Question
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.
To answer the question of how we are indifferent to the suffering of the “other” in Kuwait, it’s useful to look at how, in the past, some countries showcased indifference to their own oppressed groups. To help us understand the extent in which indifference is prevalent in Kuwait, one can look at different examples of indifference in other countries to draw conclusions, compare and contrast and better understand the full picture.
ReplyDeleteA country that comes to mind is Rwanda. In Philip Gourevitch’s book, “We wish to inform you that tomorrow we will be killed with our families,” the idea of indifference and how one group can be indifferent to another group is discussed at length.
In the book, an RPF soldier says: “The Rwandan people know this is the same international community that stood by and watched them get killed.” Indifference, in essence then, is watching the oppressor oppress without really feeling any strong emotion towards the injustice that is happening.This injustice does not have to be something as extreme as killing, but anything that is simply morally incorrect or demeaning to the person being oppressed. Indifference is equal to numbness.
This can sometimes be seen in Kuwait, although not always. A lot of the time, the community can be slightly desensitized and indifferent to the mistreatment of low class foreign workers in Kuwait. This can be seen in subtle situations. In malls when maids are told to stand up instead of sit down with the families, when drivers are robbed of their right to a specific amount of money, when fights break out with sale workers in shops and bystanders record or watch. Indifference can be found when no one feels any rage or emotion towards this injustice or unfairness that may happen. In Kuwait, a lot of people are numb to what is actually happening due the normalization of the situation.
Indifference is not only being okay with seeing oppression unfold right in front of your eyes, it’s also not taking action to stop it. In Philip Gourevitch’s book, when violence broke out between IDPs and RPA soldiers in one of the camps, the UN “didn’t send more people in than just a company of Zambians and approximately twenty-five Australians.”
Therefore, in comparison to Kuwait, one way in which indifference can be seen is through the lack of initiatives taken to stop such things from happening. When a low class worker gets abused or mistreated or is forced to stand or is not paid properly, there aren’t enough people that speak up about it. Some people continue walking and going along their day without taking action to at least attempt to stop it.
ID → S00045045 PART ONE
Upon discussing how sometimes, indifference can be seen in Kuwait, this leads us to the second question. What treatment would this oppressed group give to the oppressor if power differentials should change? Would they forgive them and move on? Would they attack them back?
DeleteGourevitch discusses how, when power differentials are changed, the oppressed “other” can actually end up taking the role of the perpetrator. It becomes a complex cycle and sometimes it gets to the point where the perpetrator and victim are no longer distinguishable. Hutus killed and slaughtered Tutsis, and Tutsis in turn killed and slaughtered Hutus when they got the chance to do so.
If power differentials should change in Kuwait, and lower class foreign workers hypothetically got power over high class locals and nationals, I can not confidently state that violence will not break out. I think that because a lot of these workers have been attacked and degraded for so long, when there is an opportunity for them to gain any semblance of respect and dignity back, they will take it. They have been attacked not on one basis, but two: their nationality and class.
To have a group of people be subjected to oppression for years on end, for being who they are and for doing what they do, one can not guarantee that if the roles were to be reversed, they would not do the same to their oppressors. I don’t think any extreme violence will break out, like killing people, but I do think that at the very least, they will treat high class nationals the way they have been treated for so long. This would include withholding money simply because they have the power to do so, mistreatment, unfairness and being unjust to them. This type of aggression and attitude would occur simply because of all the pent up feelings of hate and bitterness towards some high class nationals and locals would reach a breaking and boiling point.
I don’t think a lot of the workers would show mercy, but I believe that perhaps, some would have it in them to forgive. To finally break this “hypothetical vicious cycle” of power ebbing from one group to the other. After all, a lot of Tutsis refused to kill Hutus and a lot of Hutus refused to kill Tutsis. So...to say all of the low class foreign workers would attack would be inaccurate and a generalization that simply would not be true, because not all high class locals and nationals were unjust and unfair in the first place as well.
As for the steps that could be taken to improve the relationship between low class foreign workers and high class nationals, the first step would be to promote understanding between them. To also have laws that do not tolerate any unfairness and injustice is important to have. Raising awareness and using social media to shed light on the atrocities that happen is also another step that we can take. It’s also crucial to not be indifferent because indifference leads to one disaster after the other. By putting strict laws that actually get implemented, no one would really take a chance to mistreat the oppressed “other.”
ID → S00045045 PART TWO
We are indifferent to the suffering of immigrant workers, like Indians and Filipinos by not standing up for them. We are moved to action only in certain cases, even then some people choose to remain ignorant, when it gets out of hand; when they are physically abused or publically humiliated. There is no one that goes up to family who has their maid, from whatever nationality, sitting on a table by herself, sometimes not even eating, while the family she works for are all together and sharing a meal and tells them to include the maid too because it is obvious she is hungry or lonely. A lot of workers suffer silently alone and perhaps part of the reason why we turn a blind eye on a garbage man sitting on the side curb is because we see them all the time everywhere and we just grew used to it and therefore became indifferent. Barely any of Kuwait’s citizens try to find out whether the workers are comfortable and happy and ask at least if they are okay in general since it is a very difficult transition for them, moving from their home countries, leaving their loved ones and settling in a foreign, Arab speaking country. For those who have been here for years, even decades, we don’t ask them whether they wish to go back and catch up on all what they have missed. The point is, we don’t care much for them at all; we are indifferent and even if we may not have been at the beginning, we grew to be ignorant to any suffering these foreign workers feel while living in Kuwait.
