Quiet New Year gestures to Gaza

Leah Oatway and Salam Hafez

• Last Updated: January 01. 2009 9:30AM UAE / January 1. 2009 5:30AM GMT

DUBAI // Organisers of New Year’s Eve festivities repackaged or cancelled them yesterday to comply with the decision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to cancel celebrations as a gesture of solidarity with the people of Gaza.

After Tuesday night’s decree, which called for the New Year to be marked “with a sombre tone”, ticket holders deluged hotels, clubs and confused organisers with calls to ask what was happening.

Sheikh Mohammed’s order prohibited hotels, companies or clubs from holding any New Year-specific event. Parties for which bands or DJs had been brought into the country were cancelled, as were firework displays.

However, hotel bars and restaurants were permitted to operate as they would on any other day of the year.

“It’s very straightforward,” said Eyad Ali Abdul Rahman, a spokesman for the Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing. “We are following the instructions of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed which were very clear: to cancel all New Year’s Eve functions happening in Dubai.”

Establishments that violated the ban would be fined. Mr Rahman said.
Private house parties were not affected by the decree.

Many Dubai hotels – including Atlantis, The Palm; the Radisson SAS Dubai Media City and the Jumeirah Rotana – said they would do business as though it were a normal day.

Ram Nath, owner of A&R Productions, cancelled the DJ Axwell concert he had organised for Dubai World Trade Centre. He said he had spent more than Dh1 million.

“This has ruined me and my company,” Mr Nath said. “I had got all the proper permits from the Government, booked and paid the artist, paid for plane tickets and hotels and the venue.”

Hundreds of people, he said, cancelled bookings and purchased tickets for the Shakira concert at the Emirates Palace hotel in Abu Dhabi, where New Year celebrations went on as planned.

At the Aviation Club, where a firework display and a music show were cancelled, organisers offered those who had bought tickets free entry and a free buffet.

Patrons were told that the cost of their tickets would be returned as a voucher that could be spent at the bar over the next six months.

“There is a cost implication with the stage and the band, but there’s not much we can do about it so let’s get on and make the best of it,” said Dave Cattanach at the club.

Mr Rahman, of the tourism department, said people with tickets to cancelled events should contact the organisers for refunds. He said the Government would arrange for organisers to be compensated for their losses, but could not provide details.

In the meantime, events should be put into perspective, he said. “People are losing their lives every minute in Gaza. Children are dying in large numbers.”

In Abu Dhabi, New Year’s Eve organisers had feared the emirate would follow Dubai’s lead and cancel celebrations.

“We heard about how events are being cancelled in Dubai,” said Elias Saad, organiser of the New Year’s Eve celebration to be held in Le Royal Méridien hotel’s Sax nightclub. “If we were asked to cancel, I don’t know what we would have done.

People bought tickets in advance and I’ve flown the singer Anwar al Amir here from Lebanon and it could have turned into a panic. We are very glad that didn’t happen.”
Sara Hassan, who planned to attend Shakira’s concert at the Emirates Palace hotel last night, said there were other ways to show solidarity with Palestinians.

“I agree that we must show support for the people of Gaza, but maybe doing something like donating supplies or blood would be a better idea than cancelling events that have already cost so much money,” she said.

Emily Doherty, 32, an art consultant from Britain, was at Abela Superstore last night buying things for her New Year’s Eve party. She said it was unfortunate that events in Dubai were cancelled, “but I can understand why”.

“We can still go out and celebrate New Year’s Eve, and support the Palestinian people in any shape or form, by donating to charities or educating people about the issue,” said Jonathan Thorne, who had been planning to attend a Dh300 party at the Boston Restaurant in Jumeirah Rotana in Bur Dubai.

In addition to the decree, the UAE Red Crescent Authority said a number of companies had pledged Dh 3.36 million (US$915,000) in support of its sponsored aid campaign for Palestinians.

The agency received emergency contributions from Sorouh Real Estate, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, Oasis Leasing, Aldar Properties and the Abu Dhabi Aviation Company.


*With additional reporting by Hala Khalaf, Essam Al Ghalib, Amena Bakr and WAM