A harmless kiss, or an attack on a nation’s values?

The letter below, supposedly written by an Emirati national, has been published in the '7 Days' newspaper in Dubai this morning.   In a breathtaking leap of logic the letter's author opines that kisses between consenting adults lead inevitably to legalised pedophilia.  He also states that 'the woman deserves all she got' while making no mention of the man kissee 'deserving' jail and deportation. 
Whether the letter is genuine or a 'beat-up', it highlights a growing "them -v- us" mentality in Dubai.
Postings on the numerous expat forums indicate that a growing number of Dubai expats are concerned as, judging by the couple of recent Court cases, an expat will be jailed then deported following any uncorroborated, unsubstantiated complaint made against him or her.  In the current cause celebre, The Kissing Case, the alleged incident took place in Dubai in an archetypal Western style restaurant, 'Bob's American Diner', at 2am.  The complainant is a 2 year old child.  The child's mother, who made the complaint on her daughter's behalf, has changed her story several times as to whether she, herself, saw The Kiss or not.  No witnesses appeared for the complainant, the defendants were not permitted to call their own witnesses and, as a result, the decision to jail and deport was based wholely on the statement of the two year old.
(The publicity that's been generated by this incident may also present some difficulties for the nascent honeymoon tourism sector in the UAE. )
The letter follows:
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"The West have a lot of good values that we need to embrace but also a lot of bad “values” that we do not want like sexual promiscuity, that starts with “innocent” kisses and end up with calls to legalise sex with children like we have seen recently.
This woman in the news deserves what she got (and in my opinion even more that that).
We are really getting fed up with your attitude, and arrogance and the disrespect you show.
If you want to live in this country then you need to respect the laws of the land, and while I used to get annoyed but turn a blind eye to some of your misbehaviour, I will now make sure I take action, so beware all you indecent people out there, I will be watching and calling the police for any such behaviour, and if you do not like our values you can always pack up and go to some sexually-free country."
Muhammad Rashed
Dubai

Dubai kissing couple jailed on the word of a 2 year old.

Source: BBC News
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A British man and woman jailed in Dubai for kissing in public have lost their appeal against their conviction.
Ayman Najafi, 24, and Charlotte Adams, 25, were sentenced to a month in prison with subsequent deportation and fined about £200 for drinking alcohol.
The pair were arrested in November after a local woman accused them of breaking the country's decency laws by kissing on the mouth in a restaurant.
Najafi said he was "very disappointed". The pair plan to make a second appeal.
The initial complaint against them was made by a 38-year-old woman who said she was offended by their behaviour at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, where she was dining with her daughter.
'Very harsh'
The pair's defence lawyers said the woman - who did not appear in court - had not seen the kiss herself, but had been told by her two-year-old child that the girl had seen them kissing.
Magdi Abdelhadi of BBC News says: "Dubai looks very Western with its gleaming apartment blocks and super modern shopping malls. The Western façade can, however, lull the unsuspecting visitor into believing that it is also a liberal society.
And that appears to be primarily why Western visitors have recently fallen foul of the law there.
Scratch the modern surface and you discover a conservative Muslim culture, arguably far more so than many others in the Middle East.
Consumption of alcohol is restricted to a small number of places, mainly for Western visitors and expatriates.
Although there is no strict separation of the sexes as in neighbouring Saudi Arabia, the boundaries for what you can and cannot do in public can be tricky, especially for outsiders. While an unmarried Western couple can share a room in a hotel - or even live together - they are expected to observe local custom when outside their home.
So sentencing a couple for having kissed in public may be shocking for Western public opinion, but will most likely be applauded in conservative Arab societies, especially where there is a perception that Westerners are often expected to be given a preferential treatment."
The defendants also claimed they had merely kissed each other on the cheek, and therefore had not broken any laws.
The BBC's Ben Thompson, at the court, said the judge spoke entirely in Arabic as he quickly dismissed the appeal, saying he upheld the previous sentence.
They were fined 1,000 dirhams, which is about £200. They now have 30 days to appeal.
It was left to the defence lawyer to explain the verdict to Najafi and Adams.
Najafi said after the case: "It's very harsh, based on contradictory evidence. The courts haven't called on any of our witnesses who are prepared to testify that this didn't happen."
His mother, Maida Najafi, told the BBC her son had grown up in the UK and was used to common British greetings.
"Maybe they think he should know better because he's from a Muslim family but Ayman grew up in this country, and that's the normal greeting... in this country," she said.
The pair decided not to start their sentence immediately, but the Dubai authorities are holding their passports so they are unable to return to Britain.
Professor John Strawson, an expert in Islamic law, told BBC Radio 5 Live he was not surprised by the judge's decision.
He said: "The problem in this particular case is that one of the British citizens is of Muslim origin.
"And I think that the combination of the alleged kissing and the consumption of alcohol in an illegal place, meant that this was a case that the authorities really wanted to pursue, and they are probably sticking to their rigid interpretation of the law."
Professor Strawson said the Dubai authorities often turned a blind eye to foreigners' behaviour, because of the high income that comes from tourists.
But he said Dubai had recently issued new explanations tightening up their laws.
'Cultural differences'
The Foreign Office advises Britons going to Dubai, which is part of the United Arab Emirates, to be wary of breaching local customs.
A statement on its travel advice website reads: "Britons can find themselves facing charges relating to cultural differences, such as using bad language, rude gestures or public displays of affection."
Najafi, from north London, had been working for marketing firm Hay Group in Dubai for about 18 months.
The case is the latest in a series of incidents over recent years in which foreigners have broken Dubai's strict decency laws.
In March, an Indian couple in their 40s were sentenced to three months in jail in Dubai after sending each other sexually explicit text messages.
In 2008, two Britons accused of having sex on a beach in Dubai were sentenced to three months in jail, though the sentences were later suspended.