ReplyDeleteIf the power differentials should shift and the lower class, immigrant workers were to gain authority over the middle and high class community of Kuwait, several things would take place. I feel that the focus of the hatred/resentment that the workers feel toward those who have oppressed them or been blind and silent in face of their suffering, would be focused more toward the high class. Since they are the ones with the most influence, which means they could have changed things around for them and made their lives better. Also, the high class community are probably the ones who have exploited these workers more than the middle class, because prestige people like to have drivers, maids, nannies, guards to grant them comfort and take a load of the work they have to do. Workers would turn their glares to the middle class too, as we use their services as maids and drivers sometimes but it will not be as intense since they are not exposed to them as much and therefore there is less room for dislike. As what the expatriate workers would do to these high social status community, they will probably ask for money, not because they are materialistic individuals but simply to make up for the all the unfair, low income they have been given. They would want the money to go back to their respective countries comfortable and financially well. Moreover, they would demand an apology, for whatever they have been put through and all the years of hard work they spent in the duration they spent working for a household and have gone unappreciated. They would probably make the nationals who have oppressed them for so long to get a taste of it and so they would make the Kuwaitis now do the jobs they did. Clean, pick up garbage, wash cars, drive them around whenever and to wherever they liked, carry their bags, care for their kids and so on. Basically, they would treat them the way they were treated, perhaps not for as long as they have subjected to the oppression but enough until they feel like they are satisfied and they got their anger out. The reason why they would all of that is simply because they want to feel a sense of justice in the world and make the people who made them suffer pay for their misdeeds.
DeleteFor such a relationship between an oppressed and oppressor to be improved, it’s a little complicated and it may take a lot of time and understanding from both parties. The immigrant workers and high class locals have to compromise with some of their wants because not everything will be able to be given to either of them and at the same time keep the other group completely pleased. The government has to step in and be a mediator for its people and the citizens that live on their lands so no further problems or even bloodshed arise. Laws regarding the relationship between expatriates and nationals have to be out in place that they both have to abide by so that no further injustices can occur. Light must be shed on the situation, acknowledging it and raising awareness to the proper treatment of foreigners. Most importantly, every single citizen must take it upon themselves, to eradicate any indifference that live inside them and make sure nothing like it is ever born again and we must learn from past atrocities.
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ReplyDeleteIt is no secret that Kuwaitis, or GCC nationals more generally, have had a chronic issue with the mistreatment of expat employees and failure to effectively reprimand it- particularly in the case of domestic workers. In fact, the Filipino government has required better contracts for its emigrant work force in response to the many tragedies (from employee suicides to sexual assaults and disappearances to some guy’s captive lion killing a domestic worker) which sparked international controversy and debate regarding the clear human rights violations occurring under GCC leaders’ noses.
ReplyDeleteThis problem of apathy/ indifference to the suffering of the other has resulted in strong resentments from (continuing with the example) Filipinos, as well as unresolved tensions between the two groups. One area in my life where I witness this tension (more than I can tolerate sometimes) is in the game Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. This game is extremely popular in the Philippines, but has also picked up traction in GCC countries, and in many matches where both groups are present (and the team is losing), you will see racism and name-calling spats: “Go shower, dirty Arabs don’t know how to shower” “slave” “Stupid Arabs are noobs lol” etc.
While this may be a more harmless example, it illustrates that in this age demographic (like 17-25) we have both GCC citizens perpetuating racism and indifference, as well as Filipino’s who have grown up in this atmosphere developing strong resentment.
In a hypothetical situation where the Filipino Government happened to successfully invade the GCC region- how will Filipino’s use their newfound power with respect to Kuwaitis? Will they be empathetic- “I’ve lived through the humiliation therefore I won’t put you through it?” I highly doubt this to be the case, considering the aforementioned tensions/resentment. I think Filipinos would be eager to make Kuwaitis clean up every speck of dust in their mansions alone, cook set the table and do the dishes after eating what has been decided for them, live in a small room with minimal amenities, have Kuwaitis sitting around in the kitchen awaiting endless demands from Filipino adults and children alike.
So how can this cycle of hate be resolved? On the one hand, Filipino’s are entitled to resentments after generations of collective abuse, but on the other, acting on these resentments will only increase overall hatreds and the inability to cohabitate peacefully. Obviously, the biggest step is for Kuwaitis or other GCC nationals and governments to make amends. This includes an investment to resolve systemic racial and economic class issues (e.g. expanding welfare, investing in migrant communities’ internal economies, stricter regulation and enforcement of laws against human rights infringements, equalizing work opportunities for higher-level departments, reparations), but also an investing in social dynamics to remedy those we see today. The latter could include actively promoting cross-group socializing, schooling and employment, **a diverse/inclusive image of Kuwait’s population in National Day campaigns/advertising**, nationally broadcast forums and discussions regarding the history of violence, as well as the new history of change and emphasizing individual efforts for remediation.
Though this may be difficult to imagine, it is not beyond the state or individuals’ abilities by any means. While the majority of cross-group social interactions a laden with power dynamics and apathy, there is a significant minority of amicable relationships, including marriages and mixed children, which can act as a model for the changes described.
