Society for expatriate workers THE maltreatment of expatriate workers has turned into a general view of superiority, including the people these workers represent, without any appreciation or realization of what their societies represent culturally and historically. Last week, we witnessed two shocking incidents that circulated on social media websites. They show the violence some people practice against expatriate workers. The first was a video clip showing youths beating up a gas station worker. The second showed a young Saudi man brutally beating up a cleaner. The two clips angered many people, who denounced these youths’ actions and demanded justice. They also demanded the worker’s dignity be restored, as they had left their country to earn a living. It is serious that a citizen arrests, investigates and carries out the punishment without being deterred with the harshest penalties for violating local laws, which stipulate that nobody should be subjected to torture, harsh or inhumane treatment or punishment. This is stated in the international agreement that the Kingdom attested in 1997. We have the right to ask who will control the scale of rights and duties for these foreign workers, who cannot file their complaints and get their rights due to the fear that the act will have a negative effect on their lives. They are afraid their employer will issue them a final exit visa. I ask: Where are the pertinent authorities that protect the rights of foreign workers and remind them of their duties? I say with all frankness: The main problem in our dealing with expatriate workers is the nonexistence of an independent and specialist rights institution that protects these workers’ rights, receives complaints and monitors the conduct and practices of some people who do not respect these workers’ rights. Therefore national institutions and societies ought to be opened and reconsidered fast, especially since it has been in the archives for six years now after it received approval by the Shoura Council in December 2007. A major question arises: What is the reason for such shameful conduct by some individuals in our society toward expatriate workers? Legal studies confirm that people who have a different color, outer appearance, clothes, language or religion from those of the majority in the host country are racially discriminated against. This racial discrimination is in the form of physical violence or other forms. For this reason, it was important to present a paper on racial discrimination against foreign workers in our societies during the last meeting for national dialogue held in Riyadh. It was entitled “Ideological classifications and their effects on the Saudi cultural discourse,” as the manifestations of discrimination can be discerned basically in looking down on others, feeling superior compared to others and not respecting these workers. We also discern some negative trends like contempt for them and persecution against expatriates. The mistreatment of foreign workers by some individuals in our society comes without any respect or realization for the status of these societies deep-rooted accomplishments in history and culture. This view of superiority has affected the methods we raise our children, as well as social upbringing in our societies. We then complain about workers escaping from our firms and homes.
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 11:11:26 +0000
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