Despite the relentless efforts exerted by the agencies concerned in cooperation with the media to rein in beggary over the last decade, it still remains a headache and a threat to the security agencies as some criminals disguise themselves as beggars to engage in organized crimes.
Even though anti-beggary cops nab scores of beggars on a daily basis, there has been a rising tide of beggars in Jeddah. The official figures from the Ministry of Social Affairs and other authorities indicate that Saudis make up more than 20 percent of beggars. However, we can see most of the street beggars are from other Arab countries as well as from some Muslim countries of Africa and Asia. Saad Al-Shahrani, head of the Office to Combat Beggary in Jeddah, said that nearly 99 percent of beggars in Jeddah are non-Saudis.
No accurate figures of beggars available
Speaking to Arab News, a number of academics said that there are no accurate statistical figures about the actual number of beggars in the Kingdom. This is mainly because of the number of beggars being smuggled into the Kingdom from neighboring countries through land and sea routes. According to the latest figures released by the Ministry of Interior, the numbers of smugglers netted by the authorities in last Shaaban and Ramadan alone were 56,791 and 35,566 respectively.
There were several studies and surveys about this phenomenon in the last decade, the latest of which was carried out by a research team from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments, Call and Guidance, headed by Musaed Al-Hudaithy. The study came to the conclusion that the major reasons for the spread of beggary were poverty, unemployment, acute financial problems, ineffective mechanisms to prevent begging as well as the presence of overstayers and gangs who supervise this lucrative illegal business especially by exploiting children.
According to the study, most of the arrested beggars were aged 16 to 25 and over 46. A majority of them were illiterate men with limited incomes. Many married and unemployed men also resort to beggary to feed their large families. The study also showed that beggars use various ploys to seek alms — exploiting children, impersonation, deception and cheating, pretending to be physically or mentally disabled, and showing fake documents and medical certificates.
Social, economic,
security impact
Most of the studies highlight the negative impacts of beggary in the social, economic and security realms. These include the spreading of fraud and theft, forging documents, abuse of children, parents encouraging children to beg, increased drug smuggling and sale, rising rates of immoral acts, kidnapping of children, illegal marriage, illegal transfer of money outside the Kingdom and facilitating money laundering.
Speaking to Arab News, several social researchers and academics underlined the need for reviewing the mechanism to combat this dangerous phenomenon. Noted researcher Yousuf Ibrahim said that a major section of society and the authorities concerned are not aware of the serious social and economic fallout of this undesirable practice. He stressed the need for a total revamp of the present system to combat beggary through plugging loopholes and introducing an effective working mechanism to eradicate this problem.
Types of beggary,
ploys of beggars
On a tour covering various parts of the city, Arab News saw several beggars roaming about city streets and public places, and employing various ploys in their thriving business. They included many disabled people who sneaked into the Kingdom from some African countries. Their dialect and accent of talking in Arabic showed that they are newcomers to the Kingdom. Some of them pretend to be disabled by using canes, medical splints and wheelchairs. Arab News followed a beggar who seemed to be facing much difficulties in walking even after relying on a walking stick, and seeking alms in Al-Rawdah district. When he was alone, he started walking normally.
There are some beggars who are engaged in selling toys, chewing gum, towels and bottled mineral water as well as a number of duplicate goods at traffic signals. Some local residents noted that beggars use various ploys to cheat the public and grab money from them. They drew attention to the practice of some beggars who travel together with their family members in luxurious cars and approach people claiming that they are coming from outside the city and that they desperately need some money to fill their car tanks.
Arab News also witnessed some cleaning workers hired by the municipality or contracting companies engaged in beggary at traffic signals. Replying to queries, one of them said that their miserable condition forced them to beg. “My monthly salary is SR 800, and most often I received salary only after a few months. I did not receive salary for the last two months,” he said. The worker pointed out that he was struggling to make ends meet and support his family back home. Therefore, he was forced to beg at traffic signals and he saw it as a thriving business for him. “Most often I get a huge amount of money in alms ranging up to SR200 per day,” he said.
Kubri Murabba haven of beggars
The Kubri Murabba, the main intersection of Madinah Road and Prince Muhammad Road (Rawdah Street), is a major center for beggars in Jeddah city. Arab News saw a number of beggars, including women, children, and young men, frequenting the traffic signals most of the day and during the night. The majority of them are Arab nationals, and it seemed that they are part of an organized gang engaged in beggary.
Arab News observed a number of elders positioned below the stairs of the overpass surveying the surroundings in order to alert beggars in case any anti-begging squads were coming to catch them. These beggars who are familiar to each other usually gather below the overpass to take their lunch. It was understood that most of these beggars are living in some underdeveloped districts in the city, including Bani Malik and Aziziya. Most of the child beggars are from Yemen and they are unaccompanied while African children engage in begging in the company of their mothers. There are some Afghan children who are accompanied by a male guardian.
Earlier this month, Jeddah police arrested an agent who was allegedly involved in arranging the transportation and distribution of beggars, especially children and the elderly at various spots on Jeddah Corniche as well as at famous commercial malls. The man, a legal resident in the Kingdom, arranged residential facilities for the beggars and collected their money at the end of every day. At a location behind a famous restaurant on Tahliya Street, Arab News saw a number of women beggars from an Arab country. They reach the spot and return home by cab every day.
A number of local residents told Arab News that beggars started regrouping at mosques and their courtyards after a gap of a short period. The mosque authorities recently tried to strictly enforce a directive from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs to ban all types of beggary at mosques throughout the Kingdom.
According to the latest report from the shelter home for child beggars at Al-Birr Charity Society, Jeddah, the shelter entertained as many as 8,551 child beggars ever since it started functioning in 2003. The center has so far deported 6,912 inmates while another 1,613 children were handed over to their relatives. Most of these child beggars came from Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Chad, Sudan, Somalia, Egypt, Nigeria and Yemen.
Need to empower relevant agency
Speaking to Arab News, a number of citizens and foreigners criticized the Office to Combat Beggary in Jeddah for the rising tide of beggars in the city. However, Saad Al-Shahrani, head of the office, said it is not the lone responsibility of his office but rather the collective responsibility of a committee comprising officials of eight government agencies. “The office is also not responsible for the beggars without valid iqamas (residence permits). We hand over the arrested beggars to the Passport Department to complete their deportation formalities,” he said, adding his office deals with Saudi beggars, who are very few compared to foreign beggars.
The officials concerned stressed the need to extend more support to the office to fulfill its responsibilities effectively. The responsibilities of the office is not restricted only to handling cases of beggars but also those of housemaids arrested by the Passport Office for illegal acts in addition to housemaids stranded at King Abdulaziz International Airport because sponsors failed to pick them up after their arrival in the Kingdom.
Prominent academic and economic consultant Hamed Muhammad Hunaidi underscored the need for extending much support to the offices to combat begging by making available material and moral support to them.
“The offices would be strengthened with more staffers including officials as well as young Saudi volunteers to carry out an intensive clampdown on beggars. Moreover, stringent punitive measures such as jail terms, flogging, fines, in addition to deportation will be taken against beggars,” he said, underlining the need for ensuring that these deportees would not come back again into the Kingdom. Hunaidi also called for stepping up a massive campaign aimed at raising public awareness about this uncivilized practice and to discourage people from giving alms to beggars.