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ReplyDeletePart one :
How are we indifferent to the suffering of the 'other' in Kuwait? During the pandemic situation Kuwait government has been strict in enforcing set of protective laws, which could be an opportunity to eliminate the lower class workers without getting any obstacles in the way. Due to the high level of indifference we reached as Kuwaiti society. It is horrifying, when a Kuwaiti famous actress expressed her theory about how the government should deal with the large numbers of lower class worker, “they should been thrown in the middle of the desert” the fact that many citizen approved her suggestion though social media was scary. The first confirmed case of the pandemic of coronavirus in Kuwait was announced on 24 February 2020. As of 28 April 2020, there are 4,983 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 38 deaths. Kuwait has been under partial lock-down since midnight of March 2020 with the government suspending work across all government sectors except emergency services. All commercial air travel and border travel were suspended since midnight of 14 March 2020. Therefore, it was a complex situation for illegal expects or expects with short validity in their Visa’s. Mostly lower-class labors who work for day to day income. To understand the situation, these workers are under poverty lines, their living accommodations is overcrowded and does not meet the minimum hygiene standers. They rent a bed they share with many other people in a very small rooms. They come to Kuwait by the misleading promises to get a prober job in a company, but the reality is their sponsors are “Eqama” or residency dealers who get hundreds of thousands of people into the country in exchange for annual large amount of money, the Kafeel or the dealer does not provide anything than the legal residency, so everything else is the jobless worker responsibility. However, because of their living situations they have higher risks of getting effected with the coronavirus along with other disaeses.
The media has been promoting hate speech towards the workers and ignoring the root of the problem, which is the sponsorship dealers. Safaa AL Hashim, Kuwaiti parliament member was spreading all kind of accusations and dehumanizing description about Egyptian and Asian workers in Kuwait for many years now. With that effective link between the moral’s of society that being destroyed and the number of single immigrants, the government had the blessing of the indifferent society to take any needed action to contain this situation. With the mentality of “If it doesn’t affect me, it’s not my problem” Indifference is the real disease.
Part two
DeleteWorkers have been sent to isolated desert camps for three months now in order to get deported back to their countries. Now, their living situation is slightly enhanced, but they have been treated like prisoners without any rights or representation. As a result, when they demand better treatment or the object on their situation, the media show that as a desire to cause panic, riot and spread disease among society, in addition to denying Kuwait’s preference for them to provide shelter, food and necessary treatment.
The elimination of an estimated one million worker is been suggested, the MOFA already been requesting different countries to take back their citizens, nobody made an official announcement what may happen to them if their countries refused to take them back, but Kuwait’s healthcare system can't handle crises of this size if the coronavirus spread among them. So, letting them day is a possibility. We live in a world of class system, wither we like it or not, poor labor is defiantly not on the priority list of the MOH, and with the massive social support of this kind of action, we can predict who’s next.
We did not reach the worst-case scenarios yet, thankfully. But in case we do it is out of people control to object in any action may be taken by the authorities. Unfortunately, we are a passive observer right now and that is our limit in this situation.
To improve that relationship between workers class and Kuwaiti citizens, we must start two ways communication channel, the current situation is filled with flows and never been fair to both sides. The lack of mutual communication is result of years of bureaucracy practices that band forming migrant labor from union forming, formal representation rather than their formal diplomatic embassy.
Imagined Group: Expats in Kuwait
ReplyDeleteIf power roles changed in Kuwait, and Expats become the more dominant group, then it would probably be the cause of work status, and labor roles in Kuwait. It would be upon the realization that Expats take role in a majority of Kuwaiti owned business and companies, under a hierarchal status. Generally speaking, every nationality would react differently in this situation. However, in the imaginative case that all diaspora communities in Kuwait unite, they would find much in common. Such as the inability to have ownership to land, and unequal rights to Kuwaiti’s. The goal would most probably be to gain power by winning rights to ownership, take charge of local businesses, and citizenship statuses. Kuwaiti upper/middle class nationals would not approve of this, which may lead to a civil war, and disagreement within the nation. Their assumptions that Kuwaiti’s are judgmental, lazy, and unconcerned would have to be proven otherwise. It is likely that some part of Kuwaiti’s would lose their jobs and suffer greatly from this imagined conflict. This sheds light on the job inequality in Kuwait, where Kuwaiti nationals are likely to get any task done way easier than any expat would. Is this fair? Would an equality in Job’s lead to a better Kuwait? This highlights how Kuwaiti nationals are living a comfort lifestyle that greatly benefits them, even when providing job opportunities for expats, a Kuwaiti will benefit at a greater rate. Its intention is to protect and create an exclusive workspace for its citizens.
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Imagined Group: Bedoons
ReplyDeleteSufferings differ from one another. Different factors such as economic, political or even racial differences can have a huge impact. If we look at the case of Kuwait from the perspective of the “other” and the “oppressed” and in this case the Bedoons, first of all they suffer because they are not considered as a citizen in their own home country. They do not have the same privileges as the “citizens,” which make them suffer from being the other in their own country. Second, some of psychological factors can also affect on the wellbeing of a human being. The constant anxiety that Bidoons have which is the thought of not belonging in their own country and not having the chances to move and live in other places, because of lack of documentations, can affect negatively on their mental health which sometimes leads to different kinds of tragedies.
Human rights violations happen every day and everywhere, not just in Kuwait but in the whole worldwide. Respecting the basic human rights which are the rights to life, liberty and security according to the Universal Declaration of the Human Rights is essential and a must because at the end of the day all of us are human beings. To these rights, I would like to add freedom from discrimination as the 4th basic right, for the reason that, all human beings have the right to live in their own country without facing discrimination. Similar example to Bedouins is the Gypsies in Europe, they too face discrimination on daily basis when it comes to access to healthcare, education and jobs because they are not considered yet, as a race. So, discrimination is always there but we people have to act in order to lessen the sufferings of “others.”
