Attack in Nice has nothing to do with Islam

Readers discuss the connection between the attack in Nice and Islam. Other topics: health insurance, work experience and pool ignorance.

Readers discuss whether the man behind the attack in Nice had religious motivations. Luca Bruno / AP

After reading the UAE's response to the attack in France (Nice lorry attack: UAE condemns 'heinous terrorist crime', July 16), it is so very sad, but this crime has nothing to do with Islam – nothing at all.

There are other forces for this all happening, with reasons that are far from religious.

I think it is beautiful that Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed stated that the UAE condemned this crime. May Allah keep us safe and show His mercy on the world because we all must try to cooperate and take seriously our responsibility to be good and to accept each other.

This is what we do in the UAE, regardless of colour, religion or background.

Christina Toebast, Dubai

I would like to ask Randall Mohammed (Letters to the Editor, July 17) what proof he has that the person who drove the truck was an Islamic radical.

He is French-Tunisian, born and bred in France and whose original country was messed up by the French.

Stop blaming a religion for the actions of some warped individual whose agenda none of us will ever know since he is dead now.

Already we are seeing adverse publicity in the western media about Islam and Muslims.

We know the reality, from living here in the UAE, where people are peaceful and tolerant.

Aziza Al Busaidy, Dubai

The man responsible for this terrible tragedy was no soldier of Islam. He killed all these people because he was a psychopath with serious anger-management issues.

Iffat Malik, Dubai

Could insurance be an incentive?

With regard to your news story, Shock at insurance coverage cuts for 'most vulnerable' Emirati patients (July 16), this might actually be an incentive for more Emiratis to look for work in the private sector.

Up until now, they have usually preferred government jobs, but if they can get better health coverage outside the government sector, this could encourage some of them to change industries.

Lisa Kereliuk, Abu Dhabi

We, as Emiratis, can't utilise insurance from our work any more in the government sector. Before we would get a top up but now private insurance is for the expatriates and we get Thiqa, which is what the Government provides for us.

But we still get charged 20 per cent to go to any private hospital and there is no reimbursement so it's all direct billing. If a hospital or clinic does not take the Thiqa card, then we cannot get reimbursed.

I don't see this as encouraging a move away from the public sector to the private one because private companies will also start cutting health insurance benefits for expatriates and Emiratis regardless.

It will happen in the near future, if it hasn't begun happening already.

Elham Al Marzooqi McMillan, Abu Dhabi

Work experience is 'an excellent idea'

The decree described in your news story, Youths welcome chance to get work experience in the UAE (July 14), is an excellent idea.

My son's school had a “take your child to work” programme. My son spent one day at work with me and got all our computers hooked up and working.

Then he learnt all there was to know about drilling fluids and fuelling equipment.

Randall Mohammed, Dubai

Finally! I would love to see this. It’s sad seeing all these young men with so much free time and lots of energy that is just going to waste.

Rasha Abdulla Jouma, Abu Dhabi

There is plenty of valuable experience that can be gained from children as young as 12 doing after-school jobs.

I got my first job when I was 12. I only worked once a week, but it gave me some spending money and taught me how to budget.

Ela Jayne, Abu Dhabi

Pool ignorance spoiled swim

Last week I was shocked by the amount of ignorance and carelessness some people showed at a resort in Al Ain.

This resort has a very nice Olympic-sized swimming pool to do laps in, as well as a swimming pool for children and another big one for general leisure.

Last week, like almost every day, the Olympic pool was occupied by teenagers jumping randomly into the pool without any attention to swimmers. Others were trying to drown each other as a game. The real problem was these kids showed no signs of being able to swim properly.

Name Withheld by request