Whenever I get back to Lebanon one of the things that pisses me off is the amount of racism that still exists there. I was just checking CNN and noticed an article called Maid Suicides and it turned out to be an article about the recent spate of maid suicides in Lebanon. This is extremely depressing and honestly I am not sure what can be done to educate the employers of those maids. Anybody have any ideas? How do you educate a whole country? [CNN Link]
55 replies on “Maid suicides in Lebanon”
its a suicide. you need to educate the employee. they must know their rights and how to complain if their rights are violated. its not the responsibility of a country’s population. its a responsibility of the countries exporting those workers to educate those people when they leave their countries or at the country they are to work at.
you can say but that country cant afford any of this.. well, the least they can do is lay pressure at the governments of which their people will work at.
but it is a sad thing.. if their governments and our governments didn’t care about those people, we are the only ones who can take action.. but again, our actions must be towards educating those workers.
Many of the maids in labonon are treated in very badly. There is no law to protect the foregn workers. They dont have any right to complaine to whom to the government, this is a joke. Your country allow to happen this. This is illigal in modern society and people of other national should be outrage. The Ethiopian govenment has a responsibility to educate and not to let anyone go to Lebanon. Ethioian are decent people. No one should be treated like animal the way foregners are treated in Lebanon. We will never foget this.
you can educate the employee all you want but that won’t make the employers less racist.
Yes, because there’s no racism whatsoever in the Gulf.
In the Gulf the people are used to mixing with a large variety of cultures. In Lebanon because of the war the people were isolated from other cultures. So yes there is racism in the Gulf but it’s not as bad as it is in Lebanon.
Two things:
1- Yes people in Lebanon are enslaving their maids.
2-As for your comment about less racism in the gulf, you are gravely mistaken Mark. The Gulf has all different forms of racism going on. If you are a khaleeji you are regarded with high esteem. Then come the westerners. Then Arabs (which are also ranked by country of origin). Followed by the Asians.
Maids in the Gulf are mistreated in exactly the same way. Just pick up a random newspaper here in kuwait and you will read all the horror stories. You should also read about how they mistreat construction workers in Dubai, the latest story is about the Chinese workers in Burj Dubai who have not been paid.
Sadly, racism is abundant in Middle Eastern societies. The fact that CNN highlighted Lebanon, does not mean that other countries are not practicing racism too. Maybe we should have CNN expand their story and cover other countries. That would really unveil the extent of racism in the region.
Very simple. You get maids rented out from spcial companies and you sign a contract and pay just like any other bill such as phone etc. You abuse a bit and your contract will get cancelled and that should be a good lesson for those employers !
First, people need to be educated on manners, then you can get around to something called anti-racism, so that it can be “re”-taught. Though it is not an exact science, it is natural to be anti-racist; at least in my world.
I don’t know about Lebanon, but things aren’t all fair in Kuwait either. The Bangladeshi workers you see cleaning the streets of Kuwait, regardless of the weather, live in the most horrible conditions and don’t even get the salary they are entitled to. I may be opening up Pandora’s box here but I actually know first hand about the atrocities they have to go through. And how their managers pocket half, yes half of their salaries.Seriously, how much did their conditions improve even after the protests they had last year?
As for the maids … maids in the rest of the Gulf are not treated any better either. If they are not beaten by their “madame” then the kids beat them, treat them like animals, and worse yet their male employers rape them and these women can’t talk to anyone about it. Yes, their native countries should mandate good and respectable working conditions for them, but once they are out of their country, it’s the host country’s responsibility to make sure they are protected.
And it’s not just the blue collared workers. As far as the white collared jobs are concerned, if you’re not a local citizen, American, European, or Australian, expect to be treated like a 3rd rate person who has no rights, no respect, who can never ask for a raise even though he/she is doing the work of 3 people.
How do you educate these countries? That’s hard to do in the Gulf countries where it’s so hard for people to ask for their rights. They may be able to gather some local citizens who believe in their rights, but even if it’s passed as law, what then? The local authorities in these countries will never protect these immigrants against their employers or other locals.
Sorry Mark, I can come up with several ideas, but they will never come to fruition in the Gulf countries because of the law makers and the law enforcers.
check this link
https://q8sws.blogspot.com/
Sabmerc, you said it all. Very true.