If the power was reversed, I think Bedouins were going to act in the same way as the citizens treated them previously because they will also consider their sufferings and want to take their revenge by making them feel the same way that they had felt before because, if you feel the pain on your own skin then you will stop causing harm to others. On the other hand, I also think that if Bedoons took the power, they would allow everyone free healthcare, education and job opportunities because they experienced discrimination and therefore, they would not allow discrimination to take place. The same case was with Nelson Mandela when his own people were suffering because they were the so called “Blacks.” He was imprisoned for nearly 28 years but when he came out, instead of revenge he preferred reconciliation. I guess reconciliation is always the best idea in such cases because at the end of the day Bedoons, Kuwaitis and all Arabs share some kind of identity, language and religion.
The improvement of the relationship between the groups is very important. The keyword in here is co-existence. Revenge does not help in the case of Kuwaiti-Bedoon issue. Although discrimination causes harm but, in this case, nothing like genocides or massacres has taken place in order to reach to the level of revenge. The relation between the two will not improve overnight, it will surely take time. The first step is to accept Bedoons as citizens of Kuwait because that is their right to feel home. Second, we cannot always blame the citizens but in such cases rules and regulations have also their part. Although I’m a very big supporter of rules and regulations but when it comes to a specific group of people who lacks their rights because of some rules, I think the best way to overcome this problem is to amend some of the rules and make it for the benefit of the “other.” And finally, equality before the law (jobs, healthcare, education, security) should be implemented equally in order for both to co-exist peacefully.
PART ONE- 28891
ReplyDeleteThe current pandemic of covid-19 presented the true colors of Kuwaiti’s. While some of them were trying so hard to provide all their citizens and residents a safe space and services such as corona tests at zero costs and free access to hospitals for those who are infected. However, some individuals like well-known Kuwaiti actress Hayat Al-Fahad portrayed some Kuwaiti’s as discriminators and inhumane, by stating the following "If we get sick, there aren't enough hospitals. If their own countries don't want them, what are we supposed to do with them? Doesn't logic dictate that in times of distress, it is better to get rid of these people? Deport them or throw them out, they should be thrown out into the desert. I am not against humane treatment, but we have gotten to a point where we had enough." ("Kuwaiti Actress Hayat Al-Fahad During Show On COVID-19: We Should Throw Foreign Workers Out Into The Desert; We Don't Have Enough Hospitals"). A part of the public has supported her racist statement and a part went out of their ways to verbally attack her. We can use this as an example of how the ‘other’ such as the non-Kuwaiti individuals who are of lower class, are viewed through the lens of some Kuwaitis who lack sympathy. When such inhumane and discriminatory statements are being shared among platforms of social media to different populations of different age groups, gender and nationalities then one can only assume that indifference is taught and learned. For instance, if a Kuwaiti child had access to that video, they can choose to either sympathize with the ‘other’ or side with individuals like Hayat Al-Fahad and it all comes down to their parents and their moral values; the environment that kid was surrounded by and the way his parents raised him up. With this attitude one can easily become indifferent to the suffering of the ‘other’ in Kuwait, towards Indians, Filipinos, Bengalis, Egyptians etc. Even though I personally hate to see the negative side of Kuwait however, there are a number of cases that show discrimination against some of the vulnerable populations in Kuwait. Thus, people became somewhat immune to witnessing verbal abuse towards certain communities, thereby they developed traits of indifference. In my opinion the current global pandemic is primarily the reason why some of us are indifferent, the massive shift and transformation in peoples’ lives has affected how they react, think and express themselves. What is ironic is that some of those who are currently on the frontline, such as doctors, are expats such as Egyptians and Indians, yet they are unappreciated. They are stereotypically viewed as those of lower class regardless of their job position or actual social class and there are people who want them thrown out in the desert.
PART TWO- 28891
DeleteWhen the President of the Philippines banned Filipinos from traveling to Kuwait to work, due to the violence, oppression and abuse some of the domestic workers experienced. Some were killed, beaten up. Even though the ban was revoked approximately a year after the decision was made however, it resulted in complications such as opportunity and job loss. In such case if the power differentials were reversed, it is assumed that the Filipino population in Kuwait would hold grudges against Kuwaitis, they would most likely give Kuwaitis a “taste of their own medicine” and treat them the same way they were treated since some Kuwaitis did not grant their Filipino workers rights, their president did. Nevertheless, the president’s decision almost created animosity between Filipinos and Kuwaitis, it also affected the Philippines’ relationship with Kuwait.
Both, the oppressed and oppressor i.e. Filipinos and Kuwaitis, should acquire civility for one another. Kuwaitis should treat their foreign employees with respect and appreciation to avoid any conflict or dispute. For instance, Domestic workers should have granted access to their passport and mobile phones to file complaints in case of exposure to any type of violence.
In general, effective ways to improve the relationship between Kuwaitis and the ‘other’ would be to appreciate the ‘other’. It would be by enforcing laws that eliminates racial discrimination, also impose fines on those who encourage such bigotry conduct and allow the non-Kuwaiti residents to voice their concerns through an organization that protects them and their rights.
