# Canadians attacked by locals



## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Three brothers accused of beating couple in Dubai cafe - The National Newspaper


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

I think you need to change the thread title to Canadians Assaulted By Locals!


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Felixtoo2 said:


> I think you need to change the thread title to Canadians Assaulted By Locals!


Done


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Sorry, forgot about the restrictions on sarcasm.


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## pamela0810 (Apr 5, 2010)

I'm too mad to say anything. Bet they'll get away with it.


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Well the couple weren't showing enough "respect", which they should have shown as they are "guests", so they had it coming their way...

Best part of the story: _Only E A appeared before the presiding judge, Hamad Abdel Latif, of the Dubai Criminal Court of First Instance yesterday and denied the charges. The court questioned the absence of his two brothers, *but no reason was given*._

One would think the judge was the offending party by the way the accused refused to appear in front of him and that too without reason.

Reminds me of an incident recently, when an expat family's table is taken by another man (when the family went to the buffet table), and the "occupier" showed no remorse and said "i'm not moving, what will you do?"......


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## Vetteguy (Jan 3, 2010)

I believe Pamela hit the nail on the head.....They will get away with it.........
I too will hold my sarcasim to myself.....


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Quote'Well the couple weren't showing enough "respect", which they should have shown as they are "guests", so they had it coming their way' unquote'

Are you seriously saying that because they refused to move out of seats they were sitting in in a public place they deserve to be attacked?


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## cami (Aug 11, 2010)

i generally stay out of their way, be them local males or females. as an expat here, you don't have any rights. it's better to avoid confrontations because they know they are the privileged class and they won't stop showing you that. we only count here as long as we work for them.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Veronica said:


> Are you seriously saying that because they refused to move out of seats they were sitting in in a public place they deserve to be attacked?


I think you are missing most peoples point, perhaps because you don't live here.

In the UAE there is a constant mantra, through the media, that expats must respect Emiratis, the government and the UAE as a whole. Fair enough, we are guests in their country. However this *demand* for respect is constant and essentially an order, alien to the concept that in the UK respect is earned.

Granted, it's when cut up while driving or when a local pushes to the front of a supermarket queue that we all get cynical about "respect". But this extreme case is an extension of the same thing, hence my original title and further peoples sarcasm about respect.

As a side, reading stories about a pregnant woman gettin her jaw dislocated, in IKEA of all places, makes me regret committing to this place and wishes the worst of ills for this country and it's people. And that is me holding back both my feelings and diction on this particular matter.


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

All the emiratis I have met (ok, I have only met a few and only 3 that I have become 'close' with to be able to frankly talk and discuss topics with), are dismayed with most of these things. 

I do have a sheikh that I have found myself on the not so well liked list, because he thinks no one should question his business practices, prices, nor his lack of trained personnel. I am going to go pay his store a visit so he can stop searching and just introduce myself. Wish me luck.


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## Vetteguy (Jan 3, 2010)

Jynx
Careful. Because you may be threading on thin ice going to his territory...Meet on neutral ground if there must be a confrontation......
GOOD LUCK!!!


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## Jynxgirl (Nov 27, 2009)

I am being careful. It is avoiding him and the store that would not be wise at this point. I bet you can not guess what emirate this mans family is from?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Like anywhere there are 'bad' locals and 'good' locals. Sadly many have ideas way above their station and claim to have 'wasta' thus scaring people when they have none. 

As an expat, as long as you are not breaking any laws, you have no reason to fear Emiratis. Most are decent people and a few, who behave in such appalling ways, are the ones giving the rest a bad name. Some have had far too many privileges, but most do not want to be seen in this way and are horrified at such behaviour.

There is a massive culture gap, but I do think that many expats have their own sense of entitlement, and a lack of understanding of local customs and behaviour, leads to misunderstandings.
-


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## bigbang70 (Apr 9, 2010)

I don't know maybe it's just me, but if someone hit my pregnant wife, I would have stabbed him in the eye with a fork, went to jail do my time and go home.....People like that deserve no respect. but if your in the jungle you should watch out for the wild animals..


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Elphaba said:


> and a lack of understanding of local customs and behaviour, leads to misunderstandings.-


Is there that much of a lack of understanding though?

Sure we have the odd high profile cases such as sex on the beach case but look how many thousands of us manage to have a drink and get a taxi home quietly, week in week out. 

I've never seen expats trying to sneak a drink in on the beach for example because most of the time people do respect the laws and cultures.

The same goes for dress sense, holding hands and kissing in public.

