(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Local residents have reacted with alarm to an executive order from American President Donald Trump that bars entry for citizens of seven majority-Muslim countries, whose citizens collectively number over a million in the UAE.
The executive order prevents citizens of Iraq, Iraq, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen from entering the country under any visa scheme for 90 days, except those on diplomatic, Nato or United Nations visas. Additionally, the order prevents - for a period of 120 days - the entry of refugee awaiting resettlement, and prohibits Syrian refugees from entering the country until further notice.
Additionally, the order notes that the US government will 'prioritise' refugee claims made by individuals on the basis of religious prosecution - provided that the individual's religion is a minority in their country of origin.
According to statistics from the UAE Bureau of Statistics from 2015 - the last year in which data is available - more than a million citizens of these countries call the UAE home, including between 400,000 and 500,000 Iranians, 242,000 Syrians, 90,000 Yemenis, 75,000 Sudanese and 52,000 Iraqis.
Many have expressed shock and dismay at the executive order, which they see as unfair, unjust, and discriminatory.
Sudan
Sudan's consul-general in Dubai, Abdul Azim Al Karoori, said the ban is "very unfortunate" in the light of the Obama administration's decision to lift a 20-year old trade embargo against Sudan and remove financial sanctions as a response to Sudan's cooperation in fighting terrorism.
Another Sudanese citizen, Ahmed Hassan, said the decision affected many Sudanese nationals who have nothing to do with terrorism, adding that thousands of Sudanese live in the US peacefully. He also noted that his brother - who was in the US with a green card and was doing his PhD - was treated "inhumanely" at the airport and detained for hours before being allowed in.
"He had a clean record and was living there and serving the country," Hassan said. "They should only ban people who are really involved in terror. Not innocent people."
Syria
"I know he said he will do it but I didn't think it was actually going to happen. I'm holding on to the hope that he carried this decision just to fulfill the promises he made to his people before getting elected, but he will reconsider it," said Syrian expat Mohamad Hattab. "Although the ban is temporary for now - except for refugees - I think the thought itself is disgusting to segregate people based on their nationalities and that I'm banned from the US just because I am a Syrian."
Yemen
Yemeni expat Osama Nasser said the decision was "shocking".
"We didn't see it coming, because we are in 2017 where we are promoting for a free world away from discrimination," he noted. "What Trump did was promote racism and segregation and help create more chaos than the world is already experiencing."
Iran
Sina Al Hashemi, an Iranian, said with the ban "Trump is limiting opportunities that will benefit the economy."
"Young talents and minds will not be utilised. At the same time, Iran's take on banning US citizens is smart but all these bans are only affecting residents and promoting racism that we spent years in overcoming against different segments of societies," he said.
In a Facebook post, Iranian PhD graduate, and seven-year American resident, Nazanin Zinouri said she was asked to leave a plane bound for the US in Dubai on her way back from Tehran, after urgently booking a flight a few hours following the executive order.
"After waiting in line to get my documents checked and after 40 minutes of questions and answers, I boarded the plane to Washington, only to have two TSA officers getting in and asking me to disembark the plane," she wrote. "No one warned me when I was leaving, no one cares what will happen to my dog or my job or my life there. No one told me what I should do with my car that is still parked in the airport parking, or what to do with my house or my belongings.
"They didn't say it with words but with their actions, that my life doesn't matter," she added. "Everything I worked for all these years doesn't matter."
Iraq
One 30-year old Iraqi resident, who declined to be named, noted that many Iraqis are fleeing their country because of events which began with America's invasion.
"A big reason why Iraq is in the horrendous state that it is currently in is because of the 2003 US invasion and war on Iraq, which has resulted in over a million civilian deaths and destruction of an entire nation," she said. "Does President Trump expect Iraqis to not flee and save themselves, their families and children, when they are living in a war-torn country due to what is now known as an illegal invasion?"
A. A, an Iraqi doctor living in Abu Dhabi, said that although travelling to the US was not on his mind, not having the freedom of choice makes him and his family feel dehumanised.
"Visiting the US was not something that I was planning on doing anytime soon, but just the thought of knowing that I have a ban on entering a country based solely on my nationality makes me feel less human," he said. "This is purely a racist move from US's newly elected President."
He pointed out that Iraqis have already lost too much and continue to lose as each day passes, including their rights and freedom.
??What is also shocking and adds fuel to the fire, is that President Trump recently spoke about seizing Iraq's oil," the doctor added. "Iraqis lost everything, their land, their resources, their respect and dignity, as well as their rights and freedom - everything has been stripped away. The Iraqis are the ones who have been invaded, they are suffering for almost 15 years, yet they are the ones who are banned."
Voice of Twitterati
This bears repeating: Trump is revoking visas that were LEGALLY obtained, deporting people who were LEGALLY in the US #MuslimBan
@tparsi
There are over 50,000 Americans living in the #UAE, a Muslim country, and I am one of them. I am welcomed and respected. #MuslimBan @POTUS
@SamanthaN105
HackneyAbbot: Targeting any group of people because of their nationality or religion is repugnant. Stopping refugees is immoral and illegal #MuslimBan
@HackneyAbbot
The nicest thing from this #MuslimBan is how many people it's bringing together when it's trying to do the complete opposite
@ameerawr
Actually sick over the #MuslimBan . I have learned so much about kindness and respect from my muslim friends than from anyone else.
@ElvitsJ
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