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ReplyDeleteDomestic workers in Kuwait, as well as in the gulf and Lebanon, are severely mistreated. Often abused both physically and emotionally, many are forced to work in extreme conditions with rarely any breaks and low pay. Dur to the low wages and benefits they often live jam-packed conditions. One apartment could house up to 20 people if not more, thus lacking any privacy and often being unsanitary. The horrifying conditions domestic workers live in, while has always been known, has become even more apparent due to COVID-19. Instead of the reaction to this being sympathy and a disapproval of the low wages and bad treatment that leads them to live in such packed houses, it has been met with a famous Kuwaiti actress, Hayat Al-Fahad, stating that the Kuwaiti government should throw them into the desert. Even though the conditions they work and live in are well known throughout the whole country, there has been no effective initiatives to combat this mistreatment. This is what I would classify as indifference in Kuwaiti society, an inaction and even compliance with the way things are. Instead of striving to change the current attitudes and policies that hinder and violate the basic human rights of domestic workers, the conversation about domestic workers is dominated by insults and claims that they should be ‘grateful’ for the treatment they get.
If there was a change in power in which domestic workers held influence, I believe there would be a desire to repay their mistreatment, ‘an eye for an eye’. To make Kuwaitis and Arab-expats experience what they experienced, all the mistreatment, abuse, low wages and unfair working hours. Domestic workers worlds turn upside down when they leave their home countries to seek jobs in Kuwait, only for them to be abused, if they were to gain power I don’t believe it would be hard for the idea that returning the ‘favour’ to Kuwaitis would only be fair. Hypothetically speaking perhaps taking control would not be enough, Kuwait is a country that has rarely been kind to them, why should they take care of it? This could lead to a rise in crime from both sides such as vandalism and social dishevel. The aim being putting the Kuwaiti population in the same horrible conditions they were put in.
For the situations to change there needs to be a foundation of respect and empathy between the two groups, something that currently isn’t there. For that to happen domestic workers need to be treated, payed and appreciated for the service they provide, a fact that many people don’t recognize. What they are providing is in fact a service, they are not slaves to look down on or to diminish their efforts. They are providing a service that frankly many of the population wouldn’t be able to survive without, but domestic work and service work, among other occupations dominated by non-Arab migrant workers, are often looked down upon as being unimportant or ‘low skill’. Even though society wouldn’t function without them. For that to happen the general opinion needs to change, people need to start caring and actively working to improve the countries policies about domestic work. Abolishing the Kafala system must be a part of that. Employers taking away their employees passports and denying them basic human rights, such as movement – either to their home countries or to work for someone else – is a horrendous violation of basic human rights that needs to be addressed, without addressing the main form of exploitation there can’t be change in any meaningful way.
It is relevant now more than ever to talk about power differentials in Kuwait and the consequences of that, as many Kuwaitis live indifferently and are insensitive towards the suffering of migrant workers during the circumstances of this pandemic. Ever since the Identity, Difference, and Deviance class I took, I found myself weary and alert of the way people express power, to their advantage, at the expense of vulnerable populations. This exercise allows me to reflect on how the current crisis fueled many, supposedly educated Kuwaitis', pre-existing racism and hatred directed towards migrant workers. It doesn't take a pandemic to notice the tension that exists between them, however it is a horrific, indisputable depiction of entitlement, ignorance, and indifference. I say this because it is way easier for Kuwaitis (and people of power, in general) to point fingers and shift the blame on to the less powerful, low-wage workers. As coronavirus cases increase in Kuwait, so do xenophobic rhetorics. Nationalism is used as an excuse to mask racist statements like 'get them out of here,' as if these workers are the sole cause of infecting the country, and as if the real responsibility does not lie within the hands of the powerful, Kuwaiti human traffickers who have made these workers victims of residency trading and put them in incredibly inhumane living conditions. In such tight, overpacked spaces, the reality is that they don't have the luxury to practice social and physical distancing.
ReplyDeleteIn understanding this serious humanitarian crisis, I believe if power differentials were to change and roles were to switch, then no mercy will be shown to Kuwaitis. I believe after their traumatic experiences with discrimination, they will take the opportunity to 'show them what it felt like' because they have nothing to lose. The only thing holding them back right now I believe is the fact everyone has a story, and they are most definitely not here by choice, but because that's the best offer they could get make a living and support their families.
There are certain steps however, the Kuwaiti government and its people can take in order to improve and save their relationship with expats. Firstly, the government must punish even the most powerful of 'tujaar al iqamat' = residency traders, who have convinced the most vulnerable and desperate of people to come and work, in the most inhumane of conditions and the lowest of wages, through false promises and hope. In doing so, they ensure protection to migrant workers, which is the ultimate step towards the right direction. In terms of the Kuwaiti population, understanding that we humans need each other, are interdependent, and must be supportive of one another is vital. Of course, it will take much more than that to reverse the years worth of damage to relationships with migrant workers, however I am hopeful that there also is a large number of Kuwaitis who are well aware and are constantly trying their best to make-up for the ignorance of others.