Not everyone in Lebanon treats maids in a way that drives them to commit suicide. The law has to be fixed, and as soon as one real investigation takes place and one single employer is thrown in jail, the everyone will start respecting maids as human beings, this is what laws & punishments are there for. As for the vice versa situation, a maid that runs away from her employers’ house (which also happens a lot), is held in custody if caught, and her employer has to buy her a ticket back home, another mistake which is related to the government.
” … maids in the rest of the Gulf are not treated any better either. If they are not beaten by their “madame” then the kids beat them,” -Sabmerc
I don’t know what gives you the right to make such a general statement. Allow me to correct you, some people may abuse their maids. This is not specific for the Gulf countries, its women or kids.
If you come from such a family, its a shame that you were not raised properly. If you know such a family, its even greater shame that you have done nothing to enlighten them or stand up for that innocent maid.
Just for the record, Whenever there is miscommunication (for example in the Gulf many maids are uneducated or simply don’t speak arabic) you must expect frustration from both parties.. which may lead to physical violance. violence does not have to be physical. It may be verbal. Even in the ‘civilized’ world such as europe and the US there is verbal violence against immigrants. hell there is even verbal violence by the airport staff against us arabs.
back to the main topic, if someone choose to end up their lives as a result of verbal abuse, to me its their failure. they are supposed to be adults with brains in their heads. if there is physical abuse they should have seeked help. failure to seek help that means they are uneducated. you cant teach manners to a whole country. but you can tell those workers what are their rights when they apply for a work permit or visa.
what our countries really should do is investigate why those suicides are happening… is it becaues of the work pressure? ‘racism’ as Mark puts it? physical abuse? or even rape? sometimes it feels to me that suicide is a nasty way to go, and the only thing would make a woman go that way is rape.
the above also makes me wonder… how come only recently those women started commiting suicide? beating a house boy or a maid is not a new thing in our communities.. and i dont mean by beating as a torture. its the kind of beating that any person in the family would get from parents.. regardless of the age. and yes this is something part of our culture in the Gulf. So if, say in Kuwait, we have maids since the seventies… and only recently the suicide rates have climped sky high.. what does that mean? There must be something that sparked it… i wouldn’t be surprised if its -in addition to physical abuse- something like life insurance back home or threats to their families.
A maid is a person that works for a cleaning company that rents them out to others for a fee. Generally they come 3 or 2 times a week to clean out your house or apartment (Businesses hire their own staff, generally speaking).
A servant on the other hand, works for a person, the head of the household. The servant lives in the same building as the household, the females, or in an adjacent facility, the males.
My personal view is that people should be independent. Having a maid help around the house from time to time is fine. However I firmly believe that only those in special circumstances should have servants and should be closely mentored by government officials in case of foul play. Seeing as how we live in a tribal socaity I find servants to be redundant.
I mean why else would God give us Grandparents if not to look after the kids or cook food?
Of course that’s my opinion.
“How do you educate a whole country?”
simple, nuke ’em. Japan learned a lesson.
what’s the temperature forecast for Beriut?, only 12,000 degrees.
Sam: You’re mixing up racism with slavery and maid abuse.
There is racism in Lebanon that’s for sure, but not as bad as the gulf, and of course it varies from one country to another. The government can’t do anything because maids will be afraid to report any abuse from the employer. Pushing a made to suicide doesn’t really mean she was abused, that doesn’t mean she wasn’t abused either. She could either had mental problems, or extremely abused.
Racism surpass the maids to all workers. There are a lot of people that look down to other less fortunate who did not have the opportunity to go to universities and raised in families where we can have anything we ask for. I call that also racism. You will have to change the way arab think to get rid of it, and it’s not only a problem in the arab countries it’s worldwide, but some people in Lebanon should be educated that these people leaving their countries to come over here to work, we didn’t buy them, we are paying them salaries to do a certain job not to exploit and abuse them, but try to make some people understand if you can.
Sometimes I feel sad for those people, but on the other side, if they doesn’t come over to work, how would they live? You go and see in UAE how they treat the workers, where they sleep and how many workers they put in on apartment, how crowded it becomes.
In conclusion, I don’t see people will change in Lebanon at least a big majority. You come every now and then and tell me what did change in people’s personalities? Nothing, and it will remain like that unless we get a Lebanese ataturk who will fix this country.
Racisim is widespread around the world.
