Riots in UAE as Asian laborers go on a rampage
Friday, March 21, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
ABU DHABI — After years of mounting pressure, foreign labor unrest has exploded in the Gulf.
The United Arab Emirates has been struck with the worst bout of foreign labor violence in decades. On March 18, at least 1,500 Asian laborers rampaged through the UAE emirate of Sharjah in what began as a demand for improved wages and conditions amid the sharp decline of the U.S. dollar.
"Even before the workers received a reply, a group of workers incited them to go on a rampage and burned vehicles and property of the company," Sharjah police chief Brig. Gen. Humaid Mohammed Al Hudaidi said.
Employees of the UAE-based Drake & Scull Group, who walked off their jobs on March 17, torched buses and cars, stormed a company building and vandalized residences. Scores of workers also attacked police and government officials in Al Saja'a, Middle East Newsline reported.
Al Hudaidi said 40 cars and 28 buses were damaged in the riot by Bengalis, Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans. He said the violence appeared to have been organized.
"A group of workers was also involved in provoking the rest to go on strike and commit vandalism," Al Hudaidi said.
Hundreds of police sealed off the labor camp and then began rounding up suspected rioters. About 1,000 people were said to have been arrested.
"Police came and arrested those few people who instigated violence," a spokeswoman for Drake & Scull Group said.
Diplomats and officials agreed that the riot marked the worst labor unrest in the Gulf in decades. They warned that the huge expatriate population in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE was becoming a security threat amid its demands for higher wages, better conditions and political rights.
"This kind of violence has the potential spreading rapidly throughout the region," a Western diplomatic source who monitors labor unrest said.