Longer visas needed to boost Dubai homes market

Source: ArabianBusiness, 1 April 2010
Photo: I took it during a seaplane flight from Jebel Ali.
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 Longer visas are needed to boost Dubai's real estate market, say experts. The length of visas offered to foreign buyers of Dubai property is too short and is hampering the recovery of the county’s beaten-down real estate market, experts have said.
The six-month visas currently issued to expatriate homeowners are deterring foreign investors, who will favour housing markets with more relaxed residency rules.
“Shortness of residency is definitely keeping the buyers away,” said Nicholas Maclean, managing director of CB Richard Ellis Middle East.
“We do need to elongate the window that people have so they don’t need to go back and forth. The period we have at the moment is a barrier to entry.”
Property prices in Dubai have plunged 50 percent since their peak in 2008 in the wake of a global downturn, wiping an estimated $100bn off the value of the emirate’s developed property assets.
According to Colliers International, one in four homes now stand empty. The emirate will be oversupplied by 32,000 new homes by the end of the year, predicts Deutsche Bank.
At the height of the property boom, buyers were promised visas by developers - including state-backed Nakheel and Dubai Properties – a move that was later overruled by the UAE federal government.
Last June, the Department of Naturalisation and Residency said foreign buyers could avail of a six-month visa, dependent on factors such as the price of the property and the applicant’s monthly salary.
Critics of the plan say the residency period is too short to entice new buyers to the UAE market, and excludes a significant number of lower-income expats.
“The one thing that would give a real boost to the property market would be if the federal government would allow three-year visas. It would transform the market,” said Charles Neil, CEO of Landmark Properties, at a recent roundtable. “This is the one thing that is keeping investors away at the moment.”
“Dubai is trying to fill up a growing city. How can they fill up the city if they can’t give residency?” said Tomas Ghassemi, managing partner of The Property Store.
Aside from providing a shot in the arm to the housing market, an overhaul of the visa laws would allow Dubai to filter its long-term residents more selectively, said Maclean.
“By tweaking the visa regulations the government can control who buys here. And that might be a good thing, so they can keep people here who could be a long-term benefit to – rather than beneficiary of – the economy here. We should be encouraging people who want to come, bring their families, educate their children, spend into the retail markets and have a house,” he said.