We can all appreciate the widepread of racisim that once existed in the USA. but fortunately the people have been educated, and alot of laws were passed to protect the minority and prevent reoccurance of racisim.
IMO to stop racisim we mustfirst look into our selves and ask if we can befreind an asian.
Can we be see in public hanging out with a non kuwaiti….
after we eliminate internal racism, we can presure the parliment to pass and enact laws to prevent the mistreatment of non kuwaitis and make the punishment severe, to make an example and to deter crimes commited against the expats.
secondly we must use a form of mediation between emmployers and employees in times of conflict and not resort to the “Eqal” or belt teqnique of conflict resolution. as this is inhumane and also it takes away the human rights afforded by the united nations.
and finaly i bieleve that the widespread ridicule of expats on ramadhan chanels and programs, and or comedy shows furthers the racism and the stigma that expats are of less intelegence.
K THX BAI
My response to 3aziz after reading your comments.
I am surprised ad appaled that a person can have a self rightous mentality like yours. If you want to spank your children that is your choice as long as you don leave a bruse. But beating an unrelated human bieng because you are too arrogant and uneducated, simple minded and not exposed to other ways of thinking is wrong.
Here in the united states if you assault or batter someone, you are looking at prison time not jail time prison. and if it was targeted at a minority you are looking at hate crime which means another 2 years to your sentence, and further more since the servent is living in your house this means this is Domestic violence, which is handeled at specialty court, so by beating your servent if you had onein america you are looking at a minimum of 5 years. repeat offences means more.
I hope you can look at the situation from the expacts point of view, but bieng that you are from kuwait and probably dont know what that means and all you do is read dan brown books and think you are an intelectual, and go around nit picking a other peoples grammar like you are a grammar police of the internet, I dont expect you to empithise or sympathise with the servents because no matter what we say you will alwias have a biased view and will be stubburn as a mule.
start small, start close. Bringing awareness to your own community of friends and family is probably the most efficient way to give importance to this issue of basic human rights.
Ideally, anti-racism curricula must be implemented at schools and part of HR programs for all companies and organization. Hence, everyone will be exposed to the curricula that educate people about the importance of respect, justice, equality and humanity, in our society. The government must implement firmer laws that prosecute individuals who are prejudice or practice any form of abuse. With the right education and legal policies, I imagine the racism/enslavement issues that are so rampant in the ME can be solved.
I like how some of you people think when a maid commits suicide it’s partly her fault, and not fully the employer. Grow up.
Mark, you ask for a solution, however it is not simple to educate an entire country. I personally think that people in such countries will only truly learn when they are forced to do these jobs themselves. Of course I speak not of Lebanon only, but of all places where such things happen, including Kuwait. Racism might be a large factor, but I think bigotry plays a larger role here. I pray for those who get abused, mistreated and unpaid, whilst being treated as “slaves” and not employees.
1) Start a serious discussion
2) Campign (on TV)
3) Leaders/educated class (mothaqafeen) to address these issues directly
4) Real Help lines (interevention) w/ the local authorities
sure there are more
but starts w/ a serious effort by people who feel really strong about this issue
skip town: sounds like a mad man’s idea about ‘fixing” things. how many innocent ppl died in that bombing? btw, the U.S was an exetermly racist country at the time they ‘nuked’ Japan.
Elias:
“There is racism in Lebanon that’s for sure, but not as bad as the gulf”
can you back up your statements w/ facts? otherwise just state that they are opinions. in the Gulf there are more mixed marraiges that goes back to centuries old. The ‘slaves’ that were there were treated as part of the family. Sheikh Sa3ad’s (Allah yer7oma) mother was a slave! and if he wasn’t ill, he would have become our Emir
sure no racism in Lebanon
peanuts => slave nuts
steel wool => negro ( they mean afro hair )
and the list goes on .
I guess the solution is within the Government which run by racist .
have you forgoten the civil war , it was about race and religion .
I like skip town solution , Nuke the son of bitches , a bunch of whores and scam artists .
I dont get why people always rush to compare countries. What does it matter if here in the gulf its worse or in Lebanon? What really matters is that in the entire Middle East there is a problem in that lots of people who wouldnt be able to afford hired help anywhere else in the world can afford to have a maid or two and there is a tremendous amount of abuse,low salaries,torture and rape going on. We cant deny that this is going on before our eyes and we look the other way most of the time. Just like the way all of us are guilty of paying the maids incredibly low salaries just because they accept them since they have no other choice.