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The feeling of indifference in Kuwait towards the “other” can be attributed to many reasons, but one reason I feel that many tend to overlook is that some form of compassion fatigue taking place. When people are exposed to constant suffering of others and even when they’re trying to help, it can lead to a moment of feeling helpless at the situation that is not improving, and eventually feeling numb to the issue at hand. Others might simply ignore the issue because it simply does not affect them and believe that it is a norm that does not have to change. Another reason that leads to indifference towards the “other” in Kuwait is that Kuwaitis tend to stay quiet when it comes to these things. For example, if a Kuwaiti witnesses a family member at a family gathering mistreating a domestic worker, they’re most likely going to stay quiet and not get involved due to the social norm of “respecting elders”; and eventually, after years of staying quiet and not doing anything, they’re going to be indifferent to the issue. Putting myself in the shoes of a Bidoon in Kuwait, if they were in a position of power and Kuwaitis were the ones being oppressed, then I would honestly believe that Bidoons would treat Kuwaitis much better than how Kuwaitis are treating them at the moment. They’d give them most of the same rights, if not all, and treat them like they’re all equal. The fact that Kuwaitis outnumber Bidoons makes me believe that if Bidoons were in a position of power, they would sympathize more with what’s happening to them since they’d be such a large number. But Kuwaitis nowadays tend to ignore what’s happening to Bidoons and simply not care due to them being ignorant about how many of them there actually is. In my opinion, the first step to improving the relationship between Kuwaitis and Bidoons is giving them the same rights as Kuwaitis, which will make less Kuwaitis look down on them. Another thing that Kuwait should do is grant them citizenship because some Bidoon families deserve a citizenship more than some Kuwaitis do, and most of them were born in Kuwait, which in my opinion, should automatically give them the right to be granted a citizenship. Overall, there are multiple “others” I can talk about in Kuwait, for example, expats and possibly even lower-class Kuwaitis, but in the end, I feel like we can’t know what they would do in a position of power because sadly, Kuwait might never give them any.
ReplyDeleteThe ‘other’, irrespective of whether the Bidoon or expatriates, suffer from issues of discrimination and unequal treatment in Kuwait. Sometimes with time, intolerance towards the ‘other’ becomes almost an inseparable part of human psyche. It is necessary to note that in a compelling or overpowering situation, anyone is capable of engaging in or bearing immoral behavior. Well linked to this idea is the concept of indifference. Indifference or apathy is the lack of care, empathy or sympathy towards the suffering of others. Tolerating an act in which suffering, pain and injustice is being inflicted on a person/people is a good example. To some it is not a matter of concern. One considers him/herself completely uninvolved in the situation and thus presumes he/she is not responsible for making an effort to improve the situation (diffusion of responsibility). Indifference can be seen in Kuwait, not all the time in the form of brutal incidences, but often in more subtle ways.
ReplyDeleteThe Bidoon are deprived of basic human rights or civil rights such as nationality, right to vote, property, economic freedom, public health care and education. They continue to live without the means to access their full civil and human rights even though they have been living in Kuwait and defended the land during the Iraqi invasion. They have been isolated from society and the authorities have given little attention to their conditions. While there have been few efforts to improve the situation, it has resulted in little or no change. Many Bidoon activists have been imprisoned for participating in peaceful protests and it is speculated that they are also victims of torture, which is why they are refused reference to the forensic medicine department by the public prosecution.
The expatriates, especially domestic workers and unskilled labor are vulnerable to discrimination and are also maltreated. There have been several cases of violence against domestic workers and not much effort has been put forward to protect the rights of foreign workers and very little action to maintain their security. Sometimes they do not even have the freedom to practice their cultural or religious beliefs. Furthermore, there are plans to lessen the expatriate population in Kuwait by deportation and visa restrictions. New ministerial objectives are suggested with the goal of deporting a certain number of expatriates within a year or more. This shows the well sorted plan and need to in a way get ‘rid of’ the expatriate workers. Medical care and certain expensive treatment especially of serious illnesses like cancer are only provided for Kuwaitis and the expatriates are given only basic drugs for treatment. During the crisis due to the novel Corona virus, many expatriate workers are not getting their salaries. While some owners have exempted them from paying rents or reduced the amount, there are others who are imposing the full rent despite the shortage of pay to the expatriates. There are some owners who have threatened the expatriates with legal cases. Opinions and statements shared even by parliamentary members show insensitive and unfair attitudes.
Part 2
DeleteBy not standing up for the basic rights such as security and freedom of belief of domestic workers, tolerating and engaging in discriminative behaviors and attitudes, suppressing or ignoring the voices of the Bidoon, indifference is being practiced. As mentioned, during compelling situations, anyone is capable of engaging in immoral behavior or acts. The same is applicable in a reversed imagined scenario of perpetrators and victims in Kuwait. However, putting myself in the position of the oppressed group, I feel if the power differentials were to change, the Bidoon would fulfill their previous unheard demands of rights to education, property and citizenship. To predict the behavior of a community, it is necessary to have an insight about its past and present. They have not shown any violent behavior so far in their demands. They are a minority with the desire to obtain a good socio-economic status. In my opinion, they would do so if they had the power, as this is what they have been fighting for decades. They would attempt to build the image of a recognized and independent community. They would not go out of the way to harm the Kuwaiti population as they have not been attacked or abused in that manner. Although there have been few instances of torture, there is no widespread killing/elimination of the Bidoon and this is why they are less likely to engage in the same atrocious acts themselves. They might treat the upper class Kuwaiti community with resentment and some degree of dominance due to hatred towards the ‘high class’ that oppressed them. In order to take vengeance, the Bidoon, now superior, may try to harass, disturb and bother the Kuwaitis seeking some kind of contentment in it.
Expatriates however, are more capable of inflicting harm and violence, more than the Bidoon but less than committing murder and genocide. They are more capable of being aggressive towards Kuwaitis because they are different in terms of culture, nationality and class. This may act as a barrier in relating to one another. In this case, the sense of ‘our kind’ is diminished. The cultural difference may also feed the violent behavior. The extent and form of violence also depends on the nationality of the expatriates. If they are Arabs, they may not mistreat the Kuwaitis much as there is some level of oneness or familiarity. Taking Asians into consideration, it depends on their socio-economic status and class. In my opinion, the unskilled labor is more capable of violence than skilled workers. The skilled expatriates would rather maintain a balance in power and try to create stability in the society along with Kuwaitis. In addition, they comprise a majority of the population; they can influence economic aspects of the society. They would make their identity distinct, make their importance and relevance known and climb the ladder of status, forming an authoritative and capable community.