Abu Dhabi Death Could Spark a Dynastic Struggle

Many reports are stating that the late Sheikh Ahmed was the brother of Sheikh Khalifa.  This is incorrect.  Sheikh Ahmed was Sheikh Khalifa's half-brother, they have different mothers.  His father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, had 19 sons from several different wives.  This web of fraternal relationshops is important and is explained in more depth in this article from 'Time'.Source: Time magazine
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The body of Sheik Ahmed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, managing director of one of the world's largest sovereign wealth funds, was retrieved on Tuesday, fished out from a picturesque lake some 20 miles southeast of the Moroccan capital, Rabat, that his glider had crashed into five days before. The 41-year-old was the half-brother of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan, President of the United Arab Emirates and ruler of Abu Dhabi, the most influential — and with some 8% of the world's proven oil reserves — the wealthiest of the seven states that comprise the U.A.E.
The sudden passing of Sheik Ahmed, who was ranked No. 27 on Forbes' list of Most Powerful People last year, is likely to precipitate a power struggle among several of his 17 surviving brothers as they maneuver to replace him. (The late Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahayan, former U.A.E. president and the country's founding father, had 19 sons from several different wives. Another of his sons, Sheik Nasser, was killed in a helicopter crash in June 2008.)
Sheik Ahmed was a senior member of the ruling al-Nahayan clan, and since 1997 was charged with overseeing the day-to-day runnings of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA). The fund has stakes in companies including Citigroup, the Hyatt Hotels and Britain's Gatwick airport. Engorged with Abu Dhabi's substantial oil surpluses, ADIA's assets are estimated at between $300 billion and $800 billion. It was Abu Dhabi's wealth that helped bail out sister city-state Dubai when it ran short of funds to complete the world's tallest building — which was then renamed the Burj Khalifa after the President of the U.A.E.
Power and influence among the male heirs of the al-Nahayan clan is divided among several groups within the family; the President, Sheik Khalifa, who does not have any full brothers, and Crown Prince Sheik Mohammed, who along with his five full brothers from a common mother, Sheika Fatima bint Mubarak, form the most powerful bloc within the clan. The sons of Sheika Fatima (the late Sheik Zayed's third wife) control the defense, intelligence, national security and foreign affairs portfolios, as well as the chairmanship of Abu Dhabi's second largest sovereign wealth fund (the International Petroleum Investments Co., or IPIC) and Mubadala, the state investment company, among other things.
As ADIA's managing director, Sheik Ahmed, who was the son of Sheika Mouza, another wife of Sheikh Zayed, held one of the few pillars of the oil-soaked emirate's economy not dominated by the powerful crown prince and his full brothers. Christopher M. Davidson, senior lecturer at Durham University and author of Abu Dhabi: Oil and Beyond, says that with Sheik Ahmed out of the picture, the crown prince and his brothers are likely to move on ADIA. "Then they will control virtually all of Abu Dhabi's economy," he says.
But there are elements within the family that may oppose them, including the President, who may want to place one of his two sons in the role. Sheik Ahmed had four full brothers, and they are also likely to try and keep the position among themselves. His eldest full brother, Sheik Saif, wields significant influence as the powerful Interior Minister.
Despite the tensions, the dynastic tussle is likely to be veiled. Issues of succession in conservative gulf kingdoms are customarily dealt with behind firmly closed doors, and Abu Dhabi — more traditional than its showy neighbor and U.A.E. constituent, Dubai — is hypersensitive about its image and extremely unlikely to let any split within its royal family become public. ADIA's holdings are unlikely to be affected, primarily because Abu Dhabi's wealth is still Abu Dhabi's wealth regardless of who manages its sovereign fund, and because its investments rarely exceed 5% stakes in any given company.

But whoever assumes the helm of ADIA will be of keen interest to Dubai, according to Davidson. Apart from the troubles with the Burj Khalifa, debt-laden Dubai received a $10 billion bailout late last year from Abu Dhabi to pay off the debts of some of its most troubled state-run companies. "Dubai will be hoping that whoever replaces [Sheik Ahmed] will be someone who is more open to assisting Dubai, rather than this drip-feed of financial assistance Abu Dhabi has been giving Dubai, little by little, humiliating them every step of the way," Davidson says. Sheik Ahmed was widely considered to be among "the most conservative members of the ruling family, extremely cautious in nature," Davidson adds.
Dubai's ruler, Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, might be pinning his hopes on his son-in-law Sheik Mansour, who is one of the Abu Dhabi crown prince's full brothers. Davidson says "there's no doubt" that he's the one member of the al-Nahayan clan that Dubai would like to see take charge. But Sheik Mansour already controls IPIC. Will he be given the reins of both of the emirate's massive kitties? It's improbable but not impossible, especially in a country where too much is never enough.

