I agree....here's an article from todays peninsula....Have you or anyone heard anything as sick, wile & rude behaviour as this....
---------------------------------------------------------
Out of bounds
Web posted at: 10/1/2008 1:48:58
Source ::: The Peninsula / By Rabin Gupta
Single men denied entry into Villaggio mall during Eid holidays
Doha In a move that smacks of arbitrariness and not a small bit of racism, the swanky Villaggio mall has declared the three days of Eid to be family days, meaning many Asian bachelors were left outside glumly looking in at the goodies they were not allowed to buy.
Eid is one of the few times a year workers get some time off and an opportunity to dress up in their best clothes to go shopping and enjoy some leisure time from backbreaking work. What is even more ironic is perhaps many of these workers left stranded outside yesterday may have played some role in building the plush Villaggio mall.
A security guard posted at one of the malls entrances said instructions had been issued not to let single men or men in groups into Villaggio. The guard, from Nepal, just shrugged when asked whether he would be allowed in when he was not in uniform.
While the Villaggio management offices were closed yesterday on account of Eid, an apologetic receptionist said there was nothing that could be done. Even many of my friends have not been allowed in, he said.
Mohammed Khan, Villaggio Security Manager, gave a bizarre explanation to The Peninsula of the 'Families Only' policy for the holidays. It is a matter of the mall's honour. We are not allowing people in from the Industrial Area or those dressed in plastic slippers and wearing shorts. They do not have money to spend in the fashionable shops and if they do have money, they will spend it in Carrefour. Groups of these people tend to create trouble. He said similar policies were being implemented in other malls as also the Corniche.
However, that specious argument holds little water as around noon, Carrefour was about the only store open while the so-called fashionable shops were shut, to open later in the evening.
Asked why western residents were allowed in, as well as nationals and other Arabs a few were spotted entering without hindrance in shorts and slippers he said nothing could be done about single Qataris being allowed in. As for westerners, he said: Westerners are good and will spend money.
Even though many people here received salaries early, as well as Eid bonuses in some cases, Villaggio was closed to them. Daniel Apale, a Filipino resident, said he had come to shop with his Muslim brother Samaruddin. We have money to spend as we got paid at midnight. This is nothing but racial discrimination, it is apartheid, which we hate back home in the Philippines.
Samaruddin said he had wanted to buy kitchen appliances as well as clothes but could not get in. We will have to come some other time, I guess, he said.
Dheeraj, who works with KPMG, a major audit firm of global renown and who regularly travels between Doha and Bahrain, was waiting outside smoking a cigarette. He had gone to Villaggio with a friend. The friend was allowed in as he told the security guard he needed to buy items to take to his home country with him. The guard graciously allowed him in on the condition Dheeraj stay outside almost a form of hostage-taking.
A fuming Dheeraj said: Compared to here, Bahrain is very friendly. Nowhere in the world can you find this. Even if a westerner comes here half nude, he would probably be allowed in. The term bachelor here is almost used as a derogatory term by mall managements. In Qatar, a bachelor is defined not just as an unwed man but also a male who may be married but whose wife is not here, for whatever reason.
One such person, a senior executive, has decided to boycott malls and other public places that enforce the policy of segregation. I cannot believe such abominable policies of discrimination are practiced in the 21st century, said Raymond Paul. The only way I can protest is boycotting such malls.
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the link to the above article is below... http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&sub...
the villagio security manager is the most.....
well there are no words to describe the dumbest thing he said......this is just like racism.....
how can people enjoy their eid holidays by just sitting at home......Come to think of it these are the same people who have helped build these malls......Most of these people have only these days as holidays and still they cannot enjoy...I concur to what Mr Raymond Paul says.....and I would love to join in with the boycotting of these malls......
Yet after all this nobody will join in for boycotting of these malls.....
I agree....here's an article from todays peninsula....Have you or anyone heard anything as sick, wile & rude behaviour as this....
---------------------------------------------------------
Out of bounds
Web posted at: 10/1/2008 1:48:58
Source ::: The Peninsula / By Rabin Gupta
Single men denied entry into Villaggio mall during Eid holidays
Doha In a move that smacks of arbitrariness and not a small bit of racism, the swanky Villaggio mall has declared the three days of Eid to be family days, meaning many Asian bachelors were left outside glumly looking in at the goodies they were not allowed to buy.
Eid is one of the few times a year workers get some time off and an opportunity to dress up in their best clothes to go shopping and enjoy some leisure time from backbreaking work. What is even more ironic is perhaps many of these workers left stranded outside yesterday may have played some role in building the plush Villaggio mall.
A security guard posted at one of the malls entrances said instructions had been issued not to let single men or men in groups into Villaggio. The guard, from Nepal, just shrugged when asked whether he would be allowed in when he was not in uniform.
While the Villaggio management offices were closed yesterday on account of Eid, an apologetic receptionist said there was nothing that could be done. Even many of my friends have not been allowed in, he said.
Mohammed Khan, Villaggio Security Manager, gave a bizarre explanation to The Peninsula of the 'Families Only' policy for the holidays. It is a matter of the mall's honour. We are not allowing people in from the Industrial Area or those dressed in plastic slippers and wearing shorts. They do not have money to spend in the fashionable shops and if they do have money, they will spend it in Carrefour. Groups of these people tend to create trouble. He said similar policies were being implemented in other malls as also the Corniche.
However, that specious argument holds little water as around noon, Carrefour was about the only store open while the so-called fashionable shops were shut, to open later in the evening.
Asked why western residents were allowed in, as well as nationals and other Arabs a few were spotted entering without hindrance in shorts and slippers he said nothing could be done about single Qataris being allowed in. As for westerners, he said: Westerners are good and will spend money.
Even though many people here received salaries early, as well as Eid bonuses in some cases, Villaggio was closed to them. Daniel Apale, a Filipino resident, said he had come to shop with his Muslim brother Samaruddin. We have money to spend as we got paid at midnight. This is nothing but racial discrimination, it is apartheid, which we hate back home in the Philippines.
Samaruddin said he had wanted to buy kitchen appliances as well as clothes but could not get in. We will have to come some other time, I guess, he said.
Dheeraj, who works with KPMG, a major audit firm of global renown and who regularly travels between Doha and Bahrain, was waiting outside smoking a cigarette. He had gone to Villaggio with a friend. The friend was allowed in as he told the security guard he needed to buy items to take to his home country with him. The guard graciously allowed him in on the condition Dheeraj stay outside almost a form of hostage-taking.
A fuming Dheeraj said: Compared to here, Bahrain is very friendly. Nowhere in the world can you find this. Even if a westerner comes here half nude, he would probably be allowed in. The term bachelor here is almost used as a derogatory term by mall managements. In Qatar, a bachelor is defined not just as an unwed man but also a male who may be married but whose wife is not here, for whatever reason.
One such person, a senior executive, has decided to boycott malls and other public places that enforce the policy of segregation. I cannot believe such abominable policies of discrimination are practiced in the 21st century, said Raymond Paul. The only way I can protest is boycotting such malls.
---------------------------------------------------------
the link to the above article is below... http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/Display_news.asp?section=Local_News&sub...
the villagio security manager is the most.....
well there are no words to describe the dumbest thing he said......this is just like racism.....
how can people enjoy their eid holidays by just sitting at home......Come to think of it these are the same people who have helped build these malls......Most of these people have only these days as holidays and still they cannot enjoy...I concur to what Mr Raymond Paul says.....and I would love to join in with the boycotting of these malls......
Yet after all this nobody will join in for boycotting of these malls.....