Migrant workers' nightmares in the Gulf - 17 Aug 07

The Gulf's construction boom has been driven by an army of migrant workers, mainly from the Asian subcontinent. But in a three-month investigation Al Jazeera discovered that many workers are charged over the odds for their visas and are forced to work hours and live in tough conditions.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Migrant
• workers
• Gulf
• jazeera

[Iloveyouloveme2008]

These 'OIL COUNTRIES' are an embarrassment to the human race.I don't even treat my dog the way they treat people that helped build their concrete cities.Shame on you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is what happens when uneducated tribesmen suddenly find oil and become ''rich''.

[rapidflex]

Arabs treat almost all Asian workers as donkeys. If Arabs had no oil, they would still be living in there tents and killing members of other clans for drinking water from there wells.

Time and education change most people and societies. But time, education and money seem to have no effect on Arab mentatlity. They have still medieval minds.

[SatchmoSings]

If Israel was doing this, you'd hear many people screaming bloody-blue-murder.

Arabs, of course, get a pass; that's where a lot of their oil petro dollars go.

[CreepyLizard]

@rapidflex This news is reported by Al-Jazeera, an arab based news channel.

The Gulf developed just 30 years ago; it literally is 'medieval', chill; every culture has its time and struggle

[atruenut]

So sad... These people have so much money, they are building huge projects and making big profits, yet they don't have it in their hearts to take care of the workers. I guess there is a long legacy of slavery in the Middle East - with Africa and enslavement of women for so many centuries.

[nuxable]

@rapidflex

All Arabs? in 16 countries? who own AlJazeeraEnglish? aren't they arabs?

I am one of them, I wish I could change the situation, I saw it there, really sad.

[samuelpucci]

shame on u.a.e. !

[rick5690]

I really starting to understand how this world works ......I think its just to many of us.

[you2ubeist]

arabs are the worst race on earth , they treat labos just like slaves , their labor laws are the living proof for that .

[ForgotMyName3]

You know what's funny about people badmouthing he Arabs over this? Most of those people are contracted and moved to the gulf by Asian companies that do this to their own people, Western construction companies (the majority of companies in the gulf) have the same practices. Yes, this is happening in an Arab city, but the mentality that allows it to happen is pretty much everyone, not just the Arabs...

[ickybird]

Reading from many news agencies, it is clear that this is a world wide issue. People who are poor from no action on their own are exploited by the wealthy. Even in the USA, with all our talk of equality, we exploit the poor and uneducated. I wonder if it is time for a rebirth of International Workers of the World or some other organization that advocates for these exploited people world wide. this is a disquesting and shameful statement about mankind.