A number of citizens and expatriates all told Arab News that they were a nuisance and urged authorities to crack down on them before the number of child beggars snowballed across the city.
“This is new trend in the Holy City. We have not seen such a large number of children beggars before. Citizens and expatriates should not hesitate to inform the police whenever they see a child begging near traffic lights, mosques and gas stations,” said Ghazi Falah, a Saudi citizen.
He said he was pained by the sight of young boys and girls extending their hands for a riyal or two from Saudis and foreigners.
Naif Al-Mitairi, another Saudi, held their families fully responsible for this unwelcome trend. “When the family fails to monitor its children, they may feel free to do anything including begging along the streets, which may jeopardize their lives,” he said.
Mahmoud Essam Al-Din, an Egyptian, noted that most of the child beggars were foreigners. “This is a new trend in Madinah and we should all join hands with the concerned authorities to put an end to it before it becomes something we cannot control,” he said.
Al-Din asked all residents not to hesitate in informing the police whenever they see children begging.
Maha Saeed, a Saudi mother, said she saw foreign children begging in malls and shopping centers while pretending to sell water. “These children are mostly foreigners. Their numbers increase remarkably during weekends and school vacations,” she said.
Saeed said she saw young girls who were hardly 10 years old. “These young girls are endangering their lives and future. They may fall prey to pedophiles,” she warned.
