JEDDAH: Hussein Al-Sharief, supervisor of the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) in the Makkah province, has warned authorities about the danger posed by the gathering of thousands of illegal aliens under bridges and other places in Jeddah.
Speaking to Arab News after inspecting the condition of the overstayers, he said the continuation of the situation would lead to an increase in crimes. “We have seen several youths and women as well as small children and elderly persons. The majority of them belong to Asian countries,” he said.
He said the presence of a large number of young men and women in these places without jobs would encourage them to commit crimes. “This will create a bad impression about Saudi Arabia outside the country and in international circles,” he said.
Al-Sharief said the NSHR branch in the province would prepare a detailed report on the situation of the expatriate workers which would be presented to the governorate, the Passport Department and the Haj Ministry. “Most of the illegals whom I met today were pilgrims overstaying their Haj and Umrah visas.”
He said some of them, especially house servants, had run away from their Saudi sponsors. He said some overstayers had complained against the Passport Department, without mentioning specifically what their complaints were. The NSHR will also write a letter to the Foreign Ministry to instruct foreign embassies and consulates to speed up the issuing of travel documents for these illegal aliens to return to their respective countries.
“We’ll also contact charitable organizations in Jeddah, including Zamzam Charitable Society, to provide relief supplies and medical assistance to these overstayers until they return home or their problems are solved,” the supervisor said.
He stressed the need to help runaway workers get their financial dues from their employers.
