Citizens seek stricter measures in anti-beggary campaign

Citizens are calling for stricter measures and an awareness campaign on beggary despite efforts by the Ministries of Social Affairs, Interior and the Passport Department to crack down on Ramadan beggars.
“I think that if the ministries would launch a Ramadan campaign with advertisements asking the public not to give money to street beggars, many beggars would find the activity unfruitful and the problem would be solved,” Hani Mohammed, a Saudi private sector employee, said.
He added that those in real need of financial assistance should register with the Social Affairs office to receive social welfare benefits.
“The problem is that a majority of these beggars are either financially capable, posing as fake beggars to earn extra cash, or illegal immigrants who have overstayed their Umrah visas. In any case, neither deserve to take the money of honest, hardworking individuals,” Mohammed concluded.
Saleh Bedwelan, also a Saudi private sector employee, thinks that letting beggars know that they will be strictly dealt with and reminding citizens not to give money to beggars would greatly improve the situation, not only in Ramadan, but all year around.
“One year, I saw a man wearing an old yellow thobe drive up in a brand new car, park it, get out and begin begging at a traffic light three cars behind mine. One has to think how much money he makes per day begging and still be able to afford a new car,” he said.
Last year, the Passport Department launched an extensive campaign to crack down on beggars in Ramadan by increasing its staff to patrol and arrest anyone found begging on the streets or in front of supermarkets and shopping centers regardless of gender or age. The campaign resulted in 23,122 people being deported from the Jazan province in Ramadan alone.
“We found that various nationalities were guilty of up to 48 offenses and that the majority of expats were trying to travel to Jeddah,” Maj. Ali Al-Qahtani said in a statement.
According to data from the Anti-Beggary Department, this year, more than 800 beggars, including 400 women and 300 children between the ages of 10 and 15, have been arrested and removed from Jeddah’s streets.