MOHAMAD is an Arab Professor who has lived most of his life serving this country. His son was born here and has just finished his bachelor degree in King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah. Unfortunately, after his 18th birthday, he had to transfer his residency sponsorship “iqama” from his father to a lady in Hail, who sponsored 117 residents, besides him. She didn't need to know or knew any of them, so she let them go about their way, as long as they pay along that way — to the government and her It was alright for the young man, before two events happened: First, the lady died, and he had to find another sponsor — not an easy task considering the Saudization strategy in force. Second: The Labor Ministry decided to implement yet another unheard of law, requiring all residents not working with their sponsors to instantly pack and leave the country. To enforce the law, they sent squads into schools, hospitals, shops and offices to snatch workers not sponsored by the facility they were working in, annul their iqamas on the spot, and send them into the infamous deportation facilities. His family too was then forced to leave, with no time allowance given for school term to end. His sponsors are not even questioned, let alone pay for their actions. After 9/11, when the FBI took a collective action against a smaller number of our students in USA, we were outraged. How could they! How dare they! How inhumane their actions were! And here we are deporting tens of thousands of people who were invited to this county to work here, only to find they had to look for work somewhere else, as long as they pay their monthly fees to their sponsors. Some of them were forced to pay up to SR20, 000 for the iqama alone. Now, they are given no time to get the return on their investments, to collect what we owe them, or even to say good bye. What do we expect them to feel about us? What do we expect them to report back home about our hospitality? “The owner of the company that employs foreigners and refuses to employ Saudis is himself a Saudi and not a foreigner. Why then do we direct our negative sentiments in the reverse direction? When will we understand that the expatriates are our partners in building this nation and are not responsible for any of our failures or disappointments?” Okaz columnist, Khalaf Al-Harbi, writes. “Perhaps the only solution to the selling and buying of iqamas is the abolition of the kafala system and the adoption of the system of immigration followed by the Western countries. It is a legal and humanitarian solution. Under this system, the government will be the sole sponsor of all foreigners in the Kingdom. The world today will not accept the idea of an individual controlling the fate of another. “The clipped or torn-up iqama will not solve the issue of illegal workers but will increase the number of overstayers and infiltrators,” Al-Harbi concludes. The writer's emphasis on human rights is commendable. A visit to the deportation center in Jeddah will show you how hard it is for humans even to visit. I am positively sure that if Makkah Governor Prince Khaled Al-Faisal investigates that place he won't like what he would find. Knowing him personally, I am equally sure that he will move heaven and earth to improve the living conditions out there. Human rights organizations are crying foul today, and the Labor Ministry under Adel Fakieh, has been giving them every reason to. First comes the SR200-a-month increase in the Iqama fees, and now this! What goal is his ministry trying to achieve? Since most are labor force in the construction and service sectors the ministry will end up providing manual work opportunities to our college educated youth? Are we punishing legitimate workers for the sins of their sponsors — and the ministry? Isn't his administration responsible for providing tons of visas to those who don't need them? Isn't it his responsibility to punish the sponsors for exploiting the sponsored? Are we now punishing victims and letting the guilty go free? Qatar and the Emirates economies are booming and building new cities and mega projects. They need trained expats badly. We need them as much, with all the mammoth projects envisaged everywhere. It is already hard to find labor, as is, to complete current projects. What will happen when they all just move over to our neighboring emirates to help them prosper while we get inflation, slowing economy and project delays? And what emotion will they have against us and for their savior hosts? What memories are implanted in their hearts and minds for the rest of their lives about our country? We need wise and compassionate hearts and minds in the decision-making department of the Labor Ministry. With its latest labor laws and inhumane implantation, I am not sure we have enough of them. — Dr. Khaled Batarfi is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. He can be reached at: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Kbatarfi
