Riyadh: Nitaqat rules hit several individuals in Saudi Arabia. While many expatriates were fortunate enough either to legalize their status in the Kingdom or return home safe, Coastaldigest.com was out for a huge shock on hearing that as many as 23 expatriates, mostly Mangaloreans are still struggling to find a way out. Put up in a small room, in the capital of Saudi Arabia over the last two months without proper food and basic facilities, the expats are only hoping to see a silver lining in the cloud.
However, if not for a Good Samaritan like U T Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare of Karnataka, who informed Coastaldigest.com founder Asif Amaco about the helpless youth, who have been inexorably looking ahead for some helping hands to get out of the clutches of their unknown Saudi sponsor, the matter would have gone unnoticed.
When the team of Coastaldigest.com rushed to their room at Al-Naseem area of Riyadh following the instructions given by Mr Khader, it was found that all 23 expats, considered as “illegals”, were actually duped by their Saudi sponsor, who literally committed a criminal breach of trust.
Their dreamful Saudi journey started two years ago with the involvement of a Mumbai based agent. After signing an employment agreement for jobs in a hotel, which included SR 1000 monthly salary and two meals per day, the youths flew into the Kingdom on contract visas in five separate batches.
Among 23 people, nine had reached Saudi on November 9, 2011. They are Siddeeq Akbar (31) Ibrahim Rizwan (23), Abdul Shafi (26), all three from Sajipa Nadu in Bantwal taluk, Anees (26) from Ullal Melangadi, M musthafa (24) from Ullal Halekote, M Rafeek(32) from Surabail, Manjeshwara, M M Asif (26), from Godinabali, near B C Road, M shafi from Ullal Halekote and Mehroj sheik from Goa. The second batch five members reached Saudi on November 29 of the same year. They are Ahmed Shiyabuddin (26) from Ullal Akkarekare, Noushad (23) from Vittla, Ahmed Irshad (27) from Ullal Halekote, Mohammed Fayaz (31) from Ullal Basthipadpu and Ibrahim Ismail (24) from Kabaka Puttur. The third batch which landed in Saudi Arabia on December 7, 2011 comprised of two members: Abdul Hakeem (26) from Kodipadi Puttur and Tanveer Shaid (26) from Thokkotu Permannur. The fourth batch that reached Saudi Arabia on February 13, 2012, comprised of five members: Ismail Ziyad (23) from Ullal Mukkachery, Afthab (23) from Sirsi, Javed Rana (23) from Gujarat, M Yousuf (26) from Ullal Melangady and Nahid khan (31) Gujarat. The fifth batch comprising two members reached Saudi Arabia on February 26, 2012. They are M Tamim (23) from Ullal Halekkote and Hidayath Hussain (32) from Ullal Halekote.
However, in clear violation of the agreement, the labourers were paid only SR 800 a month over the last two years. Thanks to the relatively good treatment by the hotel owners, satisfactory accommodation, proper food and on time salary, the youths continued to work in the same hotel without any complaint.
Ruthless sponsor
However, when the Saudi King's special grace period for the illegal expats came to an end on November 4 this year, and Nitaqat law was strictly implemented throughout the Kingdom, the hotel management requested the sponsor of these youth to take necessary steps to legalize their status as per the law of the land. Impressed by the hard work of the youths, the hotel management also requested the sponsor to grant themtanazul' so that they become eligible to obtain new jobs, as the hotel could no longer hire them for work due to the changed rules.
The sponsor, who used to deal through one of his relatives, identified as Sulaiman, did not bother to respond to the request of hotel management. Sulaiman, who runs a man power agency, demanded a huge bribe of SR 35,000 from each worker to granttanazul'.
As the sponsor continued to be adamant, the hotel management asked these helpless workers to vacate the place. They were shifted to a compound in Naseem area where there were already around 250 expatriates. All 23 members were forced to stay in a single room which had no basic facilities except a single unhygienic toilet.
“When Sulaiman was fully convinced that we were not in a condition to fulfill his huge demand, he began to play a new trick. He demanded SR 5000 from each to send us home on two month's leave. But, he was not ready to send all of us home together. As per his condition five of us have to pay SR 5000 each and leave for two months. Only after our return, he would allow five others to fly home after paying same amount. But, we do not have any money in our pockets,” one of the 23 helpless youth told Coastaldigest.com.
“Whenever we pleaded Sulaiman to release us and facilitate our exit from Saudi, he used to threaten us,” said another youth, complaining that he never allowed them to meet or directly communicate with their real sponsor.
“After experiencing all these things, we approached Indian Embassy and explained our situation to the authorities expecting an end to our problems. But, one of the officials, after hearing our case, told us that it may take no less than six months to solve the problem even after filing complaint. Finally, with the help of our friends and relatives in Mangalore, we brought our problem to the notice of U T Khader, who had recently helped a Kerala based expatriate to get out of the clutches of his sponsor and go home” he said.
“Our lives have become a hell here. We are starving. We don't have money even to buy ourselves basic commodities. Our fate is in the hands of God and we don't know what will happen to us tomorrow,” he continued.
Coastaldigest.com is with you!
The youths breathed a sigh of relief when Coastaldigest.com team promised them of taking complete responsibility of their food and other emergency needs.
The CD team assured them that Coastaldigest.com would pressurize the Indian Embassy in Riyadh and elected representatives back home in India to take necessary steps to put an end to their plight at the earliest. A delegation headed by Mr Asif Amaco will be meeting Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Hamid Ali Rao in this regard soon.
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