The unexpected lockdown to prevent spread of covid–19 has caused a serious damage to the lives of Indian expatriates irrespective of laborers and entrepreneurs in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Different stories of expatriates' ordeals are emerging from the region.
Abdul Razaq, hailing from Udupi in Karnataka has been running small scale business at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, based on oil refinery projects of the government. He was undergoing medical treatment for his cancer which is in fist stage. He explaines his ordeals caused by lockdown and stopping the flight facility.
“I was regularly visiting home country for the treatment of cancer. Now I cannot go as international flight service has been stopped. I expect that government will hear problems of expatriates and will arrange facilities to take us back to home”, he said.
Mubeen from Bengaluru was working on temporary basis for a company in Jubail. He had lost his jobs like some of his colleagues due to the lockdown.
“As everything was alright, I had brought my parents recently to Saudi Arabia on a visit visa. Things changed drastically with covid-19 attack. Continuous lockdown caused burden over the company and they removed temporary employees like me to control possible losses” he said.
“Now owner of the flat has been harassing me for the rent. I do not have money either to pay rent or to cover daily family expenses. I do not know what to do further”, he added.
Iqbal from Mangaluru left for Saudi Arabia to help his family. He got a job in a juce centre in Dammam recently. Corona lockdown made his life difficult. He is eager to return his home country.
“I came to Saudi Arbia because of financial difficulties as I had not found any job with good salary there. I thought I can earn well by going to Saudi Arabia. However, here too the salary was not so good. Now juice center is closed due to lockdown and sponsor is giving very small amount of money as salary through which we cannot afford our expenses and our families back in home,” he said.
“Here It is not easy get help of fellow Indians since most of them have their own ordeals. I would like to return home country; there however we can manage to get help of friends and relatives. I am looking forward the help of Indian government to start air facility for stranded NRIs,” he said.
Mohsin from Mysuru is a taxi driver in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. He was earning on commission basis. Now Saudi government banned movement of taxis in the region, which pushed him and his fellow taxi drivers into trouble.
“We were earning commissions daily on the basis of trips. Now we cannot move outside with taxi since it may cause us to pay the fine of SR.10000. How can I manage my expenses and family members in home?”, he asked.
There are cases of pregnant women who have to return India for delivery. Those who brought family here on visit visa will not have insurance. Delivery charges and any kind of medical facilities without insurance in Saudi Arabia is very expensive. Expatriate Indians with such problems are awaiting government's help.
“I had brought my wife on one year visit visa. Now she is pregnant and I have to send her back to home for delivery. If lockdown continues, it is difficult to send back and we have to spend big amounts for delivery without insurance. It is a big burden to me as I work for small salary in a company”, said Yunus from Hyderabad, who is living in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Lockdown is haunting even entrepreneurs in Saudi Arabia. Most of expatriates in the industrial hub of Jubail are doing business based on Saudi Government’s oil refinery projects. Saudi Arabia temporarily stopped most of the projects as part of public health safety measures to maintain social distance.
“We are doing business based on oil refinery projects. Now projects are stopped. We brought around 1100 people on work permit visa on temporary basis. And also, we have around 1200 permanent workers. It is a big burden to provide them with food, accommodation and salary. It may cause a big loss for our company”, said owner of expatriates company, Sheikh Mohammed.
Saudi Arabia had reported first corona virus affected case in March 2, 2020. At the end of March, it was 1600 and now it already corssed 6000. Saudi Health ministry has cautioned the number of affected people may rise 10000 to 200,000 and directed for more precautionary measures. In such case, the Indian expatriates may have to face crisis in the region.
Indian expatriate organizations are demanding for immediate intervention of Indian government to ensure better quarantine facility and treatment of NRIs in Saudi Arabia as the cases are increasing rapidly. The condition of laborers in some of the camps are such that seven to eight people should share a single bed room.
“Normally if there is a flat, it will consist three to four bed rooms. In single bedroom companies will provide three four bunk beds and six to eight people should share the room. In such cases, if a person affected with virus it will spread quickly to others. Thus, Indian government should ensure quarantine facility for NRIs”, says Wasim Rabbani, president of Indian Social Forum, Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia.
President of Karnataka Non Residential Indians, A forum for the NRI organizations of Karnataka, Zakaria Muzain says Indian Government should immediately interfere to bring back those stranded NRIs who wish to return home. Government should intervene to pressure Indian embassy to take the issues of troubled expatriates.
“Government should make special flight arrangement for such NRIs in trouble. It should also arrange quarantine facility for those who return to India. Already there are many Non-Governmental charity organization which have come forward to give their facilities for NRIs”, he said.
NRIs from all categories are looking forward for the help of Indian government. It is important to Indian government to take quick action as the problem is increasing in Saudi Arabia.
Comments
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Thank you so much Lyvia for the clarification.
This is indeed a good initiative. Let us unite and unitedly let us strive for the development of our city.
All the best moms!
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group.We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on cast religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts .Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group. We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on caste, religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts. Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group.We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on cast religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts .Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group.We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on cast religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts .Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group.We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on cast religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts .Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Hi Everybody... I am one of the members of this group. I see there are a few things that we need to clarify . This is not an \ELITIST\" group.We could entertain only the first 30 requests.. We also encourage mothers to have their own meet ups. We have thousands of mothers in the group from different back grounds who are utilizing the selfless services provided by many of the mothers in our region. There is no bar from joining this group based on cast religion economic standards or any other parameter . Our sincere belief is that mothers can and have been making a change in this world and we want to facilitate this in our home in a more evident way, ie Coastal Karnataka. There are a lot of well wishers in our region who do a lot of charitable acts. But unless we personally see it we dont get involved or motivated enough to carry on such acts .Getting people to our roots before the advent of social media of meeting each other, talking to each other to get more connected and have a personal and human touch is one of the ways to a more integrated and understanding society . Please let us now if you have more queries."
Rich Mothers of Mangalore
What about Fathers of Mangalore.
Pity for Poor fathers.
Good one. Let it continue to be non-religious, non-political and non-profitable...
The meeting invite was open to all the 9000 mothers on the group regardless of their family backgrounds. However the first 30 registrations were suposed to be part of the meet up.
ONCE PROPHET MOOSA CLIMBING THE MOUNTAIN
ALLHA TOLD TO MOOSA (AS) MOOSA BE CAREFULL NOW ABOUT URSELF BECAUSE
U DONT HAVE HAND TO PRAY FOR U BEC UR MOTHER IS ALREADY DEAD...
MORAL WEN MOTHER PRAY TO SON OR DAUGTER ALLHA WIL ACCEPT THE DUA VERY SOON....
MOTHER IS EVERTHING...
A man asked Prophet Muhammad pbuh who is more entitled to be treated with best companionship by Me?
The Prophet pbuh said \Your MOTHER\"
The man asked again who next?
The prophet pbuh said \"Your MOTHER\"
Then he asked again who next?
The Propeht pbuh said \"Your MOTHER\"
The man asked for the Fourth time \"Who is next?\"
The Prophet pbuh said \"Your Father\"
If the mothers did not read about prophet muhammad pbuh - They are missing a lot in this life."
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