I mean, c’mon, where else in the world could u have another human being living in your house,working for you 7 days a week for around $ 150 a month?
I personally think that the entire system of bringing in help should be restructured and families should have to go in for interviews before being allowed to have a maid. Furthermore, the maids should be brought in by highly trained companies who check up on them once a month or once a week to make sure everything is ok. And their salaries should be tripled so that you eliminate a lot of abuse by cheap fuckers who just want to lord over them and enjoy the high of having their very own slave.
In general, people have to realise that having another human being living in your house,taking care of you and your family,babysitting, cooking and more is a huge gift and shouldnt be taken lightly.
From what i read, most serious conflicts are for servants working for expatriates, sometimes from local. The living space is limited, the benefits are non-existence, the expectation and workload are exaggerated from both sides. Add to that the emotional and sexual deprivation, and you have disastrous outcome. The whole business relationship is awkward and shouldn’t be allowed in first place because it cannot be managed nor regulated, their numbers are huge, controlling contracts compliance would need an effort in resources and time no one is willing to make. Our government knows about it, their governments knows about it, they (servants) also knows about it, and they keep coming in droves because they have no better alternative back home.
I am shocked that you are denying the fact that racism is not at its peak in the Gulf! I lived all my life in Lebanon and only a year and half in Kuwait and just realized I am turning into someone who generalizes by race as it is accustomed in Kuwait! That’s because salaries, privileges, and respect are given accordingly.
I never felt like that in Lebanon. I have friends from all social levels there never did I come across someone who abused their helper, the cases we see on TV are extreme cases. But because Lebanon is such an open country every issue becomes a major news topic and inflates it out of proportion, not that I am saying there are no ill educated employers who should be punished for such behavior.
Sous the reason you never felt racism in Lebanon is because you were surrounded by your same race. Mixing with different social levels isn’t the same as mixing with different races.
sous_ib
Yeah and i lived in lebanon and found myself judging people according to their religion as it is accustomed in lebanon! And since when has lebanon been an open country? Theres segregation when it comes to religion you cannot deny that just like i cant deny that there are problems in our country.
This is Lebanon they cant be educated in anything they think they know it all even if the world see’s it wrong is they think it right then guess what its right.
which is nothing i say proudly but honestly !!!
sam and Sabmerc your totally right.
3azeez what the hell are you talking about There must be something that sparked it… i wouldn’t be surprised if its -in addition to physical abuse- something like life insurance back home or threats to their families
thats why people are un educated in this part of the world they dont see the errors in their ways. if women in this country got off their ass and did some cooking and cleaning and raising of kids there would be no need for maids full stop!
3azeez , fortunately I don’t come from a family that employs or abuses live in maids or any other human being for that matter. My parents have always been respectful of others no matter who they were, or where they came from, and we, their kids learn’t the same. You’re right I can’t generalize, but you can’t deny that more often than not the maids are abused. What I have stated are mere facts. These events have happened. I have not met an abused maid personally but we’ve all heard about them. Just go to the link Mark provided https://q8sws.blogspot.com/ (thank you Mark) and you’ll see pictures to prove my point.
Yes these people should seek help, but think about it. They are completely dependent on their employers for everything. The one thing they can do is call the police. And tell me honestly, here in Kuwait itself, do you think the authorities are going to take the word of a non Kuwaiti against a Kuwaiti. Wake up! It does not happen.
I’ll give you another simple example. People have accidents every day. But if a non-Kuwaiti gets hit by a Kuwaiti, guess who gets the blame? Again I’m stating true facts. I know several non-Kuwaitis who have suffered the same fate and don’t speak up out of fear for mistreatment by the authorities.
Another true story about an Indian family I know living in Kuwait: Over 4 months ago their land line stopped working. This means no calls going in or out, and no internet. The husband went personally to report it and was told it was a faulty line and would be fixed. He kept going every 2 weeks or so for the next 4 months! Within the first month he found out that no one in his entire building had land-line service but the landlord of course didn’t care as long as he got his rent on time. Finally by the end of the 4 months someone actually decides to do his work and gets the faulty line repaired. … after 4 months!!! If this happened to a Kuwaiti or someone from the west, they’d make just one phone call, and the problem would be fixed ASAP. But he is an expatriate from the east and unfortunately this is how they are treated in Kuwait.
