Qatar human traffiking a joke

18 Dec, 2009  Uncategorized

It’s funny. Walking in villaggio I spotted the anti human traffiking booth with a board for people to draw their flags and show unity against something so heinous. They hired some guy to wear a thobe and make sure that people know about what Qatar is doing to combat this aroun the world.

Sadly he was more concerned talking to girls. I walked up to him and asked for a marker so that my Japanese friend could write next to te Japanese flag (that’s what people were doing at first) he replies rudely “no it’s not allowed”. “What ? Were supposed to be representing our country in a positive way”, I replied not knowing he wasn’t Qatari at first.

He replied that she could draw her flag on a piece of pape of he wanted otherwise no.

“Where does the paper go?”. “In the picture.”. “Where is the picture being shown?”. He says Qatar foundation. “Where in the Qatar foundation?”. “The amiri diwan”, he says.

Now by now I’ve heard his accent and I know he’s not Qatari. I know he thinks I’m not Qatari because I wasn’t wearing a thobe and he said amiri diwan because he thinks if he mentions the goverment I’ll shut up.

“The amiri diwan is on the corniche and Qatar foundation is by rayyan” i tell him. “This is embarrasing” I follow up with. I look at his sternly and say “you’re embarassing my country”. I walk away.

Now here’s the question. If he really works at that department or mission or whatever it is, then is he an integral part or is he just doing it for a job? If he does care about this mission then shouldn’t he be polite?

Such a disappointment.

  • Rainbowroundabout

    I have lived here long enough to learn that everyone who wears a thobe isn’t Qatari. (Thank God!) I am certain that many people from countries around Qatar who are expats just like the rest of us opt to wear local dress because they think it gives them the right to dish out ‘attitude’ to those of us who don’t! And that goes for how they treat others on roads, in malls, parks or wherever.

    Here’s to you Mr.Q for challenging someone who does indeed give your nation a bad name! Thankfully, if people like us live and work here long enough, we do realize that everyone who wants us to think they are from Qatar, are not!!

Freedom of Expression

    Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which the Qatari Government is a signatory of states: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any medias and regardless of any frontiers.

    The Emiri Decision Number 86 of the year 2007 on the establishment of the Doha Free Information Centre marked yet another step towards establishing a State of rights and freedom of speech. The decision stipulated that the Centre be a non-profit organization, headquartered in Doha City, and have the authority to establish other affiliated centres inside and outside Qatar. It is worth mentioning that His Highness the Emir issued a decision in 1998 annulling the ministry of information, giving birth to a new era of freedom of speech where censorship was removed from local media.