Mob riots at Indonesian Consulate in Saudi Arabia

June 10, 2013

Mob_riotJeddah, Jun 10: Rioting Indonesian expatriates set fire to a part of their consulate in Jeddah's Rehab district on Sunday in an attempt to force their way in, officials said.

Eyewitnesses said the rioters, who were among thousands of Indonesian expatriates seeking to correct their status as illegal foreign workers, were apparently frustrated by the long wait to get their cases resolved.

Several people were reported injured as the mob set fire to wood, furniture and other combustible material at the entrance of the consulate, sending flames several meters high and dark smoke billowing well into the late evening sky.

As the fire burned, the mob surged close to the consulate walls while several individuals attempted to fan the flames in an effort to burn down the building.

Several injuries were reported, but details were still unavailable.

An Agence France Presse report, quoting an unnamed consulate staff, said one woman died as a result of the fire.

“Some of them lit a fire near the walls of the consulate seeking to enter by force, but leading to the death of a woman,” the source said.

Police confirmed only that a fire had left some people injured, without mentioning any fatality.

Indonesian Ambassador Gatot Abdullah Mansyur told Arab News that all the consulate's staff were safe. “We are still checking if there’s any casualty or how many workers were injured,” he said.

Civil Defense crews, police, special forces and Red Crescent ambulances descended on the scene in an attempt to restore order as men and women chanted angry slogans against consulate officials cowering inside.

Police officers, with arms folded, stood guard outside the consulate entrance. Roads leading to the consulate were sealed off.

At about 9 p.m. the fire was still raging. But firefighters of the Saudi Civil Defense Department later managed to bring the fire under control before it could spread to the consulate building.

The action was “limited to the walls of the compound and did not touch the offices,” said the consular source.

Before the fire, frustrated workers threw stones at the consulate, witnesses said.

The incident followed a stampede on Saturday when Indonesian women stormed the consulate. At least three women were seriously injured and scores received minor bumps and bruises. Several women had fainted.

The Indonesian diplomatic missions in the Kingdom are among those swamped with undocumented nationals trying to meet the July 3 deadline set by the host government for “illegals” to rectify their visa status.

The confrontation between expatriates, police and consulate officials stemmed from Indonesian workers’ frustration over long delays and alleged lack of organization at the consulate.

“We have been having problems with the consulate ever since we arrived two days ago,” said one Indonesian housemaid, who did not want to have her name published. “Yesterday I fell down and got hurt because the consulate didn’t know what they were doing and couldn’t control the crowd.”

Another Indonesian, who said he works in construction, complained that he could never get inside the consulate to legalize his status, while his co-worker wanted to finalize his travel documents.

“Believe me, now I just want to go home,” the construction worker said.

Workers without proper papers are becoming increasingly concerned as violators of the immigration rules in the Kngdom will face penalties when the amnesty period ends on July 3, with punishment including imprisonment up to two years, and fines up to 100,000 riyals ($27,000).

According to official statistics, eight million expatriates work in the kingdom. Economists say there are another two million unregistered foreign workers.

Saudi Arabia is aiming to create job opportunities for its own unemployed by cutting the number of foreign workers, although many of those are in low-paid jobs that Saudis would not accept.

The world’s largest oil exporter is a goldmine for millions of people from poor Asian and Arab countries that are reeling under high levels of unemployment.

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News Network
April 24,2020

Riyadh, Apr 24: As many as eleven Indian nationals have died due to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia.

"As per information available with the Embassy as of April 22, eleven Indian nationals (four in Madinah, three in Makkah, two in Jeddah, one in Riyadh and one in Dammam) have passed away due to COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia," the Embassy of India in Saudi Arabia said in a press release on Wednesday.

It urged the Indian community to remain calm and avoid spreading of rumours amid the COVID-19 crisis.

"The Embassy also reiterates the need for the community to remain calm and avoid spreading of rumours that may create panic. It is important that social media is not used to disseminate false messages and spread hatred along communal lines that can vitiate the atmosphere," the Embassy said.