So call it racism, or whatever you like. Discrimination is rampant in Kuwait and other parts of the Gulf, and anyone who denies it is either blind or perhaps does not want to acknowledge it.
I feel sad about the whole situation. we are taking about human beings, some of which dont see out side their employers home for upto 2 years!!
If people in the middle east want to be respected they need to respect others.
hate festers in kuwait among nationalities. Nobody in the front of their god is superior to someone else because of race at the end of the day we all face our creator.
Oil has corrupted Kuwait and the region.
India and Kuwait traded places, with the former being the rich role model and the latter adopting their currency amongst other things.
Thanks to the Internet today, we can hear all such violations against human rights specially women.
Unfortunately Kuwait was number one in abusing and treating their house keepers worse than slavery considering talking about Muslim nation. Sabmerc said the truth, beating or raping or any other form of abuse is not accepted in any religion or culture.
Now I’m talking about the 1970+ of what I witnessed and I never write anything out of talk or gossip growing up in wars and traveling worldwide I learnt to tell only the truth and what I see. When I visited some Kuwaiti families and well known names telling me that they lock their fridge so the employee (maid, drivers) won’t eat extra, secondly they have to watch how much shampoo they use. I was young that time and stunt with such talk. I worked with Bedouin, average and richest Kuwaiti to be really ashamed to say that I’m a Muslim; even I have all faiths in my family but I thought Islam freed slavery. If I will write stories about what I witnessed, you won’t believe it. On the other hand I witnessed very nice Kuwaiti families too.
The latest when I visited Kuwait 2003 I noticed they are hiring as they call them Indonesian girls claiming it is better to bring Muslim employees because Kuwaiti are tired of all the trouble when Sunday the day off and all gather around Sheraton, dating, having fun. Meaning they can’t even enjoy their day off?
Some of these employees have degrees also specially Filipino, my brother nanny was nutritionist , just because they needed to support their families NO one has the right to abuse, disgrace, and discriminate in any form. I met many decent Indian drivers who used to save every penny for their children to have good education or pay their daughter dowry.
In Oman I was very upset with a Canadian female thinking she is on top of the world, she didn’t like me because I was bringing the Indian employee tea and snack. She gave him a chair like a child and forced him to sit behind the kitchen door to humiliate him. This was in the top educational institution. Let us also not go that far when you see Egyptians how they treat their own nationality helpers too pulling them from their hair, smacking them in the middle of the street or other form of abuse.
By the way, don’t the Kuwaiti used to take 10-25% of the income from private business too while they are sitting on their butt doing nothing except getting their checks monthly. I never forget how many times they fired honest people with 24 hours to 3 days leaving Kuwait just because they expressed a truth about an issue. SO, please for now we need to advance our lives to fix these issues. The unfortunate bad treatment comes in the high society of Kuwait more than others. Money will perish one day, BUT morality and values will and should never die.
I do have a comment for Sulha # 18, I don’t know how long you have been living in US, or which State as each had their own laws too. How many women in US feared even to tell her family about the abuse till someone report that, how many been killed or children kidnapped because the family law also sting in US, how many women even Hollywood having restraining orders not to be close to the abuser spouse then all what we hear: The judge, police didn’t do enough to enforce the law. All countries around the world have their laws, but does every one follow the law? Have you noticed how many American/blond bringing younger wives from the orient because they have the same gulf problems with their arrogant wives doesn’t want to cook, raise the children then they find it easier to marry again to desperate people for better life.
You can Google also years ago about Israel also abusing the Ethiopian Jews. I’m mentioning this because such suicidal become as a psychological pattern spread between them. If they are not happy, they don’t want to go back to their misery then? Weak people can’t comprehend in their choices.
I lived worldwide and I can’t tell that any country is better than the other, except sick people who love to be in control or have troubled bringing up will always be troubled.
I think with Mark question: “Anybody have any ideas? How do you educate a whole country? “
Yes, and No – if each country set licensed agencies to be inspected always with schooling to educate the hired individual one month prior their travels to learn the culture, some language, parenting if they are coming to be nannies, cleaning if they are coming for cleaning, even sex lessons in case required to be a mistress to reduce sex trafficking or diseases too. There are many methods similar to top executives who come to work with big companies; they do go through one on one intensive class. I prefer these people (housekeepers) get the same treatment since they are the one who will provide the safety, clean, raising the children too better than many parents I met.