Yet there is still this constant demand for respect and running to the police whenever their face is out of align. And this from a society whose foundations seem to be based on hypocrisy, thievery and similar vile traits.


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## bigbang70 (Apr 9, 2010)

MrRossi,,
Please tell us how you really feel, think you speak for most clear thinking people


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Their behaviour was appalling; utterly disgraceful.

Anyone who knows me will appreciate that I am not an apologist for poor Emirati behaviour, but I do want people to realise that they are not above the law. Whilst some do appear to get away with certain things, the laws do apply to them.

Just because someone is in local dress it does not mean that they can push in front of a queue, demand to be served first or sit where they like. Sometimes a polite reminder is all that is needed to explain that this is actually a queue or you were waiting first. If someones is still pushy it is simply because they are an ignorant, arrogant jerk, not because they are local.

On this particular story, I note that only one of the accused turned up at court. I do hope the other two are held in contempt for not bothering to show and that all three receive proper sentences and are suitable shamed.
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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Elphaba said:


> There is a massive culture gap, but I do think that many expats have their own sense of entitlement, and a lack of understanding of local customs and behaviour, leads to misunderstandings.
> -


Which has nothing to do with this case at least.....

If someone gets angry at his pregnant wife being attacked, can we call his anger as "lack of understanding of local customs" ?

There is a particular group of people here who are so passive that they dont react even if their parents are cursed in public, even if someone hits them, they react with a wobble of the head and a "Sorry, sir".

Should everyone be similarly passive ?


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Mr Rossi said:


> Is there that much of a lack of understanding though?
> 
> Sure we have the odd high profile cases such as sex on the beach case but look how many thousands of us manage to have a drink and get a taxi home quietly, week in week out.
> 
> ...


Not disagreeing with you at all, but I still think that many who do uphold the law here, still l don't understand the differences between 'Western' and Arab cultures. Western culture is very much about the individual, whereas Arab culture is more about the group/family. There are quite different mindsets.

There is a difference between respectfully upholding the law and understanding the local culture. 
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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Elphaba;357104
Just because someone is in local dress it does not mean that they can push in front of a queue said:


> While it does not mean so, it happens all the time, and people reacting to such abuse of rules are often threatened. So a "polite reminder" doesn always work.
> 
> There are imbeciles from every country, however, luckily, even mobsters from soem countries behave themselves when in Dubai....


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Tropicana said:


> Which has nothing to do with this case at least.....
> 
> If someone gets angry at his pregnant wife being attacked, can we call his anger as "lack of understanding of local customs" ?
> 
> ...


Take a momen to reiread what I have said. I have condemned their behaviour, but am trying to explain a point.

I have never said anyone should passively accept anything - quite the opposite. 
-


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Tropicana said:


> While it does not mean so, it happens all the time, and people reacting to such abuse of rules are often threatened. So a "polite reminder" doesn always work.
> 
> There are imbeciles from every country, however, luckily, even mobsters from soem countries behave themselves when in Dubai....


Like I said - there are arrogant idiots everywhere, but the majority of people react well to politeness. What are these threats & do you really think they can be carried out? It is a myth, handily perpetuated by some locals, that they all have wasta. They don't.
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## bigbang70 (Apr 9, 2010)

You need to choose your battles carefully


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## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Not everything has to be a battle. 

Understanding who you are dealing with and how to handle them goes a long way...
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## bigbang70 (Apr 9, 2010)

I meant that metaphorically


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## Shekamu (Aug 25, 2010)

I don't think whoever was stupid and brutal enough to assault a family in a restaurant for such a silly reason as wanting a table is going to get away with it in court. There must be many witnesses. Being Emirati is not a ticket to getting away with crimes.

As for pushing to get in the front of queues, I'm Emirati and have at many times experienced that happening with various nationalities. It's individual behaviour.


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## Vetteguy (Jan 3, 2010)

Shekamu said:


> As for pushing to get in the front of queues, I'm Emirati and have at many times experienced that happening with various nationalities. It's individual behaviour.


I agree with you on that one....It seems no matter what country I have been to in this world I have experienced rudeness from locals. You cannot stereotype a whole country on the actions of a few bad apples.


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

Shekamu said:


> I don't think whoever was stupid and brutal enough to assault a family in a restaurant for such a silly reason as wanting a table is going to get away with it in court. There must be many witnesses. Being Emirati is not a ticket to getting away with crimes.
> 
> As for pushing to get in the front of queues, I'm Emirati and have at many times experienced that happening with various nationalities. It's individual behaviour.


Agree also. Twice in the past two days I've blocked a queue jumper. Neither looked like they were Emirati to me.


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