# Gulf countries retaliate



## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

OnIslam Arabic reported yesterday that the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Dar reported that Gulf countries have told the Egyptian Military Supreme Council that it must prevent Egyptian courts from holding Mubarak accountable for his crimes, and that if they fail to do so, they will retaliate by, among other things, expelling Egyptian workers and withdrawing Gulf investments from Egypt. The plausibility of such reports should not be dismissed outright. A democratic revolution in Egypt that holds corrupt politicians, including Mubarak, accountable to the law, is precisely the last thing that rulers of the Gulf wish to see. Unlike Iran, they cannot vilify Egypt on sectarian grounds. Accordingly, they reasonably perceive the success of the Egyptian Revolution as a direct threat to their own regimes, perhaps even more threatening than the Iranian Revolution of 1979 or Abd al-Nasir’s regime in the 60s. Nevertheless, it would be a great mistake for Egyptians to heed such threats. There are alternative sources of capital in the world, and a democratic Egypt would recognize that the talents of its people are its greatest resource. Some of the most talented Egyptians are in the Gulf, and their return could have a positive impact on Egypt’s development provided the right economic reforms are made. With a democratic government, the chances of implementing such reforms are greater than they have ever been in the past. Finally, and if the worst case scenario took place, the Egyptian government is not helpless: it could freeze their assets in Egypt until such time as they came to their senses.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

Of course what the Gulf governments will not mention is that they can get even cheaper labour from Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh to name but a few. For example, the working conditions of many construction workers in glamorous Dubai is modern day slavery. So in my opinion, they are now looking for any excuse to get rid of Egyptian staff, why pay more when you can just get someone to do double the amount of work for half of the rates! 

Take a look at this article:

Transfer of Jobs to Asian Workers Feeds Discontent - WSJ.com


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## MaidenScotland (Jun 6, 2009)

aykalam said:


> Of course what the Gulf governments will not mention is that they can get even cheaper labour from Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh to name but a few. For example, the working conditions of many construction workers in glamorous Dubai is modern day slavery. So in my opinion, they are now looking for any excuse to get rid of Egyptian staff, why pay more when you can just get someone to do double the amount of work for half of the rates!
> 
> Take a look at this article:
> 
> Transfer of Jobs to Asian Workers Feeds Discontent - WSJ.com




I read the article and find it hard to believe he was earning the money he says he was. I have dealings with Saudi and send staff there and indeed bring staff over from there to here... Filipinos are paid more money than Egyptians and not the other way round as they are considered to be better workers and more honest, plus it is easier to get them visas to the west if they travel with their employer.


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## Sonrisa (Sep 2, 2010)

I get the feeling that some Gulf rulers are sitting very uncomfortably in ther thrones right now.


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## aykalam (Apr 12, 2010)

MaidenScotland said:


> I read the article and find it hard to believe he was earning the money he says he was. I have dealings with Saudi and send staff there and indeed bring staff over from there to here... Filipinos are paid more money than Egyptians and not the other way round as they are considered to be better workers and more honest, plus it is easier to get them visas to the west if they travel with their employer.


lol yes I did spot that too, $1,000 working as a chicken farmer seems a lot to me too. 

I think the jist of the article is about manual workers from the Indian subcontinent and China taking the jobs that previously were mainly done by workers from other Arab countries such as Egypt. And yes, those Asian labourers are cheaper than Egyptians, that's why they have been brought to even Egypt and now the Min. of Manpower is saying they will no longer issue work permits to foreigners.


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