Why don’t we stop importing such like the old days? Villagers’ used to be very happy coming down town to work all day long, even stay for a week and become like a family affair all that villager family growing up with that family children. I sound like an old ideal Egyptian movie. I lived this around my Syrian neighbors and these villagers were so nice, friendly, speak the language and the best they bring the fresh veggie/fruit of each season not to mention the fresh cheese. I lived it again with my Lebanese friends. This slavery is becoming contagious and should stop.
I thank you Mark for bringing this issue to the surface as I addressed a lot about this when my friends in the past speak of religion by telling them: Treat your employees in dignity because we don’t know what will happen to us one day. Protecting human rights is the utmost mission we can do.
Read this interesting data noticing that males suicidal more than women. Why WHO or UN are not following up on these issues too..
https://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suiciderates/en/
I think Mark should be applauded by the Kuwaiti government and encourage him to voice this subject with the labor ministry so we can educate the whole world rather than one county.
Unfortunately, if Lebanese people hate Lebanese people like hell, to the degree of killing and bombing each other, why are you asking them to be loving and caring towards maids?
“Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you.” …one’s doings will eventually catch.. that is karma.. that applies to people.. countries.. generations.. life eventually comes full circle…
Do you really want to incur the wrath of the helpless and the oppressed? You might get away with it in your life time.. but will your children or their children?
i’m not into all this but may i remind you Mark that kuwait is in the Black list because of Racism! so yes in lebanon they are recist but the fact that you talk like it’s extreem only in lebanon! it’s a big mistake..
There is more racism in the Gulf than in Lebanon.
When an Indian family is put aside to let an Arab family do the check up, now this is racism.
When there is a mosque only for “Asians” in KSA, now that’s racism.
When a maid is asked to wake up at 5:00 am to wash the family cars or she will not get food, now that’s racism.
I don’t deny that some maids are mistreated in Lebanon, especially that this fact is due to ignorant people who owns the recruitment offices, that are not controlled.
But when it comes to racism, that’s not true, the proof is that the jobs handled by “foreigners” in the GCC is fulfilled by Lebanese people in Lebanon, which is not the case for other GCC citizens in their own country.
moe80s: I didn’t say there wasn’t racism anywhere else
Ralph: Just because a Lebanese works at McDonalds in Lebanon but Kuwaitis don’t work at McDonalds in Kuwait doesn’t mean they’re racist. Geez don’t you people know what racism is??
I’m reading India as a perfect world , try as a Muslim to rent in High class
co-op building where major share holders are Hindu or what ever . Clearly they will tell you no Muslims now matter how rich you are or country . One of Bollywood actors got the same treatment , and you can google it and check .
Racism is everywhere , it is the human nature I guess .
OMG !!! There are so many people confusing RACISM with ABUSE.Being racist doesn’t necessarily mean you’re abusive.You can be racist,without being abusive, just by denying certain race groups opportunities or privileges.
I think racism stems from fear and insecurities. If your ego has been crushed it’s a quick fix to undermine another person. I think the war de-sensitised the Lebanese maybe this also contributes to their local problem. It may be human nature to exploit others but upbringing has a lot to do with how you respect and interact with others. If it’s the norm in your household to yell, shout and abuse each other then what chance will the maid have.
We should all learn more tolerance, compassion and patience whichever god we believe in. It is not enough to spout it from a holy book… action is required.
Laws and minimum wage protect many in the West from abuse. If the government and laws don’t protect them then what message does that send to the employer?
Inida is no example of non-racist issues. they were killing each others right and left. Neither are Americans……
I totally agree that there are abuses here in the Kuwait and the Gulf that are really REALLY shamefull. But please don’t tell me that we are worest than countries where ppl KILL each others cause of race/religion.
Besides can someone tell me where else is so open as the gulf for ppl to come and earn a living (white and blue collars)? Like these countries would open up to ppl from other places to work there? yea right
Bo Khalid
I must disagree with your statement:
“From what i read, most serious conflicts are for servants working for expatriates, sometimes from local.”