Emiratis get tetchy with expats in the UAE

In stories like that below, the word 'expat' seems, in so many people's minds, to mean Western.  I wish these articles would begin by pointing out that  81% of the population here are from the sub-continent, the Phillipines and other Arab nations.  Western expats make up only 3% of the population.  Emiratis are at 16%.
Source: The Telegraph 29 March 2010
Photo: Iconotec Stock Photography
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The United Arab Emirates, and Dubai in particular, has undergone breakneck development in recent decades, attracting foreign money and foreign visitors - in their billions and millions respectively. But such progress also has its price.
"We have become a minority. Our traditions are threatened and Arabic is no longer a first language," says Ibtisam al-Ketbi, a sociology professor at the United Arab Emirates University.
"We are surrounded by foreigners, and live in constant fear for our children because of the spread of drugs and a rise in crime rates," she adds, echoing a sentiment felt by many "nationals," as they are commonly called.
The recent case of a British couple sentenced to a month in prison after an Emirati mother complained that they were kissing in a Dubai restaurant highlights a growing unease among a traditionally conservative local population.
The two 20-somethings were also accused of consuming alcohol, a fact they acknowledged, but said in their defence that they had only kissed on the cheek.
Now they have had their passports confiscated and have to wait as their case makes its way through the appeals procedure. They should find out in April whether their conviction has been upheld or they are free to leave.
It is understandable that many people in the UAE feel they are being swamped.
Before the 1968 oil boom, nationals made up some 62 per cent of the federation's population but now account for just 16.5 per cent of an estimated population of six million, officials say.
In Dubai, the disparities are even greater. Emiratis make up only around five per cent of the two million residents, estimates Chris Davidson, author of a book called Dubai: The Vulnerability of Success.
"Many nationals now contend that they feel unwelcome in certain parts of the city and often complain that restaurant and hotel managers discriminate against national dress," writes Davidson.
In Dubai, Emiratis entrench themselves in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of the city in order not to have to mingle more than necessary with foreigners, whose customs differ widely from their own.
"We are practically living in reservations, and if this abnormal growth continues at the current rate, in 20 years' time we'll end up like the American Indians," Ketbi says.
"We were undergoing natural development until the property boom came along in the past 10 years, and in the attempt to encourage foreign investment, the city became open to everything, including alcohol and prostitution."
On radio talk shows, Emiratis often complain of seeing scantily clad foreigners in public parks and shopping malls, and express concern about how easy it is to buy alcohol.
Special permits are required for restaurants and clubs to serve alcohol, and individuals need a permit from the government. But alcohol is still available in almost all hotels and in many restaurants.
Foreigners are required to be modestly dressed, but in reality this provision is neither observed nor enforced.
Nightclubs in Dubai can compare to those in major cities around the world, alcohol flows freely at sporting events and restrictions on women's clothing are almost non-existent.
The police do sometimes intervene, however, as they did in the case of a British couple arrested in 2008 accused of having sex on a public beach - a story that made headlines across the globe.
Michelle Palmer, a British expat, and Vince Acors, a tourist, were each given a three-month suspended sentence, fined and ordered to be deported.
The Britons denied having sex in public and public indecency, but admitted to being under the influence of alcohol when they were caught on Dubai's Jumeirah public beach.
Their case drew unwanted attention to what has been a fine balancing act of preserving tradition while also allowing in outside influences that can quickly come into open conflict with an ancient and proud culture.
"Emiratis are starting to lose much of their identity, and the presence of so many expats leads to unacceptable behaviour that does not conform to our traditions," said Abdel Khalek Abdullah, an Emirati writer and academic.
"What arouses UAE concern is the massive influx of foreigners due to very rapid economic growth. If officials do not take bold steps, the social costs of this frantic economic development will be much greater than any economic benefits."
Abdullah thinks that "the government must review its development strategy and reduce the proportion of its ambitious growth," which may have slowed in Dubai today but is still rampant in the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi.
According to Davidson, the worldwide economic crisis has caused anger over foreigners' customs and behaviour to be more widely expressed.
"The resentment nationals feel about foreigners is becoming more public," he believes. "Two or three years ago, no one really cared."

