Blue Chi’s

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you very much for your responses.


I think that all of us here had a fair chance to write a response, and now I suggest that you continue this awesome discussion over at Muscat Confidential, where Expert Expats who, unlike the rest of us Omani people, have lived in at least one other country, and, again unlike the rest of us, have once at least spoken to an Indian person, can provide us with all the answers we are looking for. (Example from the post above, Leo thinks that a solution for Oman's problem is to become self-sufficient so that we do not have any foreign labour to abuse - that is such an awesome idea! Huh?)

Blue Chi,
The attitude you show in your question as to "why doesn't he just get the [censored] out" goes a long way toward explaining the problems here. If you don't want the criticism and don't want foreigners here, then do the job. Maybe you do the job, but most don't. Across the Gulf, people complain about foreign meddling, but if they actually worked, and worked hard enough not to need foreign workers, then there would be less foreigners here and less foreign bloggers complaining about local problems. This may drive you into a tizzy, but consider.



Maybe because I once carried and placed blocks like an Indian, and have talked to the laborers and basked in their smiles and humanity, I am more inclined to accept UD's assertions. You should try it...

BlueChi,


I'm afraid I don't mind that you got really irritated reading that post. But I defend your right to disagree, and to think my post was nonsense.



But here again, you argue with me by stating things that I haven't actually said, and then vehemently disagreeing with them and taking offense at them, ie :"projecting to the world that Oman is the worst country in the world". I didn't say that.



And criticism IMHO is not a bad thing, its how things can be improved.



What is "bad for the country, ...bad for the people, and ...just not nice" is when your Government fails to actually do the things they could have easily done that would have improved your country's treatment of expats, and gotten the US State Dept. to achknowledge it by rating you in Tier 2 (or even 1). Blaming the messenger is irrational and, in this case, counterproductive (if understandable).



Perhaps you could also consider, if my post was so factually incorrect and nonsense, why those people agreed with it? What is it that makes so many apparently intelligent and perceptive people who live in Oman see things going on around here so differently to that way you see them? Doesn't that interest you?



I know I find very interesting your country's (in my opinion) unwillingness to accept the report's findings despite being unable to offer a compelling argument based on facts to contradict it.



Perhaps you could also consider, who would be affected most by the sort of changes that would lift you to Tier 2 (or 1)? Who makes money from the curent situation, and who would loose out if those changes were made?



(oh, and I'm trying to improve things, not via my blog so much (thats for entertainment and occasional information and titillation), but in my personal life. Which you wouldn't know about.)



Cheers,

UD

That Thailand's point made me laugh really!

Blue Chi you are absolutely right. I would suggest to stop reading his blog, i did. I am positive he cares more about the traffic he gets out of his gossip than what he pretends to care about.
What I find weird is when some bloggers presume the readers should subject themselves to the content they provide, otherwise they are reluctant to accept criticism!

I am sure that you guys know that I am not one of those people who think that Oman is the best country in the world and I would not just post anything to deny what other people say about it. I am not a wannabe-political blogger either. If you noticed, my post did not say anything about what I thought of the report or even what I thought about how Oman is doing. People have written all over the Internet about the report since the start of this week, I have not responded to anything regarding it anywhere because I am generally apathetic about the subject matter!


I got seriously irritated by UD's post, the bulk of it was just a nonsense rant that has not factual basis (read my post above). I was even more enraged by all the responses made by people who seem to agree to that nonsense. (check UD's to see how many people responded saying 'spot-in').



I don't understand how UD is *trying to improve things here for such people* (check his post above) by projecting to the world that Oman is the worst country in the world. It is bad for the country, it is bad for the people, and it is just not nice.



Muscato, when you comment on the state of our country you do that under the belief that it is a 'right' that you have, and at the same when we comment on your criticism it becomes hypersensitivity to which we do not have the right to do.



What kind of self-centered arrogance is this?

You don't live up to your usual high standards with this post.


This region's hypersensitivity to criticism (and the accompanying, inevitable, "if you don't like it, leave" attitude) are among the most mystifying aspects of Gulf culture to outsiders...

Hey Blue Chi,


Firstly, let me clarify your gross mis-representations of my commments, none of which I actually 'state' [check out the original post].

YOU: 1/ The Americans are under a federal duty to say the truth so they will never make a lie and that makes everything in their report true.

UD: The State Dept. officials who are responsible for writing the report to Congress are obliged under Federal law not to lie in the report. (Unlike any statement presented in the Omani press so far by Omani officials.) Its not a generic statement. And it wouldn't make the report true, necessarily, but it's highly unlikely to be a deliberate lie. Reading their report, I also do not find a lie either. Do you? State it.



YOU: 2/ It does not matter that the report does not talk about the absolute scale of human trafficking (then what the hell are tier levels for?)

UD: The stated purpose of the report Tier catagories (if you bothered to read the report) is explicitly not the size of the problem, but about the institutions, laws, procedures, enforcement, treatment of victims, etc a country has in place. In additon, a country that does nothing to seek infringements of the law, or to systematically document cases, obviously can't demostrate the true size of the problem anyway.



YOU: 3/ Oman deserves this because it used to trade in slaves hundreds of years ago.

UD: No, certainly not. This was a point in response to the holier-than-thou statements by both the Foreign Ministry US and Al Zedjali that Oman has a deep rooted tradition of respect for human rights,in part because of Islam, and as a result the report was insulting. I was pointing out that a couple of hundred years ago, your deep rooted culture included being active slave traders. So, the moral high horse of a deep rooted culture is a bit rich.



YOU: 4/ Oman should take action for the prostitution that happens in Thailand.

UD: Well, yes and no. Its not your country, so not too much you could do about Thailand directly, but Oman should indeed take responsibility for trying to stop its citizens travelling to Thailand (or other countries) and engaging in sex with children, or indeed sex slaves. Many countries make it a crime to do so, and even prosecute their citizens on their return. You should think about that.



And lastly, I like it here. Its not an all or nothing situation. And I'm trying to improve things here for such people, not pretending everything's perfect or just running away. Sorry.



See what I meant about a cultural reluctance to accept criticism?



regards,

The Dragon

hehe this is not a new side to me
Baloo, I myself do not like Undercover blog but is a fact that some things happen here, and those articles yesterday on local press were a shame

If as foreigners, we point that something needs to be done, that does not mean we dislike Oman, otherwise we would go out

This is not an easy country for an expat and there are many better, but personally I prefer it

If I criticise and especially about the treatment that some/many Omanis have for Asian workers, is because I think Oman can become a better place and sometimes we all should remember we're Muslims and behave accordingly

... I've known you for three years now. This is a new side of you I've seen today in this post. It's refreshing.