How are we indifferent to the suffering of the 'other' in Kuwait? Imagine your self in the position of an oppressed "other" in Kuwait and consider what treatment this group would give to your actual social class or category if power differentials should change. Explain why, and indicate the steps to improve that relationship.
What lessons do we learn from the Rwanda genocide and other cases of political violence discussed in class? How would you apply those lessons to preventing conflicts and violence from erupting in Kuwait?
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ReplyDeleteFirst of all what is meant by indifference closely relates to dehumanization and social distance. According to Bauman, bureaucracy induces and produces indifference because of the social distance that it implements. If you know someone as just a number it would be easier to kill them since you are not aware of the type of person he is, whether he is a family man or not. He is just a number that needs to be depleted.
In Kuwait, we are indifferent to the suffering of the other because we don't share relationships with bedoun. We consider them outcasts and we believe that they are only here trying to take advantage of the money and the oil that kuwait has to offer. We view the bedoun as the enemy and in that way we are indifferent towards them. Also, bedouns have different identification cards, which allows the Kuwaitis to take away so many of their human rights based on the color of their card. The fact that they have that item also causes us to be indifferent to their suffering.
I would think that if the roles were reversed between who is Kuwaiti and who is a bedoun, then the relationship would be not that bad. According to history, the bedouns are most probably already Kuwaiti despite the lack of having a bureaucratic label stating that they are. However, in their hearts, their entire existence is Kuwaiti. They have lived here for generations and they have fought in the war of 1990 and remained loyal to Kuwait. Therefore, if they were the dominant group then the relations would be good because they consider themselves Kuwaiti, which means they would probably see the “legal” Kuwaitis as Kuwaitis too. Tensions may rise when it comes to the bedouns being privileged, either the kuwaitis are pulled down to their social economic status or the bedouns rise up to the Kuwaiti socioeconomic status and both ways tensions will rise. One way to improve the relationships between the two groups would be to take away the bureaucratic identification process and stop putting labels on people. Once these labels cease to exist then there is a man and there is another man and they both were born and raised in Kuwait and the first man is just as loyal to the country as the second. People said it was inhumane to tattoo a number on a jew that was about to enter a gas chamber, but isn't it the same thing when you carry around your ID everywhere you go in your wallet?
According to course material, bureaucracy formulates indifference through the impersonalization of the target group by creating a social distance which leads to the reduction of people to commodities. As an outcome, the target is dehumanized and made easier to eliminate. In the case of the Bidoon in Kuwait, bureaucracy has already “Otherized” them through the distinguishing factor of the gray ID card, making the group easy to identify. Not to mention depriving them from citizenship and all privileges that come with it. The Kuwaiti citizens, on the other-hand, almost project a sense of entitlement since they are born into privilege and seem to expect nothing less. This in itself is an element of indifference, as Kuwaiti citizens have never experienced what it means to be out-casted. A citizen will never truly know the value of all the rights given to him/her at birth until he is forced to live without them. To simple say that “we understand” their struggles doesn’t justify their exclusion from society. To out-casted them induces a constant feeling of vulnerability and insecurity, and to remove their rights to mobility means that the Bidoon are now trapped in a psychological enclosure created by our indifference towards them.
ReplyDeleteIn a situation where the Bidoon were in the position of power, I believe that the stereotypes about the Bidoon would no longer stand. They would prove to the society that the concept of who was here first means absolutely nothing when it comes to true loyalty and patriotism towards Kuwait. In addition, I believe that if given the opportunity, the Bidoon youth would be able to show their true potential. They are not stupid, they are simply uneducated. In fact, if the tables suddenly turned, I strongly believe that the Bidoon, given that they had lived a difficult life without rights, would highly utilize this chance to transform the society and refrain from wasteful behavior. In reference to how John Bodley describes the small scale societies and their stable economy, I believe that placing the Bidoon in a position of power would have a similar result, as they have learned to cope and make due with whatever they had.
Kuwait could benefit by improving the relationship with the Bidoon population and the Kuwaiti society. Not only would it improve Kuwait’s image to foreign regions in a political context, it would also reduce the number of conflicts that occur in public spaces between the Bidoon and Kuwaitis. If an improvement is to be made, Kuwait must first eliminate this bureaucratic tactic of singularizing the Bidoon through ID cards. By doing so, the barrier of indifference will start to crumble. Second, healthcare rights, if not anything else, must be given. This allows the Kuwaiti society to put a face on the group they so easily categorize as the outsider, instead of just simply dehumanizing them through social distance. Third, to encourage a sense of belonging, the Bidoon must be granted protection under Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior so that any threats towards them can be dealt with effectively. Finally, although not the easiest step to improvement, young parents must stop stimulating the concept of the social boundary between Kuwaitis and the Bidoon in front of the upcoming generations, in attempts to abolish this indifferent mentality.