The relations Kuwaitis share with expatriates and the Bidoon are and have been turbulent. It can be improved by providing security to domestic workers, fighting against discrimination, paying heed to the needs and basic rights of the Bidoon. Expatriates should not be labeled as the ‘problem makers’. The government should promote equality, liberty and respect for all communities. Avoiding hate speech against expatriates is also important in reducing prejudice. Manipulation of justice and law, favoring the Kuwaitis and prosecuting expatriates when innocent must be stopped in order to strengthen the relations with the variety of communities in Kuwait.
From my perspective, the category of the “other” in Kuwait explicitly means those who are not citizens of Kuwait and the GCC. They mostly include, but are not limited to, populations from SouthEast Asia and Northern Africa. However, some of us are probably focusing too much on the non-Kuwaiti populations of the country to realize that Kuwaiti women (or all women in Kuwait) are also a part of this group of “other” and are considered a minority group in terms of their rights and the sociocultural attitudes towards them. Those who are indifferent to women in Kuwait are part of a powerful political, economic, and sociocultural group that can easily influence women’s roles in society. This includes male members of the parliament, Islamic Brotherhood ministerial officials, and the conservative-traditional figures of society. To narrow my discussion, I will be focusing on the general indifferences towards Kuwaiti women from Kuwaiti men. This is not to say that Kuwaiti women (or other populations in the country) are not indifferent to one another as well. The history of Kuwait shows that women began participating in non-household activities at the end of the 1930s. Girls were legally allowed to go to school and graduate with a degree, but not every household allowed their sisters or daughters to do so. While the girls studied in schools, the other sex was already advanced in their participation in Kuwaiti politics and the economy, and as a reuslt, men took hold of the country’s affairs. This power, and the traditional gender-role ideologies, perpetuated a male-dominated society, unable to successfully allow women to participate with them. Kuwaiti women are still trying to prove the importance of their societal role in occupying numerous positions of caregiver, employer, politician, activist, doctor, artist, and other positions that Kuwaiti males occupy with little-to no challenge from the eyes of society. Those women who have entered the nation’s workforce need to prove themselves to their male partners, but their failures are maximized and justified as being a “woman.” An example of this is found in the Kuwaiti parliament, in which the male members continue to attack female members’ legislative suggestions that actually meet women and the minority’s needs. It would be ignorant of me not to point out that some female citizens have sided with these male conservative members of the parliament, stating that these female representatives “don’t know what they're saying” and don’t know what’s best for the country. Those women have been enculturated to the views of the male-dominated society in which they pose similar degrading views of their own sex. Not only are women combating discrimination, sexism, and hate speech in the public sphere, they might be coming home to an abusive husband, brother, or father. If a woman were to complain about these abuses to the police, they would justify the abuse by saying “she should have kept quiet” or “she deserves it” for not complying with the man-of-the-house. She doesn’t have rights for protection against these physical or sexual abuses.
ReplyDeleteIf the power differentials changed between Kuwaiti men and women, I suggest that the women should begin this new regime with establishing new laws to protect themselves (both as Kuwaiti women and women in general) against any future issues of abuse, sexism, discrimination, hate speech, or oppression of any kind. Legal issues can be fixed on paper, but socioculturally transforming the view of women will be very difficult since it requires time for society to get used to this change and requires working together as members of the community to fight against the inequality of gender norms to create new ones. This brings to light Carole Nagengast's question of whether human rights should be culturally determined using cultural relativism. I believe that as society progresses and becomes part of the global village (or becomes Bauman’s definition of “modern”), human rights should be adjusted and applied to each country according to the context of their nations populations to avoid misinterpretation and ignoring some group’s rights while privileging others. If we were to create a universal human rights convention, we must learn from the mistakes of the UNGC’s definition of genocide. To do so, we must be aware of the different types of situations in which groups are not being protected to create a human rights convention that will be universally applicable. There shouldn’t be any loopholes or errors in a convention that is used to ensure safety of non-violent peoples trying to peacefully live amongst other members of the society. With the implementation of women’s rights, women in all occupations and positions can ensure their protection, and if they have children, the protection of their children, if they don’t already have them. Kuwait’s traditional ideology and cultural attitude of women as “weak” or “dumb” individuals will change with legal rights and protections which will urge women to confidently mark their place in society.
DeleteI am socially middle class, and putting my self in a category for an oppressed other, recreating the ideas of how the 'other' lives, putting myself in their shoes.. i see a reflection. By a reflection I can see both good and bad. I' myself dont find myself differentiating but i know the majority does, and when the chance is there, who knows, I might use my power. I as a middle class Kuwaiti have problems with the police, I could imagine myself being an Indian worker forexample, will definetly have more opression from the society & "middle class" against me. While I get on the road, probably most cars will beep on me, I would mostly have negative comments from the middle class. I would always see "middle class" as a threat to me. I say this because this is reality. I once used to drive an old gmc van, if I recall I had more than 8 beeps from other cars on the road, and got pulled by the cops about three times that day, people would drive recklessly on me, go infront of me like im nothing, just because the society thought I am a "lower class" worker. I can Imagine how weak would I feel against others, just because I got less power. In my point of view, I think in this urban age, societies mind has changed.. Higher class opresses the middle, and the middle opresses the low class.. wherever a human has more power than the other, they will definitely suppose it. This is the problem. Sometimes, I would see marxism as the best solution for our world. I could relate alot to it.. I'll tell you why. Now,If I would give you steps to improve the relationships between social classes, like enforcing rules to make everyone equal, with wasta, and differentials.. the rules can and will be bend. Whatever steps I would suggest I would be lying to myself. I find that Marxism is the solution! In a Marxist world, I believe that everyone should be equal.. because we all need eachother. When enforcing marxism theory, no individual will have more power than another, because social classes will be destroyed. I believe that unless social classes are destroyed, there will forever be opressed groups. This is the way I see it, whenever someone has more power than another.. then the other will be opressed. Power shouldnt be given to a specific group& social classes should be dismissed. Even if the relationships between the social classes got better, the lower classes will always find themselves lesser. The higher classes will always have more power. Even if we found ways to lessen the differentials between classes, we will always be different and there will always be oppression.
