Comments on: Aiding and Abetting Dubai?

By: Wim Conradie

Wim Conradie — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:58:18 +0000

Dubai is really struggling financially at present. I don’t know what implications that bears on future human rights violations.

As an experienced business person I would say probably worse. If businesses are struggling, the employees are the ones who suffers most for it – not the owners at all (especially if they don’t care for them).

By: Hugo

Hugo — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:23:46 +0000

Ah, I did want to add: my contribution at this point is writing the blog post above. Further contributions I can make is to raise visibility of these issues/concerns with other people that fly through Dubai, for example.

So what if someone enjoys such flights, spends some time on Dubai’s airport, makes use of some of the services, encourages others to do the same…? I certainly don’t have clear black-and-white answers, I find myself unable to tell them they shouldn’t. Shoulds, shouldn’ts, … however I feel I should be able to get them more informed. Informed decisions…

In many cases I can raise the concern relatively easily. (South Africans? They fly it because it is the cheapest. Do I thus encourage them to spend more of their money? Or do I just make them feel worse about what they will continue to do?) In one particular case though, a colleague that often flies through Dubai (because it really is convenient, the right direction, etc), I’m finding it harder to bring up. Probably the easiest way is to, next time “go try out the spa at the Dubai airport, it’s great!” comes up, mention that I refuse to fly via Dubai for such-and-such reasons … and leave it at that?

By: Hugo

Hugo — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:17:31 +0000

Just avoiding? I don’t think there are many codes of ethics that insist you go out of your way to solve every evil in this world… as an individual anyway. I can see how as an institution or larger organisation it might be something that should appear on the agenda. You know of the political strife between Switzerland and Libya? (With Europe also getting dragged into it…) And Christianity also certainly has a call to action against injustice, I think that’s also where you’re coming from?

Dubai is really struggling financially at present. I don’t know what implications that bears on future human rights violations.

By: Kenneth Oberlander

Kenneth Oberlander — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:50:31 +0000

Michael, I know you probably directed the last bit at Hugo, but that. is. AWESOME. Good luck!

Re Dubai, my sister worked there for a year or so…I must ask her if she ever experienced any of this directly.

By: Michael

Michael — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 16:32:01 +0000

Read the article. Holy Schnikees! Thanks for the heads-up. In answer to question 1, I say yes! Any economic support of this economy is ethically wrong. It’s like buying pirated dvds on the street. Whatever you believe about copyright law, the same people who are involved in the supplying of these products are often involved in other organised crime. Surely though, simply not supporting the economy is not enough. Isn’t just ‘avoid’ing the situation ethically wrong too? What can one do though?

On an aside, given some previous discussions on the matter, I thought you might be interested to know that I have been asked to teach a session on evolution at the private christian school I work at. I guess that’s cause for celebration – people are beginning to approach questions with less fear and more ‘faith’ (if you will).

By: Bertus

Bertus — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 10:38:17 +0000

I lived there. Horrible place. Avoid.
Besides, it’s no fun anyway. And it’s overpriced.

By: Hugo

Hugo — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:03:55 +0000

No comments on this? …Would you vacation in Dubai? Maybe you’re just purely not interested. If you were slightly interested, would ethical considerations have any effect?