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Indifference towards a group is born out of the bureaucracy of a country. The institution allows for distance between ‘us’ and ‘them’. This is very evident in Kuwait as there is also differentiating between the two. The Kuwaiti and the “Wafed” (expat in Arabic). The Wafed is the source of every problem in Kuwait whether it is economic, social, legal, anything. People make jokes about it but it is very serious. For example, when the ‘earthquake’ happened recently jokes came out that one parliament member is going to preach that the Wafed’s were the reason Kuwait felt the earthquake. This dichotomy of people is intensified when it comes to the case of the Bidoon population as there is so little to know about them which leaves more room for indifference. Although I am Kuwaitiby nationality, I am actually Palestinian. Therefore I have felt a bit of ‘otherness’ growing up in Kuwait and around Kuwaiti. Palestinians have been discriminated by Kuwaitis ever since after the Gulf War. We are stereotyped as traitors and backstabbers because Yasser Arafat, then leader of the PLO, stood with Saddam Hussein in the invasion.
ReplyDeleteSteps to improve this relationship is education. If people are taught what actually happened during the invasion and not taught a propagated agenda by the Kuwaiti government then the relationship between Kuwaitis and Palestinians would improve. Kuwait used to be a safe haven for Palestinians and now some suffer discrimination.
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One of the very common oppressed groups of people in Kuwait who are viewed as the “other” would be those from the South Asian countries and the Philippines. Kuwaiti nationals have looked down upon this group of people for decades now. They treat them with no respect and give them no value in the society. Rather, they’re constantly put in a position where they’re threatened to be easily replaced or sent back to their countries for the most insignificant reasons. Even when they’re maltreated or accused wrongfully by Kuwaitis, they fear standing up for themselves and even if they do, they receive no justice just because of their ethnicity. They’re refused job opportunities and are given unfair wages/salaries merely based on the ethnic group they come from, regardless of their qualifications. Even when compared to other foreigners in Kuwait, they’re the ones treated in the most unfair manner. They’re given different forms of identifications from that of the nationals that make them easily identifiable as targets of structural violence. Being a member of this group in a country like Kuwait entails being treated in very inhumane and unfair ways, regardless of the equal social and economic backgrounds that the member may come from. They have even been described as animals, allowing the oppressors to feel disconnected with them and establishes social distance between the nationals and the oppressed group, as well as helps develop a sense of neutrality and indifference towards them. Since they’ve been treated this unfairly for a long period, if the power differentials were to change, the oppressed group of people who become in power would retaliate badly in all kinds of ways. They will let out the anger that is built up in them on the nationals, resulting in major issues in the society. This was evident in cases like the Rwandan genocide. To prevent all of this, the Kuwaiti nationals should start by taking the simplest and the most crucial step, and that is treating expats, specifically South Asians and Filipinos, as equal human beings and giving them all of their rights. They should encourage this kind of behavior in their children too. The government and any person of power in the country should also impose this kind of behavior through its strict laws, and legally penalize any person who violates them. Just by realizing the humanity of this oppressed group of people would solve many issues of injustice, and would establish increased stability and sense of security in the country.
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ReplyDeleteGenerally, the people in Kuwait who are indifferent to the suffering of others are Kuwaiti citizens. According to the class readings, bureaucracy it what creates the most indifference in society. Most believe that bureaucracy is too long and hectic of a process, which is why they do not even bother with filing complaints or doing anything about injustices that is happening in the world or even within their own country. It is quite clear that Kuwaiti citizens have copious amounts of privilege compared to expatriates that live in the country. However, it is also clear that some nationalities in Kuwait have advantages over other nationalities.
ReplyDeleteIn my perspective, I see that south Asian workers receive the lower end of the spectrum when it comes to privilege. For decades, south Asian workers (specifically Indian, Sri Lankan, Bengali, Pilipino) have been coming to Kuwait in order to provide for their families back home. These workers generally come from poorer areas in their countries, which is why they come to Kuwait to work and usually accept lower wages than other nationalities do. These workers could accurately be considered a part of the “other” in Kuwait. “Others” are usually the people that are oppressed.
Fortunately and unfortunately, I am one of the most privileged people in Kuwait, being a Kuwaiti citizen. However, if the roles had been reversed and I was part of an oppressed group such as the south Asians, power differentials would essentially stay the same. This again goes back to the fact that bureaucracy creates indifference. It would take too long to have my oppressed voice heard that I would just try to do my job and leave the country as soon as I possibly can. I would like to think that if I was part of an oppressed group that I would be able to do something about it. Unfortunately, the reality of the situation is that oppressed people in Kuwait are generally unheard even though there had been international voices speaking out against the Kuwaiti government such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. Moreover, the oppression of expatriates in Kuwait could change and the relationship between the Kuwaiti government and the expatriates still could change as well. First and foremost, the Kuwaiti government needs to educate. This education could take the form of PSA’s or even advertisements. The Kuwaiti population needs to be educated that they are not above or under anyone because of their nationality – they need to realize that their nationality does not grant them access to be racist, bigheaded, or discriminatory against others. In addition, there needs to be Kuwaiti laws in place and actually enforced that protect non-Kuwaitis. Fines and jail time should be options when Kuwaitis overstep their boundaries and treat people that are lesser than them in certain aspects. With these steps, eventually, Kuwaitis and the Kuwaiti government could create a better relationship with oppressed people that are living in Kuwait.
