I was overwhelmed with deep sorrow and distress while reading the story of an Indian worker called Ali Muhiyudeen that was published in the Al-Hayat newspaper recently.
Ali came to Saudi Arabia three years ago to work for one of the biggest companies in the Kingdom. He ended up as a paralyzed beggar after a warehouse door belonging to the company he worked for fell on top of him while at work.
His employers could not find a better way to reward him but to deport him out of the country. This was at a time when Muhiyudeen could not afford even a single meal a day. Aside from that, his family was still day dreaming of the rosy future when their young son, who had migrated to make money to provide them with the best, returns home.
Naser Al-Enzy, Muhiyudeen’s young Saudi workmate, witnessed the horrible accident and empathized with his co-worker. He tried to collect some donations for him and was unable to collect more than SR2,000. So he decided to seek the help of the media.
He wanted to bring awareness to the dilemma of his colleague. The company Muhiyuddeen worked for postponed their decision to deport him while Al-Enzy accomplishes his noble humanitarian mission of raising funds to help his Indian colleague.
Al-Enzy’s position would definitely have a wonderful impact on the worker’s family, friends and village people once Muhiyudeen returns home. Perhaps the Indian press would recognize his noble act too, but what about the company that recruited a healthy and complete human being and deported him half human without any financial compensation? What about the official sector that allowed his recruitment and never created a system that protects expatriates from the greediness and injustices of wealthy people?
I don’t know how we could possibly blame the rest of the world that accuses us of not being able to maintain and ensure the rights of workers while on the other hand we present them one piece of evidence after another justifying their accusations. We have problems of paycheck delays, physical and emotional abuse and many other cases similar to that Muhiyudeen’s, who will be leaving the country with no money, health and not even a bit of humane treatment.
Are we so powerless and incapable of legislating a just and humane system? If they do exist, do we lack the ability to implement them?
Do we actually realize that reflecting a transparent positive image of us to the outside world is related to the beauty of the inside? Are we aware of the huge gap between the beautiful mottos that we call for in the Kingdom and the very reality that we live? The simple answer lies with Muhiyudeen.