While I will agree that there are bad people from all walks of life, it has been my experience in this part of the world that it is the “local” that cause most of the problems. In my many years here, hearing and reading the stories of maids running away, jumping from 2nd stories, hanging themselves, being verbally, sexually, and physically abused the majority of the cases involve the “local” and not the expat or at least NOT the western expat. I am sure there are some local families that treat their maids/servants well, and there are some expats that treat their maids/servants poorly. However the vast vast majority of abuse comes from the local. In fact, just yesterday there was an article in the newspaper about a local that punished his maid by tying her to her bed and locking her in for days without food and water, she died and probably nothing will happen to the employer because “ he didn’t mean to”. In fact, I do not ever recall any stories of this kind of expats, again at least not western expats, doing these things to their help, that does not mean it has not happened, but you sure do seem to here much more about the locals doing this.
Why does this happen? I believe for several reasons:
1. Ignorance and lack of education
2. Lack of respect for human beings deemed below a Local
a. How many times do we read about a group of local boys who grab an Asian maid and take her out to the desert and gang rape her? Why, because she is subhuman not worthy of respect or proper treatment. And what typically happens to these boys? A slap on the wrist. But what if this were one of their sisters or mothers?, things would be very different yes? Hypocrisy and double standard.
3. A culture and a familial upbringing of excess, unrealistic sense of entitlement, and no consequences for poor behavior.
Finally, because they continue to come here to try and make a better life for themselves or their family, knowing that these abuses take place, does that make it ok then?
There are just 2 things that can be implemented to stop the abuse of labourers, drivers, maids and servants. One is to get rid of the sponsorship system and the second is to implement minimum wage. That will change things a lot for all those people suffering at the hands of harsh employers.
Reply to Ns # 35
I am glad you understand the Bifurcated system of the United states where states, Tribal, and Federal laws all differ.
I did not want to confuse people and tell them that each state has its own laws etc.
But generally speaking most states have Domestic Violence Laws. etc
I am not saying that USA does not have a domestic Violence Problem, If there were no problems there probably would not be so much laws regarding this issue.
The point is that if proven in court the perpertrator can and will be punished.
whereas in Kuwait, ( I am a Kuwaiti national BTW) a victem can not bring his case to court against his kuwaiti employer, due to the lack of resources to help the victem and the under representation of the victems.
most problems in USA is the husband / boyfriend beating his girldfriend/wife.
we are dealing with a different issue in kuwait. Even if the mentality which some people have, that you Can beat your wife if she trassgresses, is accepted, this does not mean you can beat your driver and or maid.
this is not just an isue with maids and etc, I have seem people in kuwait and seen some videos of youth going around and shooting non kuwaitis with paintball guns.
or happy slapping,
Or we have all seen the video of the kuwaiti officer slapping an indian repeatedly.
the problem is when we show this to someone, they dont say OMG what is this cop doing, he should be in jail etc, they say yeah that indian must have done somthing to deserve that. TBH no amount of talking of typing/carpal tunel syndrome, will make any one relasie thier wrongs, I have honestly lost hope with kuwait and I do not believe there is a way to get them civilised.
thus I live here.
Society has always seemed to demand a little more from human beings than it will get in practice.
I’ve been reading some of your articles and posts over Lebanon recently and that’s kinda wierd writing that much of criticism over your mother land. I reply to you here to drive your attention to one major fact that whatever you are complaining about is taking place at different regions of the world even here in Kuwait and to add more check the newspapers and you’ll know very well what I’m talking about Also, it doesn’t need to “educate” a whole society as u mentioned above cause I believe we have a very civilized community back there, so my dear writer please do watch your language and do focus your words to whom you are reffering to before you accuse a whole society with “ignorance”.
1 final message, stay away a little bit from CNN or any other American tv show or report, cause we know how objective they be in driving their news and from what background they do that, and we know also how and what Oprah mentioned about Lebanon the other night in her show … and for any clue check it out on facebook.
Racism can be eradicated with common sense and a little education. Start from from your home it self. Tell me how many kids tommorow will grow up knowing racisim is wrong if parents today continue showing them its ok to look down upon some one just because he or she is of a different nationality and he or she is getting paid to do a job that is beneath them. Many of us have been raised to believe that all men and women are created equal thats why we deplore rascisim but unfourtanetly many also have grown up in houses where they believe that asians are only good for
A) Driving their cars
B) Cleaning their Toilets & Houses
C) Cooking their Meals
D) Picking up their Garbage
E) Digging holes & Ditches on the side of the roads.
