A Mismatch of Globalization

Photo essay: Traveling to Dubai and Sharjah

by Fariba Amini
06-Apr-2009
 
Dubai likes to see itself as the center of commerce, investment, and even culture, in the Persian Gulf. It is where the global rich can opt to become even richer and where investors can live out their dreams. It is also a place where people from the poorer parts of Asia flock to make a living and send money home. In the process Dubai has become the center of everything we love to hate: globalization at its worst, consumerism at its most extreme. Whereas old Dubai, situated around the Creek, has retained some of its charm, the new endlessly sprawling Dubai is a glitzy, unreal mega-Disney world focused on high-end shopping, leisure and entertainment. A boat ride across the Creek in old Dubai costs one dirham; crossing the bridge over to the Burj Al Arab hotel, situated on an artificial island in the Gulf, costs 200 dirhams or 70 dollars! The contrast is enormous>>>Full text
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Dubai

by Yousi (not verified) on

Building glitzy shopping malls with oil money and cheap labour who is mistreated and having a conservative undemocratic Muslim society and government is not progress to be proud of. Dubai and alike sheikdoms have a long way to go


Shazde Asdola Mirza

Difference between Arabs & Persians

by Shazde Asdola Mirza on

 

Persians think that they are the smartest.

Arabs know there are smarter poeple too.


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"Xerxes": Stop making excuses and come to terms with facts!

by Vavaki advisor (not verified) on

You know better than anybody else that your mullah pals have had huge investments in real estate, etc. in Dubai until recently. You yourself probably do as well.

Even that hercules weightlifter guy who is also a very loyal supporter of your beloved regime kept advertising for some real estate company in Dubai, UAE all the time, encouraging people to go buy real estate there instead of some place in Iran.

So take my advice and stop pretending and admit that a sheikhdom in the middle of desert which was nothing until 30 years ago, had been doing a whole lot better than Iran under your mullah buddies in the last 30 years, at least until the recent economic melt-down hit the whole world.


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Iranians know they have failed.

by Arash Kamangir (not verified) on

The progress made in Gulf states show simply that the Iranians have badly failed since 1979. I do remember that before 1979 many Arabs used to spend their holidays in Iranian towns such as Tehran or Shiraz. Iran was the leading country in the persian Gulf. Thanks to mullahs we have fallen behind and I don't think this is going to change in near future. Saddest of all is that Iranians seem to be happy with the present regime.


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ferdos36

by XerXes (not verified) on

You believe in too much conspiracies against the Iranian system. Politically speaking, all governments are evil and do harm in some level. Realistically speaking, you are picking and choosing. I suggest if you live in the US, focus a bit more on the local issues such as racism, inequality, and human rights in the ghettos that are infested with rapes, crimes, guns and drugs..in the most powerful and rich country in the world. Then if you had some more time, please come back and see us, the Evil Iranians on the other side!


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freedom and democracy!

by ferdos36 (not verified) on

Delara Darabi Is on the Verge of Execution
Delara Darabi is an imprisoned painter who has been incarcerated for more than five years in a prison in the city of Rasht. Ms. Darabi has confessed to a murder she committed when she was 17 years old and now, considering her confession and the end of all legal proceedings, she is on the threshold of execution. Abdulsamad Khoramshahi, a lawyer representing Ms. Darabi, announced the news and told Rooz press that his client called him in the early hours of the Persian New Year and talked about some rumors she had heard inside the jail about her possible execution Continue reading »

Average Age of Tehran Drug Addicts has Reached 20

by IHRV ~ April 8th, 2009
According to the head of drug enforcement police unit in metropolitan Tehran, the average age of hardcore drug users and casual drug users are 20 and 18 years old respectively.

Colonel Javad Kashfi said: the age distribution of drug peddlers are as followings: Continue reading »

Two hundreds Are Victims of Mine Explosion in Iran Annually

According to Ighbal Mohammadi, representative of Marivan and Sarvabad in Islamic parliament, approximately 200 people fell victim to landmine explosions in the western provinces. Landmines were mostly planted in western provinces, neighboring the border towns during Kurdish uprising in early days of the revolution and during eight years of war between Iran and Iraq. Continue reading »

For more news and reports. please see the below link:
//www.ihrv.org/inf/
Thank you for your continued interest in and support for human rights in Iran.
Sincerely,
Iran Human Rights Voices web administrator


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I visit there often

by Dariush Homayoon (not verified) on

We want the Asia to blossom. We have a policy of look to the east and will support any Asian country that grabs the Western wealth and spend it on the East. Amen to that.


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ferdos36

by XerXes (not verified) on

So Iranians go there for freedom? This is new to me. What kind of freedom is that, please elaborate sir.
They are going there because they can speak "against" the Iranian system. Fine. Can they speak against the host system? Or can the host country's citizen come to Iran and speak against their own system?
Really the level of jaaheli is amazing to me.

Granted that Iran lacks certain social freedoms, such as being (officially, not really) dry, and women have to cover up to their middle head, but freedom? COME ON.
People like you are too narrow minded and superficial to understand that Iran is far more democratic that all their neighbors combined. Now come and try to explain to Eyeranian foreigners.


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The Islamic Republic has as

by ferdos36 (not verified) on

The Islamic Republic has as much money as the Arab Sheikhdoms. If only they did not use it for dubious purposes Iran can be a heaven. Alas, that is not the case and Iranians who go to Dubai feed to this mad consumerism.

There are museums in Sharjah. In Dubai by contrast you see luxury hotels and ugly high rises built by the blood and sweat of foreign workers.
It is a mixed of Las Vegas, Disney World and Beverly Hills all in one ugly package.

The Russians are there with their gold chains around their necks. The Brits are there with their English accent... and the Iranians seek what they don't have in Iran: Freedom.


Monda

interesting report

by Monda on

I'm sure diversity would be found if one looks for it, in educational circles for example. But some photos of Dubai remind me of Las Vegas in terms of vanity of architecture and purpose. 

Over th years I've heard of the well-to-do in Iran taking shopping trips to Dubai, but never heard of any museums or libraries or any other cultural activities beside shopping, restaurants and clubs. (oh I've seen pictures of their ski slope and tennis courts on top of high rises?!)

Thank you for your share Fariba. 


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Persians and arabs

by iri (not verified) on

Imagine what can be achieved with Persian minds and arab money!!


Bunyip

Beautiful

by Bunyip on

If a "book can be judged by its cover", then UAE has achieved a great deal in 40 years. Photo 5 is very funny.

One other thing, and as much as it hurts me, it looks like orderly conduct is the order of the day in this Arab nation, just look at photo 17, where "stop sign" is actually being obeyed (unlike you know where- No name mentioned for fear of this post being deleted by the editors).


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Thank you

by Helen (not verified) on

Thank you for the great pictures. They definitely tell a different story than the UAE state propaganda. It was lovely to see real people in your pictures of Dubai and Sharjah. The UAE has been operating on labor of foreign workers and has been most unkind to the poorest of them.