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znet
By znet

We had a bad experience with those policemen of afternoon shift @ Al Rayyan traffic police station. They won't entertain, assist nor respect you if you don't speak arabic fluently. We feel that they are racist! :-(

By znet• 16 Jan 2013 18:59
znet

Salam! You were not there when we were there. You didn't experience to be shoved away like we experienced. That was what they made us feel that they were racist by treating us that way. We were hired because they need us ( expatriates ) And there is no law here in this good country that it is mandatory to talk arabic. Provide me a law stating from the Good Sheikh Hamad or from the good gov't of QATAR that it is mandatory while working here and you can't speak any other language except arabic. Provide me that. And the fact you were not there and have not heard they can also talk english even little because we heard it. They even told us " go go to other counter!" Even we tried to talk little arabic it was not enough for them. We even called our arabic friends who can tell the story of how the accident occur but they don't even like to talk through our cp. We tried to clear our language barrier with them. But with their attitude it's not a good image that they are potraying for the good country Qatar.

By Badly• 15 Jan 2013 15:05
Badly

you cant call them racist just based on one experience. infact they probably dont speak any other language than arabic which you need to learn it as long as your staying here otherwise go back home. their country, their home their language. like it or not.

By anonymous• 15 Jan 2013 13:54
anonymous

These Qatari officers owe you an apology.

They also need to take an urgent mandatory course in customer servicing.

This said, learning Arabic would prevent such an unfortunate incident happening again.

By znet• 15 Jan 2013 09:25
Rating: 2/5
znet

Salam! unfortunately indeed yes.. we were there from around 4-30pm till 6pm plus.. And we didn't get any assistance from them. Even we were just about to open our mouth they would just point their fingers and shoved us away and say, " go go!" to another counter. And the other counter says the same. We never treat as such to anybody in our country like that. We would rather use any media translation tools just for them to be assisted. If there are also countries doing like that then it's not supposed to be followed because it's not the fair way to treat people. And the last thing we did when we saw a civilian qatari complainant just arriving, We right away asked him for assistance to just asked those policemen if indeed we were in the right place. So that we can just come back the next morning and bring our arab friends with us because we had to go back to work also and again we will take an absent by next day from work just to finish our case. And thank goodness those policemen told the qatari guy that we have to go to Al marmura station. :-(

By happygolucky• 14 Jan 2013 23:04
happygolucky

It is always good to hear some sane voice...:)

Cant say about many countries cos most visited were western and so conversing in english was ok, but for example in India you can find even a rickshaw puller or a road side vendor making an attempt to help a foreigner by speaking in broken english and finally somehow he will get you whatever you were looking for. In China people were more than eager to help by talking in english or will by actions ask me to wait and would themselves find someone who could speak some english. So there you are about what language people of other countries would speak to an arab in their countries. Traveling a bit and observing closely how people in different places behave always helps...:)

By anonymous• 14 Jan 2013 22:48
anonymous

So, basically you're saying that you requested assistance from Qatari officers and that they told you rudely to go away and refused to help?

Am I correct?

If this is what happened, then I agree with you that you were wronged and that the Qatari officers' behavior was reprehensible.

They should have helped you no matter what language you used to explain your problem to them. They indeed are supposed to assist locals and non-locals alike.

By znet• 14 Jan 2013 18:27
znet

Salam! We are trying to learn arabic but the main thing there is they should atleast give respect or assistance to those in needs for the fact that those guys are working to serve not only the citizen of Qatar but as well as expats like us who have been hired by this good country. No one likes to be treated like garbage. Do you like to be treated as such? We are human beings.

By stealth• 13 Jan 2013 21:25
stealth

well now at least try to learn arabic.

By znet• 13 Jan 2013 20:00
znet

Salam! I don't think so if I'm the sultan of Brunei they will not entertain me? It's already exaggerated. Because even only their friend's friend who need assistance they would right away provide it. Then if I'm the sultan of Brunei, I don't think they would not bother to entertain me.

By znet• 13 Jan 2013 19:45
znet

Salam! As i said we can speak arabic only little. As we usually say it shway shway.. but its not enough for them. If you were only in our shoes that time in which even you were only about to open your mouth and say the letter P for please they would right away tell you " go go go!" Is that with respect. We were already begging to be assisted only. Because the main fact that we hear them also speak english to those qatari girls who also got an accident with an expat. That's why we were wondering how can they treat us like that with all the please we said to them.

By acchabaccha• 11 Jan 2013 12:50
Rating: 4/5
acchabaccha

There is nothing about racism here. You are in an Arab land and it is their right to speak to you in their language - Arabic. Just look at it the other way around. If an Arab in lands in your country which language you would want him to use to converse with you? I am not an Arab but I have picked up Arabic and understand 70% of the language. It is you who has to learn their language as it is you chose to come here. It not needed for them to learn your language.

By dezertryder• 11 Jan 2013 00:27
dezertryder

then how will they manage 2022 wc?

By AIBO• 10 Jan 2013 22:49
AIBO

YES YOU ARE RIGHT

THIS IS A GENUINE REASON

By LostInSpace• 10 Jan 2013 22:28
LostInSpace

......

By britexpat• 10 Jan 2013 22:22
britexpat

I had the same problem in Wishaw once. They insisted on speaking Scottish :O(

By JADSS• 10 Jan 2013 22:19
JADSS

Hi

whay you dont speak arabic specially you are in arabic country? and some COMPANY dont have any arabic speaker !!!!!!!!!!!! the main langauge in gonverment arabic ,

some pepole stay 10 years in arab country but still dont speak arabic , I cant imagin if i go to france and stay for 5 years and i back without speaking french , iwas in indina just 2 years

and i learned how to speak indian and some marati(loool) and im arabic ,

WHEN YOU LOVE SOME THING U WILL LOVE IF HATE IT U WILL NEVER LIKE IT

ITS NOT SHAME TO LEARN ARABIC,

By jiane karyll• 10 Jan 2013 21:17
Rating: 5/5
jiane karyll

RACIST DOES NOT IMPLY THAT YOU CAN SPEAK IN A SPECIFIC LANGUAGE.

Racism is usually defined as views, practices and actions reflecting the belief that humanity is divided into distinct biological groups called races and that members of a certain race share certain attributes which make that group as a whole less desirable, more desirable, inferior or superior.

By Knight Returns• 10 Jan 2013 21:16
Knight Returns

Probably they can't help themselves cos they only know Arabic.

By nfiqbal• 10 Jan 2013 19:51
nfiqbal

Speaking in Arabic Language is always have a greater advantage in Qatar .....

By fasilasaid• 10 Jan 2013 19:36
Rating: 4/5
fasilasaid

They are not being racist . It is a phenomenon here . Even if you are the sultan of Brunei or stark white , some of them won't entertain you enough if you dont speak Arabic .

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