28/10/2008 / SAUDI ARABIA
I'm outraged by the poverty in my country - especially
as it's one of the richest states in the world! This video, which has been
going round the Web for a while, doesn't shock me at all. Recently, talking
about poverty has become very fashionable. One of the dailies prints an account
of a poor person's problems each day. The subject's not taboo anymore, but a
lot of people have the idea that the politicians in charge hardly do
anything to fix the problem. They're content just talking about it."
Poverty exists in Saudi Arabia too
The cliché of Saudi Arabia is that everybody drives around in Jaguars and spends their holidays at five star hotels in Beirut. But as this video proves, in the dark depths of the world's petrol state, poverty is lurking.
Subtitled by Team Observers, France 24. Original video here.
Trad Alasmari put this video on YouTube in protest over poverty in his country. The short documentary starts with the interview of a Saudi security guard who earns no more than 1000 Riyals a month [€200]. The video's already been picked up by various Arabic media sites and fuelled hundreds of comments on YouTube. The blogger took the initiative after the president of the country's human rights commission announced that the problem of poverty was a "minor" one and only found in "isolated pockets".
Saudi Arabia is the world's biggest oil producer. And yet, banks in the country estimate that the unemployment rate is around 13% - and even that figure is an underestimation, say many bloggers.
Our Observers in Saudi Arabia prefer to remain anonymous.
Contributors
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"The politicians in charge hardly do anything"
Loujiane is a 19-year-old student.
I'm outraged by the poverty in my country - especially
as it's one of the richest states in the world! This video, which has been
going round the Web for a while, doesn't shock me at all. Recently, talking
about poverty has become very fashionable. One of the dailies prints an account
of a poor person's problems each day. The subject's not taboo anymore, but a
lot of people have the idea that the politicians in charge hardly do
anything to fix the problem. They're content just talking about it." Unregistered user
"We use water from the toilet to heat up the dinner"
Haya is a cleaner in a girls' school in Riyadh.
Both me and my husband work in schools. He's a watchman
and I'm a cleaner. We live in a two-room apartment with our four children, my
mother-in-law and my two brothers-in-law. We have no kitchen and use water from
the toilet to heat up the dinner. Only god can get us out of this situation."
Both me and my husband work in schools. He's a watchman
and I'm a cleaner. We live in a two-room apartment with our four children, my
mother-in-law and my two brothers-in-law. We have no kitchen and use water from
the toilet to heat up the dinner. Only god can get us out of this situation."
Unregistered user
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Comments
Freedom of thought in the Islamic world
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Tue, 25/11/2008 - 21:16.In the Islamic world there is no freedom of thought -
America and EU countries have poverty as well -
But in the Islamic world besides for the oil wealth there is almost all poverty - or there is an extreme wealth divide.
Freedom of thought is important -- the Islamic world's argument is that if we allow are people to think and act freely - then they are going to commit some sort of vice.
That may be so - but along with that they are also likely to produce a Bill Gates.
In this way Islam is being used as an excuse to crush the people's spirit of ingenuity and creativity. First everything has to be okayed by the religious authority -
It is a shame ~
There will be those who will argue that Islam is so great and so good - but why is it that in Saudi Arabia - and across the Islamic world - that it is a crime not to be a Muslim - more, to freely leave Islam - why the insecurity if the religion is so great?
Muslim can talk at great length about Islamophobia in the West - but there are no churches in Saudi Arabia - yet there are mosques in Rome.
The fact that so many Muslims around the world are living far below their potential - is a crime against humanity.
Muslims - if they want to be taken seriously -- no so much as a threat to western society or way of life - but in their own right - they are going to have to challenge the religious authorities - which control them - and which keep a 1/5 of humanity like children.
__
I believe the Saudi royals recently flew to America - and the amount they spent was the talk of the town. I'm sure they had a thought for the poor!
Instead of being Muslim first - Muslims should try to be human first!
Unregistered user
the guy in the video is not
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sat, 29/11/2008 - 01:04.the guy in the video is not from saudi arabia even his accent is a way to be from the Gulf countries. and poor people exist every where in the world. every one makes money depends on his/her job.money. In the islamic world we consider our selves much better than other countries in the world where they pay taxes, insurances, and even health care plus going to church they must give some. oh yeah and u still talking about freedom. we don't need the westren freedom ( bullshit ).
we have our freedom which following the holy kora'an and sunah the prophet Mohammed.
Unregistered user
Do we really need bigots
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 27/11/2008 - 00:09.Do we really need bigots like you, venting their anger at a Islam they hardly know on the slightest of pretexts? Your comments, filled as they are with unabashed Islamophobia and hatred, betray nothing but insecurtity about whatever religion you follow.
Islam is a beautiful religion that is ever-growing and is increasingly embraced by many, including many in the west. It is not doing to disappear.
My message to Islamophobes(and Antisemites) like you: spawning hatred won't do- learn to open your eyes, loosers.
Unregistered user
An Outrage I Tell YOU
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 10/11/2008 - 20:51.Saudi Arabia is known to be one of the richest countries in the world, however even Saudi Arabia is facing problems such as poverty. Everytime I go visit my home country I've noticed that the poverty is common mostly on the foreginers such as Malaysians, African Americans, Pakistanis, Palistinians, ect. Most of the time half the people that come to beg for money or are living in horrible conditions are foregioners. Our country must fight back. We must put a stop to this. I mean just think of the image we sent to other muslim countries if they see Saudi Arabia like this then what will they think?
Unregistered user
Waste of national resources
Submitted by Jahanshah Ra... on Wed, 29/10/2008 - 22:02.Waste of national resources by the house of Wahabbi is notoriously known
throughout the world. International reports, documentaries and mainstream news also know the level of Saudi involvement in spreading scandals and with them the Wahhabi corruption. The House of Saud and its 7000 princes rule the country like a feudal fiefdom and rely on their extremist sect (Wahhabism) as a source of legitimacy.
Wahhabis have long been financing of "Maddrasseh" ( Islamic schools) in Pakistan, a recruiting ground for Islamist and terrorist activities against non-Muslims “infidels”in the world.
Jahanshah Ra...
The feudal kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the poverty within
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Thu, 30/10/2008 - 07:34.Just think 7000 Princes who live like money grows on trees in a feudal kingdom where OILFIELDS earn them billions of Dollars and rampant poverty exists? The only solution to that problem is the removal of the corrupt monarchy and the setting-up of a REPUBLIC.
This is supposed to be the Space Age and we have reached the moon, yet in a country as rich as Saudi Arabia there exists poverty? Then there is something radically wrong with the system. Let the people have a voice in government and they will remove the the corrupt House of Saud once and for all.
Feudalism and Democracy cannot exist side by side, because they are diametrically opposed. The setting up of a Republican form of government and universal suffrage should be the goal of those who remove this feudal monarchy.
The time has come for the citizens of Saudi Arabia to react just as the people of Nepal did and remove the source of their troubles, the Saudi Monarchy. Let freedom be the choice of the masses and the common people must now take a stand to remove this irrelevant feudal monarchy from power.
Unregistered user
Monarchy
Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 10/11/2008 - 20:56.Ok buddy first of all what does Monarchy have to do with anything? I think that our system of government known as Monarchy is perfectly fine. It is not in the least bit corrupt. So don't try blaming the issue of poverty on our Monarchs and rulers. I'm sure they are doing the best they can to solve the problem. However we the people must also do all we can to help out. We have to get out a postive image of Saudi Arabia however blaming the Monarch system won't do any good.
Unregistered user