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ReplyDeleteTo be indifferent is to be detached and have no sympathy to something. Putting this in Kuwait’s case, Kuwaitis are more privileged than expats who suffer vast differences in rights and benefits. Thus, we Kuwaitis become oblivious to the harsh life that the expats have. It becomes important if it were our problem, yet we turn the other cheek if it is affecting those who aren’t of similar background. If power differentials changed, expats would probably apply the same treatment they had to the Kuwaitis. I believe this would be the case, because after years of being abused by the power and social construction of the oppressors, the expats would want Kuwaitis to know what they have went through in order to find common ground and establish peaceful treatment. They would want Kuwaitis to feel like their privileges are taken away, so that they become more aware of what was going on. But this shift of treatment wouldn’t be at all harsh, it could shed light on the past issues that expats went through and therefore this can help both sides to understand one another and create a country that is fair to all citizens. Steps to improve the relationship is to make both sides experience the different class treatments, and later recognize that it was indeed a class struggle. This can lead to Kuwaitis becoming more understanding and move away from indifference.
Indifference towards the ‘other’ did not just one day start to occur it came from and was aided with the help of bureaucracy (bureaucrats who have no regard for the well being of their citizens). When it comes to being indifferent, people are indifferent everyday in Kuwait towards different categories of the ‘other’ like: people are indifferent to violence especially against women, people are indifferent to the treatment of household workers, people are indifferent to taxi drivers and so much more. Now if I were to imagine myself in the position of an oppressed ‘other’ in Kuwait (by Kuwaiti citizens), I would imagine myself as an expatriate who has little to no rights here in Kuwait. One way that the Kuwaiti citizens would be indifferent regarding expats is the fact that there is a distinction when it comes to citizenship, Kuwaitis (most by birth) have it and expats are categorized separately. Secondly, expats (housekeepers/drivers) have in away lost their identity, their community. They have left their native homeland in order to provide and support their families by moving to a country in which they no one in order to send money back to them. In this sense Kuwaitis don’t have to deal and don’t even know how important having and identify/community by your side (as a support system) because their in their homeland with their culture and identity and so they are indifferent to the expats need/desire for an identity. Another way Kuwaitis are indifferent to the ‘other’ (expats) is by not recognizing that they as Kuwaitis are given more rights and privileges compared to the expats who barely get any rights. Plus, another way the Kuwaitis are indifferent towards the expats is by forming a boundary between them; Kuwaiti citizens seem to place themselves at a higher-ranking status than the expats who they deem a lower status (not all do this but there are those who do), which leads to yet another indifference towards the expats that the some Kuwaiti citizens do is dehumanizing them and treating them (housekeeper) like they are their property/slave (which they are not). Though there are those Kuwaitis that are indifferent towards expats it does not mean all Kuwaitis and that does not mean that their attitudes of indifferent cannot be changed because it can. One way to help improve the relationship between the two groups is to start when they are young, when they are children they must be taught to treat people equally and with human decency. Also, it may be that Kuwaitis are not aware of the indifferences they or others seem to have against the expats, so a way to improve the relationship is to shed light on the problems that the expatriates have in order for the Kuwaitis to understand and respond accordingly. Another way to help improve the relationship between the two is to implement within the Kuwaiti government an awareness campaign to advocate for the rights of expats as well as providing the expats with emotional support by forming groups that will help give them get back their sense of identity and community.
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ReplyDeleteIn Kuwait the group of people that is seen as the ‘other’ are the expatriates (Philippines..etc) and its known that Kuwaitis doesn’t treat them properly as they see them as being lower than them, and their jobs that they are being placed in are not suitable for Kuwaitis because they prefer higher status jobs. The expats wages are way less then what Kuwaitis take because Kuwaitis assume that expats don’t deserve high amount of wages, they get disrespected a lot just because they work in low paid jobs, I am a Kuwaiti citizen and I am not happy with the way expatriates are being treated because they are humans like us even if they work in our houses or in low paid jobs. I think if it was the other way around and Kuwaiti’s were the ‘other’ and expatriates were the one in control they will not treat Kuwait’s properly as they will get abused a lot from expats because they will get their anger on them for what they have done through out the years. Expatriates will make Kuwaitis work in the jobs they used to work in to make them suffer as they did and will pay them less amount of salaries to let them know the feeling they used to feel. To prevent such things people must get a better education on that specific issue to prevent the future generation from treating expatriates in a harsh way, we should try to equalize the human rights, so it would be fair for both sides.
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Bedoons in Kuwait are suffering from human right violations since several years, and it seems Kuwaitis do not care about their case, especially the new generation of Kuwaitis, they take this case as out of the question in which no solutions or by saying “this is their ancestor fault.”
