Majority Feel Victimized By Wrong Application Of Law ‘Its Time To Pack Up Bags’ KUWAIT CITY, June 12: In this week’s online poll, the Arab Times asked voters what they felt were the psychological effects of deportations on them. The mood is generally dim and gloomy. A majority of the voters said they feel victimized by the wrong application of law. Speaking to respondents the Arab Times found out expatriates are living under fear despite being legal in all respects, “because we don’t know what we are going to be caught for.” There have been many reports of people being arrested for dropping off friends at the airport. This was an example that most respondents quoted for wrong application of law. “Yes, we know that illegal taxiing is a crime. But to assume that any unrelated person riding your car is a customer is ridiculous.” In many instances the policemen were not even willing to hear an explanation, respondents said. “Many innocents are in jail on charges of illegal taxiing.” 30 percent of the voters said the situation in Kuwait has become so worse that they fear stepping out of their homes. “We feel like we are living in a big prison. We are scared of being deprived of our rights on lame excuses.” The traffic on the roads has gone down. “It’s not because of summer vacation, it’s because people are avoiding driving as much as possible. The ministry of interior might have achieved its goal of cutting down traffic, but it comes at a great cost for expatriates.” Many people complained that the situation has applied so much psychological pressure on them that they have decided to call it quit and go back home. About 14 percent of the voters held this view. “After all it’s not our country, and we can’t hope to live here for ever. There has to be a time when we should pack our bags and leave; probably, now is that time.” However, there were people who preferred to look at the glass as half full. “This clampdown will ease in a while, and with a lot of the illegal residents and people with crime records sent back, Kuwait will become a safer and happier place to live in.” About 11 percent said that they are looking to move to other Gulf countries which welcome expatriates. Places like UAE and Qatar are still considered as safe havens for expatriates, where foreigners enjoy a lot of freedom, they opined. A minority of voters, 6 percent, felt that all their years of efforts in Kuwait suddenly seemed to have gone waste. “We feel our sincerity and hard work have not been duly acknowledged.” This has created a sense of pessimism among expatriates. “We are just wondering when it would be our turn to leave
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 10:42:35 +0000
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