DR. ALI AL-GHAMDI This newspaper recently published a report saying that expatriates are responsible for most of the crimes taking place in Saudi society. The report was based on a statement from a security expert, carried by Al-Riyadh Arabic newspaper. The expert was none other than Gen. Ali Al-Tamimi, a member of the Shoura Council. Gen. Tamimi said: “Crimes such as abuse of drugs, theft, forgery, bootlegging and prostitution are new forms of crimes in our society. They are being committed by expatriates, especially those who are staying in the Kingdom illegally.” He said that it is not easy to monitor expatriates who are committing crimes as they live together in certain designated areas and they protect each other. The expert also pointed out that the potential threat raised by illegal residents would continue unabated unless security authorities take preventive measures. Gen. Tamimi continued by saying that apart from the social, economic and moral threats posed by expatriates, they are also instrumental in depriving Saudis of employment opportunities. Most of these people, he added, even dare to inflict physical and verbal assaults on Saudis, and if they are not stopped and punished, they will continue to commit crimes. He believes that the magnitude of danger involving expatriates was reduced after the introduction of the mandatory fingerprinting system for those who arrive in the Kingdom on new employment visas. The official called for carrying out medical and psychiatric tests on expatriates before their arrival in the Kingdom, in addition to conducting training courses under the supervision of Saudi embassies and consulates in the countries where these people are coming from. Gen. Tameemi also noted that those who arrive on new employment visas should have obtained at least an intermediate school education. He called on citizens and heads of municipalities to monitor the crimes of expatriates. In addition to this, the official urged the imams of mosques to make expatriates aware and encourage them to respect the customs, traditions and rich values of Saudi Arabia. The Shoura Council member concluded his statement with a call to launch a campaign against illegal expatriates and an appeal to the concerned authorities to provide remuneration for citizens who inform the authorities about expatriates who are living in the Kingdom without valid documents.
I was very disappointed after reading such statements from a member of the Shoura Council whose words are meant to be valued by others. Let us examine the very headline of the report, which says “Expatriates are responsible for most of the crimes taking place in the Kingdom.” I don't know how he was able to come to such a conclusion? Did he conduct any accurate, impartial and specific statistical studies that record the nationality of each person responsible for committing crimes in the Kingdom? In my opinion, the tendency to generalize that all crimes or most crimes are being committed by expatriates is simply an injustice to foreign workers. As for crimes, they take place in every country and society, and our country is no exception. Those who commit crimes include not only expatriates but also Saudis. Therefore, it is quite unjust to say that expatriates are responsible for the crimes committed in this country.
As far as the crimes which Gen. Tamimi mentioned, such as abuse of drugs, theft, forgery, bootlegging and prostitution being new types of crimes taking place in our society, I regret to say that this statement is incorrect. The truth is that all these and other crimes existed in Saudi Arabia, although perhaps their incidence was lower in the past. With the development of society and an increase in the number of Saudis and expatriates, there would naturally be a increase in the number of crimes committed by individuals from various nationalities, including Saudis. With regard to Gen. Tamimi's statement that expatriates live in certain areas and that they protect each other, I can say that this statement is also not accurate. Expatriates live in many different areas and they mingle with Saudis and those of other nationalities. They live in buildings where other nationalities also live. However, there is an exception in the case of certain groups of expatriates. They are mainly workers who live in labor camps or buildings rented out for them by their employers. I agree with Gen. Tamimi that expatriates who are living illegally in the Kingdom pose a danger, and that it is imperative to deal with them sternly. This is the responsibility of the security agencies. However, we should not deal with those expatriates who are living in the Kingdom with valid documents in the same way that we deal with those overstaying their Haj or Umrah visas or those infiltrating into the Kingdom across the nation's borders. There is a big difference between these two types of expatriates. With regard to Gen. Tamimi's suggestion to carry out medical and psychiatric tests for those expatriates who are coming on new labor visas, I would like to point out that this system is already in place. It is compulsory for any expatriate who comes on a new employment visa to the Kingdom to undergo medical tests from hospitals and clinics approved by the Saudi diplomatic missions in their respective countries. Apart from this, newly hired expatriates must undergo medical checkups after their arrival in the Kingdom and this is essential for them to have their residency permit (iqama) issued to them. With my apologies to Gen. Tamimi, it is impossible to accept this report that blames expatriates for all the crimes committed in the Kingdom without making it absolutely clear that the perpetrators of crimes include those of every nationality, including Saudis. Whoever speaks or thinks otherwise should examine the facts and reconsider his position in this regard. In my next article, I intend to shed light on the viewpoints of another Shoura Council Member Ibrahim Al-Otaibi on the same topic. He says that expatriates are our guests who left their countries and families to come to work together with us to further the development of our great nation. — Dr. Ali Al-Ghamdi is a former Saudi diplomat who specializes in Southeast Asian affairs. He can be reached at [email protected]