ReplyDeleteBedoon suffers in all fields in Kuwait, most of them do not have job, and if they got job the salary will not be more than 300 K.D with 9-12 hours working, also, most of Bedoon women do not have jobs (there is cultural reason as well behind that.) and it seems the expats have better situation in Kuwait at least they have national id.
If the Bedoons take the authority in Kuwait, I think they will not sympathize with Kuwaitis, they will treat others (the expats) better than Kuwaitis because expats and other groups in Kuwait did not persecute them throughout past years. Actually, it is hard to imagine the Bedoon tolerate Kuwaitis after they deprived them to live normal life. In fact, historically the oppressed groups when they gain power over the oppressor they often take their revenge and not tolerate them, for example, Iraqi people and what they did with Sadam and his followers, Qhadafi in Libya and Mubarak in Egypt … etc.
As a Kuwaiti person I think, we should take this case seriously, in fact, I have a lot of Bedoon friends and I know how they are suffering, and in order to improve our relationship with them we should take serious actions to change their situation, they do not need our sympathies or objections against government, they need real actions to change their situation, for example, vote in parliament for a person who takes their case as a priority in his agenda, or we can use social media to reach their voice to Human Rights.
In reference to Michael Herzfeld, “indifference is a rejection of those who are different.” Indifference could be achieved in many ways, and in the case of Bedoons in Kuwait, it is carried out through the following actions. First, the government of Kuwait categorizes Bedoons as impersonal. Or even not existed. By creating this idea of impersonalization between the people, the government gradually forgets about the suffering of the Bedoon, whether it be political, educational, or even health suffering. Second, the government of Kuwait diffuses responsibility to Bedoons especially when it comes to their transaction processes. It is really hard for Bidoons to have any of these processes completed in a single day. For instance, when they go to any governmental sector to finalize some of their necessary papers or to address a complain, they will definitely be sent to another desk, another department, and sometimes to another sector, which in turn will direct them to some other departments, and the circle goes on. This diffusion of responsibility by the government and the people towards Bedoon destroys Bedoons’ sense of humanity. In addition, establishing social distance between Kuwaitis and Bedoons creates an imbalanced society in which the vulnerable population (Bidoons) are affected the most. This social distance is characterized in the differentiation between the two groups with regards to their ID cards, civil rights, health care privileges, and a lot more. Also, following a bureaucratic and a personal agenda by Kuwaitis in the workplace is a powerful tool in differentiating between the two groups. Finally, the dissociation from the outcomes is a form of indifference that is implied by the Kuwaiti government in which it is used as a defense element to defend the government’s acts towards Bedoon that are later on translated into problems where Bedoons would be categorized as the victims.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in the Bedoons’ oppressed position, I would definitely feel the suffering they are encountering and the amount of discrimination they are exposed to. I would encounter at least one barrier every single day, whether it’s political, social, cultural, or even physical. In terms of reversing Bedoons and Kuwaitis position of power, I believe that Bedoons’ treatment towards Kuwaitis would be different than the way they are treated. Although Kuwaitis may not prefer being less privileged and less powerful at a personal level, I think Bedoons would treat Kuwaitis as Kuwaitis! As their defined group. There is something missing in the Bedoons’ lives which is the capacity to critically think about things from various perspectives, and when this is achieved, they will start analyzing the elements that would attain a more organized society. Because of what they have been and are going through, Bedoons would be more willing to educate themselves, to know why all this have happened, and to find solutions to all these conflicts. As a result, they will equally distribute rights between their Kuwaiti brothers and sisters and themselves. This equalization in regards of the rights provided would encourage both groups to work on balancing their country. They would also equalize access to educational systems and healthcare. In general, Bedoons will try to find ways that will allow them to best manage the country and not to spread ideologies about any vulnerable population.
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DeleteSeveral steps could be taken in an attempt to improve the relationship between both groups. First and foremost, rights should be distributed evenly between the groups. This by itself will enhance the relationship that is now filled with tension and hatred to some extent. Second, opening up employment opportunities in different sectors for Bedoons is an effective way in creating a more harmonized population. Moreover, taking responsibility in whatever may imbalance the country is necessary in keeping it more controlled. In addition, collaboration between the two groups in diverse events and organizations will erase the tension that is present between them. Finally, education is a key element in learning how different things work and in what way they should work. Thus, it will provide both groups with answers, explanations, and solutions to whatever they might encounter.
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DeleteWhat causes “indifference?” Indifference or apathy is when a person is in a state which in which he or she don’t care or take action on something happening around us. I believe that indifference in Kuwait is caused by the nature of how we as humans like to divide and categorize ourselves into individual groups of people based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and so on. Instead of celebrating the unique individuality, we tend to disconnect ourselves form them because they are different form us, therefore we feel indifferent towards them.
