JEDDAH, 6 April 2003 — They are pretty young things in jeans who are a permanent fixture on the beaches of Jeddah. They are sweet-tongued girls, flashing alluring smiles and using the gift of gab to sell firecrackers to often reluctant customers — the reluctance being directed to the crackers rather than to the charming girls themselves.
But not all families visiting the beach are amused. They contend that these vendors are a threat to children’s safety and that their wares disturb the peace. The question that most families ask is what forced the vendors into the business. Al-Madinah interviewed those who sell the firecrackers, the police and some families to get an overview of what is going on.
Matokah, a fireworks seller, rejected the contention that she uses seductive tactics to sell her products. “We are honest, hard-working people. We have to look good and dress well because that is part of the selling business. We show our products and customers come and buy them. The only problem we face is from teenagers who misinterpret the way we dress and harass us. They tend to gather around us. Families bother us when they shun us or call the police. I must say there are some families who sympathize with our situation and help us and shield us from Passport Department personnel when they come to the area. We are very well-organized; each one is responsible for her specific area and no one sells in someone else’s area. We have fixed hours to come and go. We have to be nice to customers and joke with them, just to sell our product. Youngsters are the only people we target. The nicer we are to them, the bigger their tips.”
Umm Al-Faraj said, “Despite the harassment I face every day from teenagers, I have to work in this business and use every way possible to earn money. I have to face harassment from the police who make it hard for us to work and make money. I am an orphan. I live with my relatives and I have to earn money so I will not end up on the street. Most of the time teenagers harass me and invite me to ride in their expensive cars. I smile at them and use polite words to chase them away. Many people have offered to take me with them but I do not want to get involved in anything wrong or immoral. I am trying to make an honest living just like anybody else.”
Fifi, another fireworks seller, said, “Selling fireworks is very difficult. I have been in this business for four years now. I am an overstayer and I came from Egypt on an Umrah visa. The problem I faced after I decided to stay here was how to earn money. I lived in an area where Egyptian women lived. A Saudi who was hiding us owned the house. One of my friends offered me a job selling fireworks on the beach. It is a tough job but it is very exciting and it makes me a lot of money. Our job is honest and we do not know why the Passport Department is chasing us.”
“I am a very spoiled girl,” another fireworks vendor described herself. She said she had entered the business five years ago at the prompting of one of her friends. “I went with my friend to a well-known businessman in downtown Jeddah. We offered to market his fireworks for a percentage of the profit. I have met many customers who pay double the price of the product they buy — for a smile from me. I know how to make good money by smiling at them. I make sure that my customer does not cross the line.”
Badreya is a very beautiful girl who also spoke to Al-Madinah. She said, “Yes we have to look good in order to attract customers. Teenagers love the way we look and we love their money. I am very proud of my profession because I made a lot of money. From the money I earn, I am able to buy expensive clothes that I dreamed about when I was young. Every day is different. There are days when we make a lot of money and there are days when we spend the time hiding from the Passport Department. I find this job exciting because I have customers who look for me to buy my products. They refuse to buy from other people and they wait for me. I love this job because I am free to do whatever I want and there is no boss looking over my shoulder.”
Mahmoud ibn Ali, a Saudi citizen, said, “These women are violating the law by selling dangerous fireworks to children. Parents should be blamed for allowing them to sell these products to their children. I think the police should launch a campaign to arrest them and clear the beach of them because their presence is a threat to our families.”
A.S., a teenager, said, “As young people, we hang around the places where these fireworks sellers visit. We love talking to them because they are funny, beautiful and nice to talk to. It is a very good way of spending my time because I am unemployed and have nothing to do.”
S.M., another teenager, said, “We do not do anything. They come to us. As young people, we love adventure. It is the way they dress and talk that attracts us. When they offer a product for SR10, we pay SR20. When we pay that extra money, they begin talking and we laugh together. I blame the spare time I have for my problems.”
Gen. Salem Al-Belehid of the Passport Department in the Makkah region, said that the department was doing all in its power to solve the problem. “We have new strategies for arresting these fireworks vendors. I hope people will work with us and not shield them. We have arrested many and more will be arrested soon.”
