be off the air in the Magic Kingdom!

[scot47]

Regardless of who owns it, Sat TV has given many in the Gulf a different outlook on things !

[trapezius]

[Hiawatha]

Yet, in 2006 the Gulf News reported........that in Dubai (Which is supposed to be extremely liberal) 2 British girls unknowingly took an unmarked taxi, (A car that has only the light placed on top but no taxi company logo on the side of which there are many in Dubai). He then drove them to a remote area, and precided to beat them and rape them.

The man went back to his country while the 2 girls went to the police. They were put in prison for 3 months and then deported.

It is true that the "press" reported the incident, but even the "liberal" Dubai has a long way to go in the area of human rights.

[johnslat]

Dear Hiawatha,

I don't think that anyone here is arguing that Saudi, Dubai or, for that matter, any other country in the region is a bastion of liberal democracy or a champion of human rights.
Simply that, over a period of almost thirty years, there has been some progress in the area of publicly acknowledging and discussing social flaws.

Regards,
John

[Hiawatha]

Actually a poster did bring up the issue of human rights on this thread since it is related to "freedom."

Only in some rare cases are they being discussed by locals, yet hopefully the discussion will eventually lead to the beginnings of actual changes toward basic human rights.

[scot47]

Here is a story that would not have been in the papers a year or two back. Specially shocking becasue of where it happened.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=128397&d=13&m=11&y=2009

[trapezius]

He had 3 wives but still wanted more?

Good thing he did it in Saudi, as in the West he would have been given a 20 year sentence with eligibility for parole after 10 years.

Off with his head!