ReplyDeleteSo, if we switch the roles of the oppressed, which in my example would be the expats, to be the ruling class, the situation might vary depending on two extremes. One extreme might be that they will change the way people are treated, giving them better rights, better job opportunities, better salaries, etc. Ideas would be more diverse and more open because of the different cultural background that the expats have. Another extreme would be destruction and war, similar to what has happened in Rwanda when the Tutus, minority, were ruling the Hutus, which were majority, and when the sides switched chaos in the country emerged.
Fixing the relationship between the two groups could be by exchanging ideas with each other. Learning about each other culture, religion, and ethnic background.
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DeleteHow are we indifferences to other groups in Kuwait. beging a Kuwaiti it self comes with lot of benefits for example housing benefits jobs, salary , heath, free education etc... If I would imagie my self as beging the oppreser I would consider myself a bidoon why ? because they have live in this country land for many years but yet there are still considered as outside even forgiers are treated better then them. they have no rights to travel no legal documents and harder to find jobs in Kuwait. the biddon are treated so badly that it is hard to find a bidoon living among a Kuwait society many are consider uneducated looked up by the the government. even the government consider them to be a lower class. their mostly live in jahara an area where most of the bidoon live their house are tiny house build by allum not as a pooper house. if the power was different then things must ethier turn to be like the rawada case where the kuwiti will try to gain power and the hiti will try to remove the power and the country will fall apart.
ReplyDeletethe steps that need to be taken are Kuwait government and people need to considered the bidoon as people not as alian with no rights second they should provide them with pooper eduction and heath care. third for the biddon that are here for generation should have the Kuwaiti cizenship. finally the should have the rights to travel to others country even to seek asylum.
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DeleteIn Kuwait there are two populations that are mainly other-ized: the expats and the bedoun. However I will be talking about the expats and specifically the people from either south Asia, Philippines, or Africa. These are the populations that are coming to our country from their homes to work and make a living. However they are not treated as employees in our countries, but almost like slaves that can be taken advantage of. Also including the ways that they are shunned in our society. First in their jobs they can be abused physically or sexually, especially if they are housemaids. Housemaids are at the whim of their employer who can treat them as slaves paying them an extremely low wage and working them during all hours of the day, while also abusing them in many different ways. These workers are dehumanized by being made to live in a place isolated away from the residents of the house, while they are forced to wear uniforms that make them look like maids straight out of a cartoon. That all traces back to the way people acquire these maids. An “agency” brings these maids from their home countries and they are made to live together until a person decided to come to that agency and choose that maid off of a file with a list of other maids. This is related to Zygmunt Bauman’s article in which he describes how bureaucracy produces indifference when human beings become boiled down to a name on a paper. These maids then become a name on a paper, detailing their age and nationality, for a person to choose from. All of this leads to these members of our society to be seen as lower as us Kuwaiti nationals, and that is where indifference is born. Anyone seen associating with south Asians or Filipinos would be seen as weird, for example if a man or woman marries a person of that descent they are not a part of ‘normal’ Kuwaiti society. As opposed to if a man marries an American woman, it will be seen as weird however they would not be looked down upon to the extent as they would if they were Indian for example. The societal issues cannot be solved instantly, however I believe they will become easier if other issues were solved first. For example implementing a reasonable minimum wage for these workers, and finding a way to crack down on the domestic abuse against them. As for if the tables are turned, any society who have been treating minority populations badly will continue to pass that down throughout generations. However would that abuse and mistreatment be present in the first place if the populations were reversed? I believe it would not since the countries of south Asia and the Philippines have a lot of diversity in them, and I believe that they would be more accepting of different cultures into their society.
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In Kuwait, the oppressed group in my opinion would be the domestic workers (Indian, Filipino, Sri Lankan…etc.). These workers leave their homes, their husbands, children, families and friends and go to another country, which in this case is Kuwait and work in order to provide for their families and most of the time for their kids’ education. When they are here, in Kuwait they feel very vulnerable seeing how in most cases they are looked down upon by the employers and their kids due to them working in a lower paying job. Domestic workers don’t have much of a voice to be heard; they must obey the rules and not question anything; which are some of the many ways the process of dehumanization starts. In order to improve or fix this problem people should start understanding that these workers are humans too. People should also respect them and not belittle them.
