If I tell you that I live in a peaceful country and I say the words “Middle East”, you’ll probably not believe me.
But at least from what is said in the news recently, the UAE is safer than UK (at this present point in time).The discovery of planted bombs in central London and a burning car crashing in an airport in Scotland is enough to scare anyone’s wits away. I had been walking in the streets of London last year and I could feel the tension, especially after what happened two years ago. There is vigilance and concern. Anyone carrying a black backpack is a suspect. There was an omnipresent fear even Harry Potter couldn’t erase.
The United Arab Emirates, considering it is an Arab and Islamic country and being part and parcel of the most turbulent region in the world, is also the most open and prosperous in addition to being the safest place in the Middle East and North Africa region.There is absolutely no trace of extremism, fundamentalism or any of kind of social and political unrest here.
Here we have no bomb threats. Daily life activities go on without the fear of being attacked.
Crime is low. You’ll rarely hear about muggings or random violent crimes. The UAE also seems to be a fairly neutral place politically. It manages to be pro-Palestinian and pro-Arab without being anti-American.
Guns and drugs are banned. Liquor consumption is kept at disciplined levels.
Violence in Iraq is no reason to avoid Dubai. Iran is a swim away but I have lived in Japan and in the Philippines and nothing have come close to feeling as safe as Dubai.
Do you feel safe in your region?
9 responses so far ↓
Sabine // July 5, 2007 at 7:17 am
I agree, when my family and I were in Dubai in 2003, I never felt safer. Some American friends thought we were crazy to go there, but it was the most amazing feeling. Did NOT feel unsafe for one moment and YES , we knew where we were! We also didn’t feel like the people that we encountered on our stay were Anti-Americans.
I know Live near Los Angeles and I can say that I have not stopped living my life and I feel “safe”; yet I know that anything could happen at any time. American cities are targets and I am not blind to that. Luckily we live in the suburbs and I don’t worry so much. But anytime I go to major events, such as Sporting Events, etc.., I do think “this could be a perfect target!”
I remember going to Disneyland with my-then-6-year-old 3 days after Sept 11th. The place was dead. But I thought, what the heck, if it is our time, it is our time. i am not going to stop living. Went there, and then I remember seeing a plane fly over Disneyland, that was a weird, unsettling feeling. For a while, plane flying over us, made me feel weird. Now, i don’t think about it! Funny, how one moves on…
OFF TOPIC: And Grace, I didn’t think of kissing my suicidal frog, bummer I buried it before I could find out if he was a Prince!
Sabine // July 5, 2007 at 7:22 am
Sorry brain freeze, my trip to Dubai was May 2004
zam // July 5, 2007 at 7:40 am
i’ll echo na lang: do you feel safe in this region?….eyes heavenwards… heheh..
rose // July 5, 2007 at 7:50 am
you mean, you feel Dubai is safer than Japan? that’s new to me… balhin gani ko dubai ba.. hehe…
do i feel safe here? so far, yeah. i am not at all afraid of anything like bombs or guns so far….
G: Japan is a safe place Rose. You are lucky to be there. But there are some crimes that are of
psychiatric nature that do not impress me. =(
bingkat // July 5, 2007 at 8:46 am
There’s no safer place than inside the house and spend the whole day inside your room…hahaha. That’s my life here Gracie, almost everyday, we go out every end of the month and sometimes on Sunday for a walk around our area or to the playground. MY is safe considering this is an Islamic country too, Muslims are friendly people and very accomodating…safer than PH…sorry my home country but I am just telling the truth! And the truth will set us free…BOW!
shiera // July 5, 2007 at 12:25 pm
It would have been much harder for me to believe that Dubai is safer than Japan if I don’t constantly hear the announcement (English and Japanese version) in the subway to watch out for abandoned bags and report it immediately to the station/train master…
blessed1 // July 5, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I think in today’s world, no one feels truly safe. We just have to live one day at a time, and pray for protection.
G: Amen to praying for protection, wherever we may be.
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