A Moral Gulf

An Opinion Piece by Gaurav Varma

Few Westerners would ever admit to supporting slavery. But many people, including some students in Alsion, see nothing wrong with going on vacation to a totalitarian Gulf nation such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar or the United Arab Emirates. Doha and Dubai are magnets for tourism, but they have been built on the backs of millions of poor, exploited, migrant workers who live as virtual slaves.

Historically, the nations of the Persian Gulf have gotten incredibly rich off their oil reserves. The ruling classes in these countries have become known for flaunting their excessive wealth with lavish purchases of supercars and exotic pets. However, the world is moving away from fossil fuels like oil, as reserves are depleting and renewable energy is becoming more affordable. This has forced the Gulf states to diversify their economies as can be seen with Mohammad bin Salman’s, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia’s, “Vision 2030” plan. A large part of this diversification involves tourism.

Dubai represents the epitome of the burgeoning Arab tourism industry. Tourism alone is responsible for 20% of the city’s GDP. The entire metropolis is constructed to attract as many tourists as possible. For example: the Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world; in the most tourist-centered areas, police ride around in Ferraris and Lamborghinis; there is even an archipelago of over one hundred islands in the shape of a world map being built off the coast of Dubai.

But all this development comes at a tremendous human cost. The hotels, shopping malls, and other glamorous attractions in Dubai are mostly built by workers from Southeast Asia. Recruiters from construction companies travel to these countries and lie to poor citizens about the opportunities of working in the UAE. When the workers arrive in the country, their employers will often seize their passports so they cannot leave their jobs or the country. Wages are incredibly low and most workers send much of their wages back home to their families. Living conditions for the laborers are squalid and medical care is not provided.

The UAE is not alone in condoning this quasi-slavery. Qatar is hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022, and it has been heavily criticized for the working and living conditions of the migrant workers building new soccer stadiums in the country. Two years ago, a joint letter by twelve countries (including Canada and the United Kingdom) stated that “from the moment migrant workers begin the process of seeking work in Qatar, they are drawn into a highly exploitative system that facilitates the exaction of forced labour by their employers.” But this letter, for all its harsh condemnation, has had no real impact. Workers in Qatar are still being exploited.

In the end, words such as these can only do so much. The motivating factor for these Gulf states is money. Their governments are wagering that they can successfully sustain their economies on the backs of exploited workers because Western tourists do not know or care enough about laborers’ welfare. The only way these countries will reform and enforce their labor laws is if the tourists they are trying to attract choose to place their morals above their vacations. Until then, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE will continue to finance their kingdoms with our blood money.