& guess what Arabs, Lebananes, Kuwaitis or othewise are not the only ones to blame. All nations in the world have the same mentality so Rich Indians do it to poor Indians, Rich Americans do it to the Hispanics commanly known as wet backs and Asians who just happen to be Americans also but only a lower level. The diff is in America workers have legal rights and minimum wage and health care. In the Arab world and in the Gulf they got SHIT.
Sulha, #47, I numbered it so it doesn’t sound like answering the previous comments. I’m glad and proud of you as Kuwaiti to speak up. I’m sad to read the end of your comment of no hope. I’m assuming since the 1990 many Kuwaiti also started to suffer their own nationality (bedoon). I’m not trying to insult in any way as much to understand. When you as Kuwaiti leave because of such, then WHO is going to fight for these people rights. I like you to read this from Kuwaiti paper.
https://www.arabtimesonline.com/kuwaitnews/faqdetails.asp?faid=1131&faqid=14
By Mariam Al-Foudery
Labour activist: her e-mail address at the end of the article. Someone who cares living in Kuwait please try to see how much she did lately. [email protected]
Why don’t you get in touch with her, your voice will be stronger than mine and you might be an ambassador to your country in such.
The second newer article:
https://tinyurl.com/y9ehp9n
If it doesn’t open Google it as this title:
It is at the http://www.zawya.com/ under: Kuwait calls for elimination of racism, discrimination.
Well, maybe I’m lucky being big mouth for the truth even when I worked in Kuwait when the personal sheikh driver hit my new car mirror, I took him to the police next to his palace. It was sooo funny as everyone peaked to look at who is this young girl-woman reporting such. I got my KD25 which might be today KD500, so there is only God above any law. Even Kuwaiti youngster abusive drives on the beach street, I have my safety belt on speeding cornering them as I’m a good driver learnt racing from my brother till they get over the pavement not to jerk with a female any more.
I’m trying to encourage you if you are young to work with your country, saving one soul as saving a nation too.
# 50. Security Adviser, you mentioned it how American also abuse the Hispanic, you are very right, at least lately the Latino got some of their rights. When I was in California I hired Vietnamese young lady so delightful, told me many abuse stories about American, meaning from the old batch who consider themselves the superior too. Also helpers in US don’t get their rights easy because the voice for the rich louder than the weak too.
# 49. Nino you said: “so my dear writer please do watch your language and do focus your words to whom you are reffering to before you accuse a whole society with “ignorance”.
If you are referring to Mark, I think you are the ignorant one, because his language has nothing wrong, once in a while he uses the F*** word which I don’t care for it as it is his blog.
As he is a Lebanese and proud of his mother land, NOTHING was wrong for him to expose what is going on considered being a caring citizen. I think if you RE-READ again and rethink your comment, you will do the same. CNN and any media outlets are for the rating but that doesn’t mean we can’t exploit what is true and what is not. You need to read more about the issue.
I recommend that you also work for fighting such issue Mark brought to the surface.
When, I end my words with NO more comments. It means it is not worth waste time with more either ignorant or arrogant like you # Nino
It is so typical and I predicted the responses to the blog before I started reading them. As usual we avoid the main issues and start this”not just us but others too” “the gulf blah blah blah….” “Kuwait x y z…” !!!
This was not intended as lebanon bashing and to show that lebanon is the only country in the world that abuses domestic workers. This was just presenting a topic and trying to draw attention to an issue that takes place in lebanon. So lebanease and others should try to exchange ideas on how to solve this major problem and what should be done.
Last thing, I am not sure that this qualify as “racism”, it is more of human abuse. Part of it in Lebanon is human trafficing coz they mentioned that some of these workers are brought into lebanon and then transfered to syria and then they disappear.
There’s racism everywhere. I experienced it in China! You’d think, for a nation that experiences a lot of racism in other places that they’d understand. But no, they’ll point and laugh, they’ll ignore you as you speak, you’re not allowed into some bars based on the color of your skin *they told some african man he wasn’t allowed in because he was black* It’s ridiculous.
And then go to Australia, and the Lebanese experience racism, go to Lebanon, people with dark skin are insulted.
It’s never ending, the gulf and Lebanon aren’t the only countries in the world that have racist people.
Im not saying in any way that it’s right, I’m just saying it exists everywhere
Just read this today in the paper- horrific.
https://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=Nzk0Nzc4MTQ=