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| Arabia |
| Saudi companies treating families of Western employees as hostages |
| 2004-06-22 |
| There is at least one â and, according to the American wife of a senior manager in Jeddah, many more â Saudi-owned companies treating families of Western employees as hostages. In a candid interview, the woman, identified as Siobhan, said that US-based companies had been very proactive in making arrangements for families and dependents to leave. âIn the case of my husbandâs company, they have refused to concede anything. They have completely turned their back on our requests. We feel as if we are under fire, hostages in the Kingdom.â She detailed attempts by her and her husband to get a response from the employer. âThey refuse to give us any extra security, demobilize us or ship goods out of the Kingdom,â she said. Before the company was fully Saudi-owned, she said, it was part of a well-known US-based corporation. Siobhan, who is in close contact with other US families, has telephoned the US Consulate in Jeddah for advice. âI get put through to an extension with an answering machine,â she said. âTo date, I have received no return calls.â Presenting that information to the US Consulate in Jeddah evoked an immediate response. âServing American citizens is our top priority,â said Consul General Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, âand we are answering all calls and messages that come in to us.â The US government, the embassy in Riyadh pointed out, cannot involve itself in contractual arrangements between expatriate Americans and their employers. Many US-owned companies in the Kingdom have responded to the security situation by offering their employees full compensation and benefits and encouraging dependents to leave in line with the embassyâs recommendations. âTheir attitude,â said Siobhan, âis that if you feel unsafe, then go. Our only choice is a 90-day notice with no options.â A confidential report by security advisers suggests that the refusal to relax the 90-day rule is widespread. One case the advisers specify pertains to an employer who has not paid out the final contract benefits of employees who resigned two months ago. The advisers claim it is because the employer allegedly does not have enough money to meet contractual obligations. The employer owes many employees more than SR80,000 in educational fees, which the employees have paid in advance and submitted expense vouchers for, but for which they have not been reimbursed in over six years. Siobhan is disappointed rather than angry with the Saudi company that sponsors both her and her husband. In the Kingdom since the early 1990âs, her family generally involved themselves with Saudi life and made a point of not associating only with expatriate workers or isolating themselves from the local community. Arab News contacted the company by fax, inquiring about current arrangements for its expatriate employees but has received no response. Siobhan said, âWe made some fine local friends and until very recently always felt the celebrated sense of hospitality and welcome. That has been damaged now, probably irreparably. The greatest sadness is that we now look at people who we knew as friends and as trusted employers and begin asking questions. In this case, the first casualty of war has not been truth but trust.â |
| Posted by:TS(vice girl) |
| #8 Most of the stereotypes typically ascribed to Jews concerning money and finance are really more compatible with Arabs. (Maybe Shylock was really a Saudi.) This is indicative of the overall lack of concern for any non-income producing infidel. Don't try and get a better deal, just get out while you can. Saudi has already had its Krystalnacht and worse is coming for any Westerner stupid enough to put themself at risk. |
| Posted by: RWV 2004-06-22 5:57:57 PM |
| #7 âServing American citizens is our top priority,â said Consul General Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, âand we are answering all calls and messages that come in to us.â ...The US government, the embassy in Riyadh pointed out, cannot involve itself in contractual arrangements between expatriate Americans and their employers. Since serving US citizens is the State Department's TOP PRIORITY, then why is it that the State Dept. feels it cannot involve itself in "contractual arrangements" at a time when US citizens' lives are in danger in Saudi Arabia??? This is total crap, and the President and Colin Powell should both put in calls to the US embassies in Riddayh and Jeddah a.s.a.p. to remind the consuls there of their primary mandate-the safety and welfare of US citizens whether they be employed by Saudi Arabians or by purple people eaters, employment does not change the benefits and freedoms that are part and parcel of being a US citizen. This nonsense reflects very poorly on the WH as well as State, I must say. |
| Posted by: rex 2004-06-22 2:50:08 PM |
| #6 the "07's" are taking over--leave--bomb asir |
| Posted by: SON OF TOLUI 2004-06-22 1:53:33 PM |
| #5 ...My advice to Siobhan would be to hie herself and her family to the Embassy posthaste and ask for help in getting home - and NOT leave until they do, or get a chance to speak to a reporter. Mike |
| Posted by: Mike Kozlowski 2004-06-22 1:01:38 PM |
| #4 All of this, and the side banner ad says you can call Riyadh for 6 cents/min! Who will be left to call? |
| Posted by: BigEd 2004-06-22 11:25:45 AM |
| #3 Siobhan said, âWe made some fine local friends and until very recently always felt the celebrated sense of hospitality and welcome. That has been damaged now, probably irreparably. The greatest sadness is that we now look at people who we knew as friends and as trusted employers and begin asking questions. In this case, the first casualty of war has not been truth but trust.â A hard lesson learned....at a price. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2004-06-22 11:16:58 AM |
| #2 Just leave your stuff and tell your employer that you plan to take a few weeks of liberty CONUS. Bring you wedding album, but leave the sofa - you can get one "zero down" stateside. Your skills will be even more in demand soon. I think we are going to see a rash of burials for folks working in the petroleum industry world wide. Teach school for a couple of years and you may be able to double your salary once the killing is done. It is also possible that your employer may soon be dead as well so job security and the 401K should not be a consideration in your immediate need to bail - expeditiously. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2004-06-22 2:39:25 AM |
| #1 The Wahhabi terrorist creators of the 'royal' family of the House of Saud must be viewed for the reality of what they have always been ..........the enemy of Western Civilization. |
| Posted by: Mark Espinola 2004-06-22 1:50:12 AM |