I honestly had to chuckle reading Saffarini's attempt to redeem himself. What did he think was going to happen when he said such controversial things to a journalist?
At the end of the day, what a handful of people said on or off the record to a journalist isn't really the issue here. The elephant in the room is the Qatari government's increasingly futile attempts to keep citizens and expats content.
Why do these articles and online pieces continue to be so controversial? It's because this country stiffles discussion, debate, and a free press, and doing so is only making the problems of disenchanted nationals worse.
In a strange way, it seems to me that it is the hardworking, motivated and energetic nationals who are becoming the most upset with this country. They dutifully turn up at work on time, do an honest day's work, and at the end of the day they are surrounded by Qataris far richer than them who contribute very little (if anything) to this society. They want to see their hard work rewarded, and they want to make a meaningful contribution to society, to the economy, and to the world around them. But they are overlooked for promotion in favor of someone from a better family, and have to work twice as hard to earn half as much as other nationals.
They are the ones who are disgruntled and who want to see a change.
I honestly had to chuckle reading Saffarini's attempt to redeem himself. What did he think was going to happen when he said such controversial things to a journalist?
At the end of the day, what a handful of people said on or off the record to a journalist isn't really the issue here. The elephant in the room is the Qatari government's increasingly futile attempts to keep citizens and expats content.
Why do these articles and online pieces continue to be so controversial? It's because this country stiffles discussion, debate, and a free press, and doing so is only making the problems of disenchanted nationals worse.
In a strange way, it seems to me that it is the hardworking, motivated and energetic nationals who are becoming the most upset with this country. They dutifully turn up at work on time, do an honest day's work, and at the end of the day they are surrounded by Qataris far richer than them who contribute very little (if anything) to this society. They want to see their hard work rewarded, and they want to make a meaningful contribution to society, to the economy, and to the world around them. But they are overlooked for promotion in favor of someone from a better family, and have to work twice as hard to earn half as much as other nationals.
They are the ones who are disgruntled and who want to see a change.