"As stated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, COVID-19 does not see race, religion, colour, caste, creed, language or borders before striking, and our response and conduct should attach primacy to unity and brotherhood," it said.

Moreover, several measures on the supply of food, medicines and other emergency assistance to Indians in need are being implemented across the Kingdom.

Earlier, Indian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Ausaf Sayeed on April 22 had interacted with Indian community volunteers from the smaller towns all across the Kingdom to discuss the impact of the COVID-19 situation, and evaluate the implementation of various measures to ensure the welfare of Indian nationals.

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Agencies
July 26,2020

Jeddah, Jul 26: The city of Makkah is opening its arms again to welcome pilgrims for the annual Hajj — although only a handful compared with previous years.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s event is limited to about 1,000 pilgrims, all from inside Saudi Arabia, about 700 of whom are expatriates.

Abdullah Al-Kathiri, an Emirati and a recovered COVID-19 patient, postponed his pilgrimage last year because it coincided with his wedding plans. “I’ve heard from many who’ve performed the pilgrimage in past years that it was always a smooth process, even with the massive numbers,” he said. “So you could imagine how it would be with the limited number of pilgrims this year. Surely it will be a great experience.”

Khadija, a Bulgarian expatriate, was overcome with tears when she heard she would be performing Hajj this year. “I didn’t expect they’d accept,” she said. “I’m sure this year’s Hajj will be an exceptional one in all respects.”

Dr. Haifa Yousef Hamdoon, a Tunisian physician in Qassim, is another who did not expect to be accepted because of the low numbers this year. “When I received confirmation of my request, I was overjoyed and couldn’t believe it,” she said.

Mu’taz Mohamed, a Sudanese pilgrim who also lives in Qassim region, praised the preventive and precautionary health measures taken in order to ensure his safety and that of other pilgrims, to enable them to perform the rituals safely.

After completing their arrival procedures, the pilgrims were taken to their accommodation in Makkah, supervised by the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. They will stay there for four days before beginning their pilgrimage on July 30.

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News Network
June 23,2020

Riyadh, June 23: Saudi Arabia has decided to go ahead with the Hajj pilgrimage with strict health measures and protocols in an effort to prevent the spread of covid-19.

Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah and Minister of Hajj and Umrah Dr. Muhammad Saleh Benten today addressed a joint virtual press conference today. 

Minister of Hajj expected that number of domestic pilgrims performing the pilgrimage this year will not be more than 10,000. He also confirmed that no pilgrims from outside the Kingdom will be allowed to perform Hajj this year.

Dr. Al-Rabiah said pilgrims should be less than 65 years of age and not suffering from any chronic diseases.

The Hajj pilgrimage, which is one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, will this year only welcome a “limited number” of people from inside the Kingdom, authorities had said on Monday.

Every year, about 2.5 million pilgrims visit the holiest sites of Islam in Makkah and Madinah, which could make it a possible breeding ground for the disease.

To prevent COVID-19 from spreading among pilgrims, the health ministry, in collaboration with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah, has developed the plan to ensure the safety of all visitors.

“We have worked with the Ministry of Health to develop preventative and precautionary measures and protocols that are needed to ensure a safe Hajj season,” Benten said.

Protocols:

1. No more than 10,000 people will be allowed to perform the Hajj pilgrimage.

2. All pilgrims will be tested before they reach the holy sites.

3. Only those under the age of 65 will be allowed to perform Hajj this year.

4. All pilgrims will be asked to self-quarantine after they complete the Hajj rituals.

5. All workers and volunteers will be tested before the Hajj pilgrimage begins.

6. The health status of all pilgrims will be monitored daily.

7. A hospital has been prepared for any emergency that occurs during the pilgrimage.

8. Social distancing measures will be enforced.

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SAN
 - 
Tuesday, 23 Jun 2020

Please check its 1000 or 10,000

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