From : Eurika1809@aol.com
Sent : Tuesday, June 7, 2005 7:39 PM
To : arabtimesnewspaper@hotmail.com
Subject : (no subject)
Dear Editor

I wrote to you fairly recently, following the horrific murder of Hanan Zamrani in Dubai, which left me until this very moment, with a deep psychological scar, so
much so, I decided to refrain temporarily from reading anymore disturbing story
reports coming from that side of the world, in general. But the sequence and the enormity of scandals did not help me to control my curiosity at any stage.
Sadly, the more I read the more I distance myself, in disgrace and shame, from my own race...!

Arab Times news paper, is not at all, the only contribution to have trigged in me
this negative feeling. It can only be the 'last straw' or, as I prefer to express it in French, (c'est la goutte d'eau qui a fait deborder le vase! ). I truly lost count of the amount of stories, I heard over the years involving key figures, 'Sheikhs,' and ordinary people alike, from the Arab Gulf Countries, in the most nauseate, shocking, degrading and dishonourable behaviour, that left me in speechless disbelief.

What made the matter worse in my view, is the fact that they don't restrict their 'bedouin' habits to themselves, locally, they travel with it overseas, to countries
highly sensitive by culture, to individual's social conduct.
The latest typical example of that, is the 'Sheikh-Gay' Falah of Dubai, who may be under effect of alcohol and background upbringing, couldn't control his rude
manners, ended up in a comical spectacle inside a private hotel in Switzerland, and a prosecution on top. That' s how in most cases, many westerns in particular, turn prejudice against us!
I witnessed with my own eyes here in London, an Englishman calling the Arabs, 'Rats,' and bitterly complaining to his audience, people's appalling behaviour.

Watching the cities of any of the Arab Gulf countries, on television, you could easily
be mistake for Dallas, but never judge a book by its cover! when you talk and deal with the people, if you are not, fair, with green or blue eyes, and not a European descent! you wish you never been there! this is a standard comment from people
who visited the place.

I am not trying to be offensive to anyone, but my personal impression about this
part of the world, which I call in my book, 'Ali Baba' countries, without being
inspired by dislike or hate, but rather, by observations, backed up by word of mouth experiences, showing the obvious absence, or, if it is there, it is not being respected,
of a proper, authority-constitutional structure, governing the institutions of these countries and holding the system together.
It seems, the mentality does not allow such a process to live them, because
it doesn't accommodate their life style, together with their social code of practice.
Naturally so, if some individual see themselves above the law and can not be
touched or even questioned! Such discriminate social structure will inevitably obstruct the efficiency of the system, and cannot survive the environment.

The name 'country', in its modern concept, doesn't sound more than a physical and
geographical border, in their imagination, still strongly overwhelmed by the notion of Tribe, or 'Kabila,' where the social structure is made to measure, to suit
the upper hands, otherwise, how can someone explain, why the murder of Hanan Zamrani in Dubai was covered up by the police? meant to secure, law and order!

Is there any country in the world, where police find themselves unable to investigate a murder case because of the killer social ranking? Only in 'Ali Baba' country!

Is there any country in the world, with a healthy legal system, knowingly, would
encourage their police forces to become a complice in a crime, helping to hide the element of conviction, in support for the murderer against his victim?
Only in Ali Baba country!

Is there any country in the world, where a criminal would openly, with the help of the police, attempt to bribe the family of his victim, to shut up?
Only in Ali Baba country!

Would anyone trust to live, work, or invest in such institutional environment! Surely not me, thank you!

A helpless mum with her son, in the case of Mrs AL Breiki, running and hiding,
life threatened, was chased up at government level, until she fled the country, refugee status, and that, was only part of the damage, as she was illegally stripped off her assets, fired from her job, crooked and conspired against, by her OWN solicitors! Her only wrong doing, she spoke up her mind!
Is this the 21st century, or is it time difference in Dubai yet...?

Still in the fairy tale of the same country, the one before the last scandal I read, was about the innocent tender age children, bought and imported from Mauritania, to be used as a sport attraction, in one of their favourite competitions events, camel
racing.The dilemma of the poor children doesn't even end where the race starts, they have to endure first, a cruel starving diet to be kept in toy-weight, in thought to increase the odds for a win, in the honour and joy of the happy 'Sheikh', not bothered by the damage they're inflicting to the health of these children, caused
by nutrients deficiency, which will certainly affect their natural cycle of body growth.
Camels must feel deeply sorry for their riders, but they can only watch!

Opening the chapter of freedom of speech in a democratic modern society. I
must admit, I was more than impressed by the amount of requests, from Arab Times
readers, insisting not to disclose their ID!
( WA LA TOULKU BI AYDEEKOM ELA' TAHLOOKA )

Finally, it not all bad news, for a change! The very last thing I read about, was a
spicy touch of Al Maktoom sense of humour, a 'Real-Joke,' that would make, even Khddafi, the Mickey Mouse of politics, cry his eyes out with laughter. An entire
government leaves the country behind, for their servants to be looked after, so they can celebrate a horse race win in a different continent.

Would anyone prove me wrong, if I said this is 'Ali Baba' country!

The best yet to come,