JEDDAH, 14 August 2007 — Police officers and officials from the Passport Department arrested 165 overstayers, mainly runaway maids, in a midnight operation yesterday in the Salamah and Rawada districts of Jeddah.
The operation, which took place just past midnight, targeted a number of homes where runaway maids were being housed, following a number of complaints by members of the public about maids running away. Maids in Saudi Arabia have a tendency to run away in search of better salaries. Ironically, illegal maids are paid more than legal workers.
A police source said that, with Ramadan close, there is an increase in the number of complaints about maids running away. Maids are particularly in high demand during the fasting month.
The source added that many of the maids arrested in the raids confessed to running away from their sponsor. Some alleged that they were verbally and physically abused. One maid said she ran away because her employer banned her from using her cell phone.
Ani, one of the women arrested, said, “I came to the Kingdom to look for my husband who lives here. I left home leaving my children back in search of their father who has not been in contact with us since he arrived here.” She said her husband worked in Jeddah as a driver and she had signed up as a maid to find him.
