RIYADH, 22 June 2007 — The Human Rights Commission, Saudi Arabia’s government-funded rights body, is in the process of studying the status of African overstayers in the Kingdom and that a full report will be later presented to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah.
“This is one of the important cases that will be carefully studied by the commission that will later be submitted to the king,” HRC spokesman Dr. Zuhair Al-Harthi said, adding that the study will cover the security, economic, and social impact that African overstayers have on the Saudi community.
“The commission may require the assistance of some specialists or experts in the field to study the phenomena from all points and reach solutions that are practical,” he said, adding that the phenomena of African overstayers in Saudi Arabia was an “old and severe” one, which requires comprehensive and scientific solutions.
“The HRC intends to break this phenomenon and determine cause factors as well as to come out with permanent solutions,” he said.
Even though official statistics are hard to come by, African overstayers in Saudi Arabia are expected to number in hundreds of thousands, the majority of whom live in the cities of Makkah and Jeddah.
Most African overstayers arrive in the Kingdom on Umrah and Haj visas and do not return home. The holy city of Makkah is believed to accommodate the largest population of African overstayers in the Kingdom with the area around Makkah’s Al-Mansoor Street being densely populated with African overstayers.
African men can be found under bridges in Makkah waiting for passersby to hire them as laborers. Many also wash cars. Women, on the other hand, can be seen selling handmade hats in many of the city’s districts.
Despite raids by passport officials, authorities have failed to curb the numbers of overstayers, which continue to rise. According to local reports, citizens in the coastal city of Jeddah complain of crimes committed by overstayers. Reports also mention that the number of cell phone thefts by African overstayers in both cities has been on the rise. In a statement released last week, the Interior Ministry warned locals about the consequences of sheltering or harboring overstayers. The ministry said that people found guilty of sheltering overstayers would be fined.
Meanwhile, the HRC is gearing up to launch a nationwide campaign to enlighten people about their legal rights. According to officials, the HRC will use brochures, booklets, billboards and television programs to raise awareness. In addition, prizes for the best research done on a topic concerning human rights will be awarded to researchers, the HRC said.