ReplyDeleteS00043793
Order to help fix the situation of the marginalized "other" in Kuwait a government interference has to take place. Most of us are insensitive or indifferent towards the oppressed "other" because we assume that it is the governments responsibility to take care of the disadvantaged individuals the same way it is taking care of us. If the roles were reversed I do not see any extreme shift or change in the set of behaviors and line of thinking that we are going about. The country operates in such way that is suggestive for us to behave and think the way that we are. And if the roles were reversed I can not see it working out any other way. What is need is a revaluation and renovation of the already established governmental laws and policies in way that will insure the dignity of any human that resides the land of Kuwait. Most of the "other" are considered to be Bidoon, the country is reluctant to acknowledge them as sovereign civilians for the main reason being is that some of them are in fact con artist that threw their old identity away and decided to claim that they are Kuwaiti Bidoon, in hopes of gaining the Kuwaiti nationality and all the governmental support that comes with that. However, it is worth noting that this is not the case with every Bidon individual. Nonetheless, the state of Kuwait is more than capable of having a humanistic solution to this problem that does not allow the country to be taken advantage of. The issue here is a case of indifference with a hope that the these problem will dispensary on their own without taking any necessary action to solve it. The attitude of hoping a problem will solve itself is almost synonymous with being a Kuwaiti.
ReplyDeleteImagined group: domestic workers
ReplyDeleteWe are indifferent to the suffering of the “other” in Kuwait because we are looked at as privileged for being able to stay under the same roof as our family members. I think the problem with majority of Kuwaiti citizens is that they are so used to having housekeepers, drivers, and etc. they forget that these people have risked a lot to come work for their families. They get so caught up living in such a way, that they forget to look at the “help” as anything other than the “help”. Domestic workers in Kuwait go through a lot; with the constant work, little breaks, not enough salary money- its mentally and physically draining and I can’t even begin to imagine how much worse it has gotten with the pandemic. The workers who were able to get days off, will be working non-stop, and to the workers who are never ever granted days off, will be working double. It’s no secret that workers here in Kuwait get treated really badly, and sometimes get taken for granted, and what people do not realize is that this pandemic is extra hard on people with who have to stay with their abusers, and in this case workers being treated worse than before. Their jobs will be ever harder as salary’s may not continue and they would be forced to work for free, which im sure is not part of the contract they have signed with the families. The workers, here in Kuwait, are looked at as low class, and they show very little pity towards them, when they should infact be grateful. This pandemic has caused us to isolate and families should check on their workers and make sure they’re okay. If power differentials were to change, I do believe that these families will get what they deserve, I feel like the ones who made them punish might get what they deserve. I would love for anyone who had mistreated a domestic worker to genuinely feel how it feels to clean after someone else’s family, cook for them and do someone else’s work, all while being away from home, and see how difficult it could be and finally put themselves in their shoes. This would be good because people should respect the people that work for you, regardless race, nationality, or religion.
Fatma Al-Mutawa
ReplyDelete45792
There are many bad cases in Kuwait like any other country, but I think the most neglected one is the Bedouins. Some people do not give it the attention it needs, and it is not recognized as a sever problem. If you tell Kuwaiti about there case they would either say “we can’t do anything because they are not Kuwaitis”, “some of them threw or hid their paper to get some benefits from the Kuwaiti nationality” or “ no it is not true I’m pretty sure that there are Bedouins who have that or done that”, but they are talking about rich Bedouins, what about the poor ones? If roles changed, Kuwaitis would not have their political, economical and essential social rights. We would not be able to apply to a proper school with proper educational system. For children to would not be a big problem but once they graduate from high school, they will not be able to apply to Kuwait University nor study abroad. Cannot apply to a private university unless you have money, end up applying to an institute and get a degree that is lower than college degree. We Cannot apply for a decent job that pays good money even if we had a high GPA. The bank and our job require our home address, because we cannot own a house, we have to use our Kuwaiti friends, family members’ address, but what if we don’t have one? We would not be able to travel or improve our circumstances or our future children’s. We might have to do illegal and dangerous jobs, but fear of get caught and deported. Being sick for us would be out of the question because we cannot afford to. Some people might be conscious about our problems and try to organize a charity, the government might give a solution that would help a number of people, but would it eliminate the problem? We will not be able to document our marriages, divorces, birth or death and to the world we do not exist. If we are actually looking for a change, people need to recognize the Bedouins case as a serious one first. Protests would not be a good idea because people have already tried that, unless we have a before and after plan that has been probably studied. We could show the world and social media how serious this problem is, which would be similar to the “black lives matter” move, the government did something because the world knew about it.