MEDIA REACTION:UAE SOCIETY THROUGH ONLINE FORUMS

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005039 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC SECDEF FOR OASD/PA USCINCCENT FOR POLAD LONDON FOR MCKUNE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION:UAE SOCIETY THROUGH ONLINE FORUMS ¶1. Summary: Arabic language online forums are becoming increasingly popular as a means of expressing opinions about current events. Contributions to these online forums provide a window on what is of interest to the Arabic street. End Summary. ¶2. The UAE has several dynamic Arabic language online forums. Most of the content in these forums is contributed by UAE nationals. Because participants can publish anonymously, these forums provide an outlet for topics normally too sensitive for open discussion. Such issues include: unemployment among UAE nationals, poor infrastructure in some Emirates, social issues, expatriates in the UAE, and politics. Postings to these online forums provide an interesting look at current topics of interest in UAE society. The following is a review of selected issues being discussed in the popular UAE on-line forum "UAE For Ever." ¶3. Under the title "Filthy programming from a filthy TV channel for filthy audience" a posting criticizes Abu Dhabi TV programming and says "the TV tries to imitate the Christian type of programming which is full of lewdness". A comment on this posting says, "Abu Dhabi TV has nothing to do with the UAE [culture] except its name". ¶4. Another posting lists a number of complaints in a sarcastic poetic style. The issues include rising oil prices, crowded streets in the country, the performance of the Marriage Fund,and nepotism. ¶5. Another posting complains that a Dubai Media City organization refused to organize a study tour for a group of female UAE students from UAE University. The same organization, the posting claims, received participants from an "indecent" program called Stars of the Gulf, which is a local version of Star Academy. ¶6. A posting asks, "Why are there so many Indians and Pakistanis in the Gulf countries?" The posting adds, "I believe they are behind the [social] corruption in our countries because most of these Indians and Pakistanis are pagans". ¶7. ON THE FEDERAL NATIONAL COUNCIL (FNC) ELECTIONS, A NUMBER OF POSTINGS ARE CRITICAL OF THE PROPOSED ELECTIONS. ONE POSTING SAYS "LET'S BE FRANK, THE PLAN IS TO HAVE THE CANDIDATES INITIALLY APPROVED BY EMIRATES RULERS. THIS MEANS CANDIDATES SHOULD "KISS THE ASSES" OF THE RULERS FIRST TO RUN FOR THE FNC. THIS MEANS THE ELECTIONS WILL BE HOSNI MUBARAK STYLE". Another posting stated, "The elections are just propaganda and a waste of resources". ¶8. A posting about roads and streets in Al-Fujaira says, "Even though Fujaira government has a lot of money, they don't even pave streets. Some UAE nationals avoid driving in some streets in Fujaira because they are afraid their cars will be broken because of the unpaved streets. Fujaira government should stop hoarding the money". ¶9. Several postings tackle the issue of unemployment among UAE nationals and accuse UAE officials of putting obstacles in front of those seeking employment. Recent postings refer to the project to build a new airport in Dubai and how such a project could employ a large number of UAE nationals. Comments on this issue are mostly critical and suggest that these projects will create more jobs for Indians. QUINN