DUBAI – THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN THE WORLD?

1. DUBAI – THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY IN THE WORLD?

2. HUMAN RIGHTS • ARTICLE 25 OF CONSTITUTION OF UAE PROVIDES FOR THE EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF PERSONS WITH REGARD TO RACE, NATIONALITY, RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OR SOCIAL STATUS

3. HUMAN RIGHTS • ~250,000 LABOURERS, • MOSTLY SOUTH ASIAN • WORKING ON REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS • HOWEVER, MANY OF DUBAI'S 250,000 FOREIGN LABORERS LIVE IN CONDITIONS DESCRIBED BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH AS BEING "LESS THAN HUMAN

4. MANY FOREIGN LABORERS LIVE IN CONDITIONS DESCRIBED BY HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH AS BEING "LESS THAN HUMAN • REPORTS THAT WORKERS "TYPICALLY LIVE 8 TO A ROOM • NOT BEING PAID FOR MONTHS ON END • SENDING HOME A PORTION OF THEIR SALARY TO THEIR FAMILIES, WHOM THEY DON'T SEE FOR YEARS AT A TIME

5. NOT ALLOWED TO MOVE JOBS • IF THEY LEAVE THE COUNTRY TO GO HOME THEY WILL ALMOST CERTAINLY LOSE THE MONEY THEY SAY THEY ARE OWED • MOST ARE FOCED TO GIVE UP PASSPORTS UPON ENTERING DUBAI DIFFICULT TO RETURN HOME • SEPT. 2005 – MINISTER OF LABOUR ORDERED ONE COMPANY TO PAY UPAID WAGES WITHIN 24 HOURS AFTER WORKERS PROTESTED & PUBLISHED THE NAME OF THE COMPANY

6. DECEMBER 2005, THE INDIAN CONSULATE IN DUBAI SUBMITTED REPORT TO GOV’T OF INDIA – DETAILING LABOUR PROBLMES OF INDIAN EXPATRIATES IN DUBAI • DELAYED PAYMENTS • SUBSTITUION OF EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS • PREMATURE TERMINATION • EXCESSIVE WORKING HOURS

7. MARCH 2006 –WORKERS AT BURJ KALIFA UPSET OVER BUS TIMING AND WORKING CONDITIONS RIOTED- DAMAGE CARS, OFFICES, COMPUTERS, AND CONSTRUCTION TOOLS • ARTICLE

8. Judicial rulings in Dubai with regard to foreign nationals were brought to light by the alleged attempts to cover up information on the rape of Alexandre Robert, a 15 year old French-Swiss national, by three locals, one of whom was HIV positive • ARTICLE

9. recent mass imprisonment of migrant laborers, most of whom were from India, on account of their protests against poor wages and living conditions. • ARTICLE • ARTICLE

10. PROSTITUTION, THOUGH ILLEGAL BY LAW, IS CONSPICUOUSLY PRESENT IN THE EMIRATE BECAUSE OF AN ECONOMY THAT IS LARGELY BASED ON TOURISM AND TRADE

11. RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY THE AMERICAN CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL POLICY STUDIES (AMCIPS) FOUND THAT RUSSIAN AND ETHIOPIAN WOMEN ARE THE MOST COMMON PROSTITUTES, AS WELL AS WOMEN FROM OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES, WHILE INDIAN PROSTITUTES ARE PART OF A WELL ORGANIZED TRANS-OCEANIC PROSTITUTION NETWORK

12. A 2007 PBS DOCUMENTARY ENTITLED DUBAI: NIGHT SECRETS REPORTED THAT PROSTITUTION IN CLUBS IS TOLERATED BY AUTHORITIES AND MANY FOREIGN WOMEN WORK THERE WITHOUT BEING COERCED, ATTRACTED BY THE MONEY.

13. RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS • A POLICY OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION GENERALLY ALLOWS FOREIGNERS TO PRACTICE THEIR FAITH IN A PRIVATE RESIDENCE OR THEY CAN PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A LAND GRANT AND PERMISSION TO BUILD A RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION TO HOLD RELIGIOUS SERVICES, WHICH MAY BE A SLOW PROCESS

14. A FEW CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND HOSPITALS DO EXIST, ALONG WITH SOME FACILITIES FOR HINDUS, SIKHS AND BAHAI • NON-MUSLIM GROUPS ARE GENERALLY ALLOWED TO MEET AND ADVERTISE THEIR EVENTS, BUT THE LAW PROHIBITS AND HARSHLY PUNISHES PROSELYTIZING (CONVERTING) FREEDOM

15. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • DUBAI DOES, IN COMPARISON TO OTHER NATIONS IN THE REGION, EXTEND A DEGREE OF TOLERATION FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • CONSTITUTION OF UAE GUARANTEES FREEDOME OF OPINION, PRESS AND EXPRESSION WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE LAW

16. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • SHEIKH MOHAMMED, DUBAI’S CROWN PRINCE, HAS MADE PUBLIC SPEECHES ASSERTING THAT DUBAI WILL REMAIN COMMITTED TO PRESS FREEDOM, INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS ARE GENERALLY LEFT ALONE AND A NEW LAW WAS ENACTED THAT WILL PROTECT JOURNALISTS FROM IMPRISONMENT FOR DOING THEIR JOB

17. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • WHILE JOURNALISTS CAN NO LONGER BE JAILED FOR DOING THEIR JOB, OTHER LEGAL ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN AGAINST THEM. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE DUBAI PRESS REMAIN ON A GOVERNMENT LIST AS BEING BANNED FROM BEING PUBLISHED WITHIN THE EMIRATE

18. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • THE DUBAI MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND MEDIA BANNED THE EXHIBITION OF A PLAY, "KHOLKHAL", JUST HOURS BEFORE IT WAS SCHEDULED TO BE PERFORMED AT THE 8TH ANNUAL GULF THEATER FESTIVAL

19. FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION • THERE IS ALSO REPORTEDLY A DEGREE OF SELF-CENSORSHIP THAT OCCURS, FOR FEAR OF GOVERNMENTAL SANCTIONS, OF CERTAIN CERTAIN TOPICS THAT ARE CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT POLICY, THE ROYAL FAMILY, OR MAY OFFEND TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC MORALITY

20. WOMEN’S RIGHTS • THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UAE STIPULATES EQUAL RIGHTS FOR WOMEN IN CERTAIN AREAS OF SOCIETY, SUCH AS LEGAL STATUS, CLAIMING OF TITLES, AND ACCESS TO EDUCATION • COMMERCIAL • COMMERCIAL

21. LGTB RIGHTS • BOTH FEDERAL AND EMIRATE LAW PROHIBIT HOMOSEXUALITY AND CROSS-DRESSING WITH PUNISHMENT  RANGES FROM LONG PRISON SENTENCES, DEPORTATION AND DEATH PENALTY • NO NIGHTCLUBS FOR LGBT PATRONS AND NO POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IS ALLOWED TO ADVOCATE FOR LGTB RIGHTS

22. FINANCIAL CRISIS • $80 BILLION IN DEBT • $59 BILLION – DUBAI WORLD • 2007-2010 AFTER 6 YEAR REAL ESTATE BOOM • WORLD ECONOMIC RECESSION – IMPACT ON DUBAI – DECREASE IN REAL ESTATE AND INVESTMENT

23. FINANCIAL CRISIS • 2009 DUBAI GOV’T ASKED INVESTORS OF DUBAI WORLD TO “STANDSTILL” $59 BILLION LOANS AND EXTEND REPAYMENT UNTIL MAY 30TH 2010 • ABU DHABI - $10 BILLION BAILOUT

24. FINANCIAL CRISIS • 1/2 OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ($158.5 BILLION) PUT ON HOLD OR CANCELLED • RESULT  HALF-BULT TOWERS • CASUALTIES  TRUMP TOWER, FOUR HUGE THEME PARKS, RESORT COMPLEX, ARTIFICIAL ISLAND • BANKS HAVE STOPPED LENDING

25. FINANCIAL CRISIS • STOKE MARKET  70% • HOTELS ¾ EMPTY • VALUE OF PALM JUMEIRAH HOMES  60% • MANY UNEMPLOYED • THOSE WHO LOSE WHO DEPORTED (VISA RESCINDED – 30 DAYS TO LEAVE)

26. FINANCIAL CRISIS • DEFAULTING ON DEBT OR BOUNCING A CHEQUE – PUNISHMENT JAIL • MANY ARE LEAVING – CARS AT AIRPORT WITH MAXED OUT CREDIT CARDS AND APOLOGY LETTERS