Head of largest sovereign wealth fund missing

Source: Sydney Morning Herald/AP, 28 March 2010
Photo: Forbes
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Rescue workers are scouring an artificial Moroccan lake in search of the head of Abu Dhabi's sovereign wealth fund - the world's largest - who went missing after his glider crashed.
Morocco's official MAP news agency said Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan's glider went down in the lake on Friday. The pilot of the aircraft was rescued in good condition, but authorities continued the search for Al Nahyan.
Al Nahyan is the managing director of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority. He is also the younger brother of Sheik Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the leader of the United Arab Emirates.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority could not be immediately reached for comment.
The glider went down near the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdallah Dam, which forms the lake. It is located near the Atlantic coastal town of Skhirat, about 35km south of the capital city Rabat and site of one of Morocco's royal palaces.
The search could be particularly arduous because of recent heavy rains that have pushed up water levels.
The family of Ahmed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is known to have numerous properties around this North African kingdom.
The bulk of the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority holdings are in the United States and Europe. Al Nahyan said earlier this year the Abu Dhabi fund sees "significant, long-term investment potential" in both regions despite the global downturn.
The fund broke with its customary privacy by issuing its first yearly statement last week - one of the biggest steps yet by the world's largest sovereign wealth fund to increase transparency. However, the report did not contain information on its balance sheet or the overall size of the fund's holdings.
Analysts believe ADIA is the world's largest sovereign wealth fund, with estimates of its size having ranged from less than $US400 billion ($A440.87 billion) to $US875 billion ($A964.4 billion) and beyond.
Its investments include a $US7.5 billion ($A8.27 billion) cash injection into Citigroup Inc in 2007. Stocks and other equities in the developed world make up the largest class of the fund's assets, ranging from 35 to 45 per cent of its holdings.
Between 35 and 50 per cent of ADIA's investments are typically in North America, and another 25 to 35 per cent are in Europe.
The fund, like other investors, is believed to have lost considerable value during the market downturn before bouncing back somewhat over the past year.

Former head of DIFC questioned by state security

The clock's been ticking on this one since Dr bin Sulaiman's rapid departure from the DIFC in November.
Source: Gulf News 25 March 2010
Photo: Foto search Stock
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The Public Funds Prosecution is interrogating the former governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman for alleged violations that took place during his tenure.
Gulf News yesterday reported the detention and interrogation of Bin Sulaiman for alleged abuse of public office.
The suspect had been detained since Thursday and is being questioned over preliminary charges of abusing public service.
The investigation is based on a report by the Financial Control Department of the Dubai Ruler's Court, which confirmed that such violations took place during the tenure of Bin Sulaiman and accused him of abusing his position in appropriating public funds.
The Public Prosecution decided to detain him during the investigation, which is being carried out by prosecutor Salem Bin Khadem under the supervision of Esmail Madani, head of the Public Funds Prosecution.
Justice
Investigations indicated that Bin Sulaiman had given himself annual performance bonuses which amounted to Dh50 million.
WAM quoted Essam Eisa Al Humaidan, Attorney General of Dubai, as saying that the Government of Dubai is keen to implement justice without leniency against anyone convicted in this case. Al Humaidan said the investigation of Bin Sulaiman comes within the framework of complete transparency and the effort to combat administrative corruption and to protect public funds and public office integrity.
He stressed that the step came after reports by control authorities supported by documents confirmed the abuse of power by the former DIFC governor to seize public funds without legal justification.
Al Humaidan said the Dubai Public Prosecution will refer a number of similar cases in the coming period, WAM reported.
Corruption cases
A number of high-profile corruption cases have gone to court with the Dubai Court of Cassation handing irrevocable imprisonment and a fine of millions of dirhams to two former Nakheel executives.
The same court handed a similar jail term and fine of about Dh14 million to an Emirati former executive of Dubai Industrial City.
The Cassation Court will issue its ruling against five officials involved in the same graft case.
The Appeals Court and the Court of First Instance are looking into ten cases of corruption involving more than a dozen officials of companies such as Deyaar, Tamweel, Waterfront, Nakheel, Mizin and Dubai Islamic Bank.
Some have been sentenced and others are being questioned in court. Gulf News has learnt that Deyaar's former CEO could be facing a fifth case.