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Creating indifference which basically mean the rejection of the ‘others’, when it comes to a nation. In Kuwait, the rejection towards the Bedoons is created by bureaucracy which outcomes them as a target. Oppression towards the minority of the Bedoons in Kuwait leads to many disadvantages and puts them on the spot to blame when anything negative happens. Bedoons are always perceived as the indifferent on our society where we as Kuwaiti’s look down upon them and view them as stateless individuals that aren’t worth nothing. We take some of there basic human rights when we give the different colored identification cards that is due to the bureaucratic system. But what if it all switched and we were the minority of Kuwait making Bedoon’s level up, my opinion on that would be that Kuwait will become a chaos. All the systems will fill apart on us, as the minority. Revenge on how we treat them will backfire on the Kuwaiti citizen, making us the targets and the ones with disadvantages. Bedoon’s live in certain areas in Kuwait and the stereotype is that, these places are the most dangerous for a non-Bedoon where robberies and even murder is done. If they couldn’t deal to manage just an area how do, we think they are going to manage a country. Bedoons are known to have less education, furthermore making it harder for them to manage the technological era and political state of Kuwait. Distinguishing them from the crowd and the indifference that is create is the outcome of what would happen if Bedoons level up and take Kuwait. Nevertheless, it is known that most Bedoons work in very low class occupations that Kuwaiti’s being the privileged they are would never occupy. So that raises a question how are they going to manage keeping the basic human system in place when they didn’t have the knowledge of learning it before hand. Most Bedoon’s can’t afford education or even the access to medical health, so if the table were to turn Kuwait would turn into a chaos and not only for the citizens themselves but also to the Bedoons. In order to make the relationship between Bedoons and Kuwaiti’s improve, Kuwait should go easier on the bureaucratic system in a sense that they decrease the indifference it’s created on Bedoons and treated them more as humans but also not privilege them as much as Kuwaiti’s to keep both sides stable.
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ReplyDeleteSuffering comes in many different ways, even us Kuwaitis, we suffer being that we live in a conservative society. However, our suffering is nothing compared to that of the expats, specifically those who come from underdeveloped countries and work in the domestic industry. These expats are looked down upon because of their job states and the country they come from. Expats come to Kuwait for job opportunities in order to get money that would cover their families necessities. They live in a society where they are looked down upon, mistreated, abused and payed in minimum wage, in order to obtain a better life for their family. Expats often have to live in small crowded apartment in order to fit their monthly budge for rental space. Its no doubt a hard life to live, especially when trying to make money not for their selves but for their family, without having them around. Its different from what have to suffer in the form of job opportunities, living states, treatment of other, wage and etc. They suffer more than we do, we work less hours and we’re paid more because we are Kuwaitis. We are treated with respect, we are put into higher standards, and we are prioritised just because we are Kuwaitis. The excuse “because we are Kuwaitis” seems to be the justification for mistreating expats. This means that the inferior group is dehumanised by the superior dominations, this is all a product of bureaucracy in Kuwait, they are rejected because they are different from us.
If we were to switch places with the oppressed “others” population in Kuwait, and if power differential was to happen, we would taste our own medicine. Things in this case can go two ways, either they would make use feel guilty by treating us fairly and equally or they would reflect all their angry upon us. The first way of making us feel guilty, would be the reason behind their personal experience with inequality and taking away their rights as human beings. They experienced it thus they would treat us better than we did because they were in our place, they experienced how hard it was, and they would want to show us how we dehumanised them while they gave meaning to us, which we took away from them. The other way, would be reflecting all their anger and hate towards us that they kept in for years, in order for us to pay for our actions. However, in our case it would be them reflecting their anger and using everything in their power in order to make us feel the cruel situation that we have put them in. The way we mistreated them, looked down upon them, the rights we took away from them, everything we did would come back to haunt us, because they want us to feel it. Revenge and rage is all that we would be experiencing if we were to switch positions.
Its of human nature to seek revenge from those who hurt us in some way. We hurt them thus they want us to feel every shed of pain we caused upon them to be reflected on us. This can change, if we were to change the way we treat them. We can change that by placing laws that protect them and their rights as human beings not domestic workers. We would educate people about abuse and how in the future it would reflect on the victims personality. We would educate children that they should not mistreat, disrespect or judge people based on their background. However, we should be equal when it comes to respect and rights, because after all we are all humans and we are all workers despite what the job title is. There is no difference between a driver and a pilot, but a plane is seen to be something of a higher standards than cars, a domestic worker that workers as a house maid is no different than someone working for another person, the job is the same. However, the title of the job is different.
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ReplyDeleteFrom a Kuwaiti National’s perspective, one of the major aspects that results to indifference in Kuwait is our social class. This is developed in two ways; either through the government, which creates legal obstacles that favor the Kuwaiti population while non-Kuwaitis suffer unfair condition. For instance, an expat requires a local sponsor, or kafeel in Kuwaiti in order to work in Kuwait. As a result, expats whether as home servants or employees suffer from abuse from their legal sponsors, and if they were to escape from the abuse, the expat would be under the threat from local authorities of being arrest for running away and may face deportation. This creates a scenario with the idea of us versus them, that as an expat that the world we live in is divided between us the minority that need to stick together to survive, and them the ruling party who is part of the oppressive group that we must be careful from.
ReplyDeleteThe other way that indifference is developed is through the community itself. In a country that is dictated by your status, people are easily singled out for what they wear, how they look, where they live and what they drive and so on. The fact that Kuwaitis gain legal bonuses from the government, they are capable to spend more on luxuries that set them apart from those who live in cheaper conditions. This environment does not just separate Kuwaitis from expats, but also expats that live in better conditions are set apart from lesser expats with poorer condition. The social condition that we place on ourselves are one major separator, as we view those who are not in our level of life style are not one of us.
