Restaurant's kandura ban 'unconstitutional'

National attire has become a national issue in UAE. Any establishment that bars entry to an Emirati dressed in national attire is violating the rights of all UAE citizens and the constitution, says Mohammed Salem bin Dhweean Al Kaabi, chairman of the board of directors of the Emirates Human Rights Association (EHRA).

According to Khaleej Times, Al Kaabi's comments come in response to recent reports that an Emirati and his wife were not allowed to enter a restaurant in Abu Dhabi's Marina area, in which he was allegedly told that allowing in kandura-clad locals will scare customers.

"We regard the national dress as a symbol of our country; it features our culture and national identity, which we are proud of. (Just) like other peoples on the earth who boast and feel proud of their national dress," he said.

Discrimination based on attire is forbidden by the UAE's legal framework and international law, he said. "What the Emirati man experienced was not only discrimination but a violation and encroachment of his personal dignity," Al Kaabi added. "The claim that the national dress may cause others to get scared is undoubtedly a violation."