10 October, 2007

Shocking Saudis!

Agence France Presse:

An advertising agency in Saudi Arabia plans to air public service commercials to promote kinder treatment of domestic helpers in a country where reports of abuse of foreign workers abound. The ads will air on Arab satellite television stations after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, expected to end on October 12, said Kaswara al-Khatib, founder and chief creative director of Full Stop Advertising.

[...] "We deal with helpers as if they are not humans and have no feelings," (quote from Kaswara al-Khatib, founder and chief creative director of Full Stop Advertising).

[...] Reports of exploitation ranging from the withholding of salaries and passports to physical assault and sexual abuse are increasingly appearing in the local press.

New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) charged in August that the beating to death of two Indonesian female workers by a Saudi family highlighted the "atmosphere of impunity fostered by government inaction" toward abusive employers.

In July 2004, HRW was accused by Riyadh of exaggerating the incidence of foreign labor abuse in Saudi Arabia after it released a report alleging that foreign workers were systematically exploited, some of them living in slave-like conditions.

Riyadh police teamed up with the Sri Lankan Embassy in September to rescue a Sri Lankan maid who had telephoned the Arab News newspaper to say she had been imprisoned, abused and unpaid by her woman employer for at least seven years. [...]

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I find it shocking and revolting that such practices happen in Saudi. Islam is not about covering your hair and acting prude or not speaking to ghair-mahram men while you starve your domestic help at home, it starts with treating your fellow human being with dignity, respect and mercy, especially when you are in a position of power over them!.

Indeed, as the ad campaign features, "He who has no mercy will not receive mercy,"(Hadeeth quote) Certainly in this case that's how it should be!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

so because u read a case about mistreatment all the Saudis are bad?

Anonymous said...

bold stuff makes me go blind

Anonymous said...

what this have to do with the uae?

Gaza - We Will Never Forget. said...

"so because u read a case about mistreatment all the Saudis are bad?" -

NO, and I never said that. Not sure how you gathered that from my post..? There are good Saudis, just like there are good and bad Irish, American, Malaysian.. you get my point. But those Saudis who indulge in such practices are bad. And as much as I would have liked for it to be an isolated case, I alas don't think it is. Else, they wouldn't launch a campaign on it.


"Middle East sucks" -

I don't think so. Exploitation and oppression exist every where in the world, let's not wear blinkers suddenly and limit it to the Middle East.


"What does this have to do with the UAE"

Oh please pardon me for thinking we should be concerned with events in the region as a whole. I'll limit myself to "Dubai's biggest.." in future.. NOT. :)

Harsha said...

I myself find it a little irrelevant..this really isnt 'news'. I find your linking the entire problem to Islam rather tasteless.

Harsha said...

though its a good thing to bring to light the fact that, Saudi media recognises the issue and wants to do something about it.

Ahsan Ali said...

I think the post is relevant to the region.

Anonymous said...

come on,people, it is not just a saudi problwem,now is it?? eidkum mubarak,y'all!

Anonymous said...

Harsha said >>I find your linking the entire problem to Islam rather tasteless.<<

Don't think Cinderella linked the problem to Islam, the ad itself does that by its quote...

Gaza - We Will Never Forget. said...

Harsha, as 'Anon' points out, it's the campaign itself that makes the link with Islam.. Do check it out.
As regards what constitutes 'news', we obviously have different definitions, and I like to think there is nothing wrong with that.

Azucenamaryam. Ah. I think you did not get a chance to click on my name and find out some about me before you decided to brand me a Kaffir and a denier.. I am Muslim. Would you like to reconsider your words..?


Eid Mubarak from ... Cinders (indeed the recognised dimunitive for Cinderella :))

secretdubai said...

It is so irritating when kufars like Cinder Ella criticize Islam, of which they have not real understanding.

Yeah it may irritate you, but for as long as Islam and its followers play the roles they do, and so long as there are "kufars" living in Islamic countries, then everyone has a right to comment or criticise.

Besides which the post doesn't criticise Islam. It refers to an ad which uses Islam.

The fact that you criticise the poster suggests to me that you Azucenamaryam are uncomfortable with the Islamic hadith of mercy, which Cinderella is actually supporting.

So Azucenamaryam maybe it's time to drop the endless offenderati-mongering and get back to your qu'ran and your imam and improve your own understanding of your religion. Because your complaint would be more properly directed to those that abuse other human beings, rather than those trying to highlight the problem of abuse.

Anonymous said...

I am not shocked to read this article because many people say the same thing about them.

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