If we were to switch the roles in Kuwait between the minority expats, I would argue that the treatment would still be in favor of the ruling majority. One thing to be clear about is that every country in the world priorities the local populous first before anyone else, and it is natural that the legal system would favor the locals over the foreigners. Also, it will depend on whether the nation is wealthy or poor, corrupt or just, diverse or not which all play a role in how the community will treat you and how the government treats you as a minority. And if we are to look at the developing world, which most of the minorities in Kuwait come from, there are many aspects that created an unbalanced situation amongst groups which lead to us versus them scenario, for example the wealth distribution is in favor of the ruling caste due to the mass population and the lack of capability to accommodate everyone’s needs. Furthermore, like in Kuwait today, legal benefits and wealth distribution can be affected be who has power. The fact that Kuwaitis can vote means they have an impact on legal issues in the nation, which means politicians will work towards pleasing the ruling majority as they have the power in dictating who will govern.
If we were to try to develop a system that encourages immigration, we may not just find improved relations between all the communities in Kuwait, but also development. In the UAE, we have seen in recent years a new law passed that states that expats do not need a Kafil in order to get a visa permit to stay in the UAE. With limitations to avoid overflow of immigration, implementing this rule in Kuwait will bring greater security and eliminate unspoken scams that expats fall victim. one major argument though, is to loosen the naturalization system. This will lead to more diversity work the Kuwaiti workforce in being part of all sectors of the market, thus showing that Kuwaitis are not just that one face that they think are beyond us, but rather our equals.
First of all, what is the meaning of indifference? In short terms, indifference basically means not caring what happens to anybody other than yourself. In Michael Barnetts article “The UN Security Council, Indifference, and Genocide in Rwanda”, he indicated that there are five ways in which bureaucracy creates indifference. The first way is when bureaucracies (a symbolic instrument of the nation-state) distinguish citizens from noncitizens, and that also state bureaucracies are not only instruments domination, but also a symbolic marker of boundaries between people. The second way that bureaucracy that shows how bureaucracy creates indifference is because of identity. According to Barnett, he explained that identity produces both difference and indifference, and that bureaucracy has the power of the identity of a “community, differentiate between members and nonmembers of the community, and are expected to attend to members while ignoring nonmembers” (Barnett, Pg.562). The third way is that bureaucracies tend to selectively put more rights even among the members of the community. The fourth way bureaucrats show selective attention. What that means is that thy not only identify themselves with their citizens but also with their bureaucracy. The final way is that bureaucrats don’t only follow a bureaucratic plan but also a personal one.
ReplyDeleteIn terms of Kuwait, I believe that the people who are indifferent are the Kuwaitis against the foreigners. Religious Kuwaitis don’t care what happens to foreigners. If I were a foreigner, the way I would see other foreigners being treated is that they (Kuwaiti religious society) might decline foreign religious rights in Kuwait. What I meant was that some Kuwaiti's are very close minded and believe that Islam is the best religion ever, and they would forbid any other religion to be practiced in Kuwait. During Christmas people would have to celebrate indoors so that the police wouldn’t find out. The foreigners have less human rights than Kuwaitis, and not only the foreigners can’t practice their religion, they could not also practice any of their cultural holidays like Halloween and Christmas without permission from the law. If we want to have a relationship between both sides is to give the foreigners the same amount of human rights as Kuwaitis. The way to do that is to make the Kuwaiti society more open minded about everything.
If I were to classify myself within the precepts of others then I would put myself in the category of the domestic workers in Kuwait. I believe, domestic workers in Kuwait is the minority group they faces the most rampant mistreatment and abuse in the entire region. As domestic workers engage in jobs that are very straining. They set themselves on the job as soon as they arise from their beds and stop working when everyone else has retired unto their respective beds. Some of them do not have any time to rest during the working hours as they are forced to work continuously. Furthermore, as domestic workers jobs consumes a lot of mental energy and psychological exhaustion. Others, aka Kuwaitis are feel the need to throw incessant insults that make them feel so much embraced and have better self-esteem. In some situations domestic workers are even compelled to switch off from their religious beliefs and adopt the beliefs of whoever they’re working for.
ReplyDeleteThe uncalled treatment that we face in Kuwait may be stopped if only the domestic workers in Kuwait get the retaliatory measures that will accord the employers the same treatment they are subjected to. Essentially, this will put some sense into the employers as they will come into reality with the sufferings that the domestic workers face in the course of our duty. Furthermore, we should be provided with good working environment and our living conditions be improved. Essentially, this will be a great step towards enabling us to connect with our employers and we will be in better position to offer them even better services. Lastly, they should be treated with dignity and be given cordial treatment as we belong to the human being family.
In Kuwait, the majority of the people who appear to be oppressed are referred to as the “others” mainly consisting of the expats and bedoun. Kuwait has always followed a system of selectively applied rights, where Kuwaitis have received far more attention in comparison to expats, making them the authoritative group. For an example, Non-Kuwaitis are not allowed to own any property, land or corporation by their name. Despite their contribution and help to our society, Kuwaitis appear indifferent towards other religions, ethnicities, and unapproved groups; Bureaucracy.
