As the number of foreigners is fast overtaking the number of locals in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), some Emiratis are finding some practices and lifestyles of expats annoying -- such as wearing skimpy outfits to having sex on the beach or inside taxis.
In a report of the news site Huffington Post, Emirati Asma al-Muhairi said she fears her younger nieces would abandon "their full-length black robes in favor of Western attire that seems to be everywhere she goes."
She complained that she once saw two ladies wearing underwear, "I can't say even shorts," while conservative Gulf women like her wore the black abaya, a long garment.
"Why is it in the mall? I see families. I see kids around," she said.
Al-Muhairi and another Emirati woman, Hanan al-Rayes, thus launched a Twitter campaign dubbed "(at)UAEDressCode" to explore ways to combat the growing number of foreigners "in low-cut dresses and hot pants."
The UAEDressCode feed has more than 3,300 followers.
As their campaign picked up interest, it also has come to symbolize the growing concern of Emiratis, who have become a tiny minority in their own country, the report noted.
Emiratis make up only a little more than 10 percent of the eight million people living in the UAE.
"Most of the population is made up of Asian, African and Middle Eastern guest workers, as well as Western expatriates living here temporarily," Huffington Post said.
According to the 2010 Stock Estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there are some 636,154 Filipinos in the UAE, making it one of the top 10 destinations of Filipinos abroad.
Jalal Bin Thaneya, an Emirati activist, said the dress code campaign expresses the Emiratis' concern about the loss of traditions.
The report said many foreigners have been found to have violated the UAE's "strict indecency code, which limits drinking to bars and nightclubs and bans public displays of affection."
"A drunken couple was caught having sex on the beach and another allegedly having sex in a taxi. A Pakistani was deported for flipping the middle finger at a motorist, and the courts are filled with cases of foreigners having sex out of wedlock," the report said.
"We are not asking others to cover up like us. We are giving them freedom based on their beliefs and religion," the report quoted Al-Muhairi as saying.
"We never want to judge. Do whatever you want and wear what you want but with limits. Just respect the public here," she added.
Source: GMA News
In a report of the news site Huffington Post, Emirati Asma al-Muhairi said she fears her younger nieces would abandon "their full-length black robes in favor of Western attire that seems to be everywhere she goes."
She complained that she once saw two ladies wearing underwear, "I can't say even shorts," while conservative Gulf women like her wore the black abaya, a long garment.
"Why is it in the mall? I see families. I see kids around," she said.
Al-Muhairi and another Emirati woman, Hanan al-Rayes, thus launched a Twitter campaign dubbed "(at)UAEDressCode" to explore ways to combat the growing number of foreigners "in low-cut dresses and hot pants."
The UAEDressCode feed has more than 3,300 followers.
As their campaign picked up interest, it also has come to symbolize the growing concern of Emiratis, who have become a tiny minority in their own country, the report noted.
Emiratis make up only a little more than 10 percent of the eight million people living in the UAE.
"Most of the population is made up of Asian, African and Middle Eastern guest workers, as well as Western expatriates living here temporarily," Huffington Post said.
According to the 2010 Stock Estimate of the Commission on Filipinos Overseas, there are some 636,154 Filipinos in the UAE, making it one of the top 10 destinations of Filipinos abroad.
Jalal Bin Thaneya, an Emirati activist, said the dress code campaign expresses the Emiratis' concern about the loss of traditions.
The report said many foreigners have been found to have violated the UAE's "strict indecency code, which limits drinking to bars and nightclubs and bans public displays of affection."
"A drunken couple was caught having sex on the beach and another allegedly having sex in a taxi. A Pakistani was deported for flipping the middle finger at a motorist, and the courts are filled with cases of foreigners having sex out of wedlock," the report said.
"We are not asking others to cover up like us. We are giving them freedom based on their beliefs and religion," the report quoted Al-Muhairi as saying.
"We never want to judge. Do whatever you want and wear what you want but with limits. Just respect the public here," she added.
Source: GMA News
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