MAKKAH, 30 June 2006 — “When your wife leaves you at a time when you need her the most and when a friend’s betrayal follows, then there is no point in living.” These were the sad words spoken by Talal Othman, a 50-year-old homeless handicapped Saudi man.
Othman, a father of five children, including three daughters the oldest of whom is 29, says he was “living a normal life working and supporting his wife and kids” until he suffered a stroke that left him paralyzed.
“Everything was fine until I suffered a stroke that left my hands and legs paralyzed. I can’t move without help and I need a wheelchair to move from one place to another,” said Othman.
It was at this difficult time that Othman’s wife felt he had become a “burden” on her and demanded a divorce.
“She took my kids away to live with her family, I have no one to help me anymore. I don’t have an income and now I live on the sidewalks and in the washrooms of the Grand Mosque (in Makkah),” said Othman.
Othman lives on the streets moving places searching for shade to cool himself down from the hot and arid heat of Makkah. Sometimes he finds the heat too much to bear and goes to the Grand Mosque to sit in the air-conditioned area.
Because he finds it difficult to move he often urinates and excretes on himself. “I live filthily in places that lack basic hygiene. Insects are crawling all over me. Even today I continue remembering my wife who abandoned me at a time when I needed her the most. I see everything around me dark and black and I feel I will lose my mind any day.”
It was in such a desperate situation that Othman saw a glimmer of hope when a friend came to him and offered to acquire some land from the Makkah Municipality and build a house for him to live in.
Othman’s friend asked him to write a letter giving him authorization to act on his behalf in dealing with the municipality.
“For months I never saw my friend. One day someone gave me some money and advised me to go to the social security office and apply for welfare. I went to the office to apply and was shocked to find my application rejected,” said Othman.
Officials at the social security office explained that there were 14 foreign workers in the country under Othman’s name and therefore by law he was not entitled to any sort of financial aid.
Shocked and horrified Othman managed to make his way to the Passport Department where he verified the information. It turned out that Othman’s friend had used his name to issue visas to foreign workers.
“My friend betrayed me and took advantage of my condition. I do not know where these workers are. All that I know is that because of my friend I am not receiving help from the social security office,” said Othman.
Othman went to court and managed to cancel the authorization letter. Now he says he feels hurt and bitter about his wife and friend both betraying him in such a cruel and callous way.
“I just want people to be nice to me and stop tormenting me. I call on Muslims to help me; all that I need is some money and a place to stay with dignity. I want the man who used my name to be punished and most of all I want to see and be reunited with my children.”