ReplyDeleteThis attitude leads to the creation of a system of government in which decisions are made by state officials rather than being democratically elected and spread among representatives. Kuwaitis live in a bubble which keeps them protected from outsider influences, which decreases their ability to understand other processes of enculturation. For an example, historic trade with India has lead to a rise in Indian immigrants in kuwait, who appear to be a big part of our culture. Souk Al Mubarikya is a very popular Landmark in Kuwait, which tourists tend to visit in order to better understand Kuwaiti Culture, yet ironically, this market is mainly being run by indians, Pakistanis, and other expats who have lived and worked there all their lives. This shows that most of the time, indifference may come from the state officials pursuits rather than the majority of society.
If the roles had been reversed and Kuwaitis had become the oppressed, treatment would remain the same. I say this because I believe that when one group is powerful, there will always be an oppressed group, in attempts to holding a more superior power. By having the Kuwaiti passport, one has a lot more privileges and rights, which gives them special treatment, yet without their identification, one may feel a lot more vulnerable and inferior. In some way, oppressed groups can become a backbone to the development and modernity of a society.
Evidently, this unfair treatment has lead to a set of boundaries between people in kuwait, leaving the oppressed group to constantly feel inferior and unappreciated. As a Kuwaiti, I believe that In order to improve the relationship between Kuwaiti Citizens and expats/bedoun, it is important to consider all parts of our culture that were made and created by the others, which should prevent us from discriminating them.
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Indifference arises from the impersonalization of people and equating them to faceless commodities, which are much easier to eliminate. This phenomenon is due to the creation of social distance and the delineation of social strata. While some receive all sorts of privileges, the government deprives "others" of the citizenship and restricts them in rights, which makes them an easy target for identification. As a rule, indifference to "others" is felt by those who were born in Kuwait and have certain advantages. They are not worried about seeking measures against social injustice because they do not want to get involved with the bustling bureaucracy, preferring to pretend that the situation in society is uncritical and does not require their intervention. Their indifference is the result of the fact that they never felt out-casted and did not live without the usual rights and freedoms to realize their importance. Moreover, they did not leave their homeland and family and did not lose touch with their culture and identity. Thus, they do not pay attention to the existing problem, and this causes "others" to feel even more vulnerable and insecure, trapping them in a social enclosure.
ReplyDeleteIt is worth noting that one of the most oppressed groups in Kuwait is expatriates who live in the country and perform the most difficult, low-paid and dirty work that residents did not want to take. Kuwaiti citizens treat them without respect and threaten to deport from the country for the most insignificant reasons, forcing these people to fear fighting for justice, equal living conditions and employment. In recent years, the number of charges against expatriates has increased significantly. It is believed that they deplete public resources and create a demographic imbalance in the country. Therefore, guided by these thoughts, the authorities were thinking about prohibiting the provision of medicines to expatriates in public clinics. Sick people who have a low salary cannot fully pay for treatment, and the adoption of such a decision contributes to the oppression of their human rights. Reducing the number of emigrants in the country will also not lead to an improvement in the economic situation. Their deportation will result in the fact that Kuwaiti citizens will remain without specialists in essential professions, as they lack practical experience in such areas as, for example, construction. It is important to remember that economic and social problems arise because of poor governance of the country and not because of expats.
If emigrants cease to be part of the oppressed group, the situation will not change, as indifference will persist. It will take a long time for the authorities to realize the critical nature of the case and take action. The truth is that the oppressed strata of society often remain unheard, despite the activities of various organizations for the protection of human rights. Thus, there is a need to combat the inequalities between Kuwaiti citizens and emigrants. An excellent way to achieve mutual understanding will be the granting of rights to health and education and the imposition of criminal responsibility for any manifestation of discrimination on the territory of the country. A good solution will also be to establish a minimum wage to overcome the feeling of oppression among emigrants.
There are a few groups that are seen as the “other” and some of them would be the expats and domestic workers who are typically from India and the Philippines. They are not often treated with respect. I think that if the roles were reversed, however, they would definitely be treated differently. Kuwaitis are seeing themselves as superior to them and they show it within their actions. We are the same because we are all people, although, Kuwaitis do not see it that way and feel that they would rather have power over some others instead. If I were from the Philippines, for example, I would want my salary to be a little higher and not be treated as an inferior. I basically would not want to feel socially or economically isolated to people around me. They ironically seem to be spending more time working than Kuwaitis yet Kuwaitis get paid far more and do not look at all like they put in as much effort. We need to approach them more gently and holistically. We just need to understand that we are all people and should not treat certain strangers disrespectfully just because they do not match a personal criteria in our heads. Another thing we can do is raise awareness of the expats’ situation. This can be done in several way including tours and a temporary job similar to what they do. I think if Kuwaitis at least knew or understood the other side then there might be more justice.
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