Mosques join drive against illegals

Dubai: Police will crack down on recruitment of illegal workers as part of an awareness campaign to safeguard "higher national interests".

The campaign under the theme 'Recruitment of illegal workers damages higher national interests' will continue until Thursday.

The campaign includes spreading awareness on the issue during Friday sermons, having the campaign's logo on the Dewa bills and Union Co-Operative bags, sending short messages through the operations room and distributing campaign brochures at shopping malls and petrol stations.

Major General Khamis Mattar Al Mazeina, Director of Dubai Police's Criminal Investigation Department (CID), said in three years there have been 716 cases of illegal workers and labourers working for people other than their sponsors.

He said many crimes, including thefts, moral cases and attacks, have been reported against housemaids.

Besides a threat to security, Major General Al Mazeina said the offenders of the Labour Law pose a threat to the health of the community as they do not undergo medical check-ups and may spread infectious diseases.

"In a recent case, an illegal Asian farmer was caught for stealing Dh1.5 million from the houseowner who had recruited him. It took double the efforts to catch the offender because the recruiter did not have any information about the man," he said.

Major General Al Mazeina said anybody who recruits an illegal worker will be prosecuted according to the Naturalisation and Residency as well as Labour Laws.

"There is no excuse for Emiratis or residents to recruit illegal workers, especially when bringing workers as per legal procedures is easy and the laws regarding penalties against the recruiter of illegal workers are clear," he said.

Major General Al Maz-eina suggested establishing a private company under the umbrella of the Naturalisation and Residency Department to provide part-time workers to those who require them.

Campaign

Major General Al Mazeina said the campaign is based on partnership between a number of departments such as Islamic Affairs and Charitable Work Department, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and the Union Cooperative.

Major Talal Al Shanqity, Director of Investigation department at Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD), said anyone who recruits an infiltrator faces imprisonment for a minimum of two months and a fine of Dh100,000, while anyone who recruits an illegal worker faces a fine of Dh50,000.

In 2005, there were 199 cases related to illegal workers and those working for people other than their sponsors. There were 255 cases in 2006, and 262 cases in 2007. In addition, there were 18 cases of absconding maids in 2006 compared to 16 cases in 2007.

Major General Al Maz-eina said one of the recent crimes that took place was committed by an illegal Indonesian housemaid who was recruited illegally by a family.

The housemaid got pregnant illegally and gave birth to a child. But soon after she killed the newborn by suffocating her.

Major General Al Maz-eina said the maid was arrested after the family reported her to the police.

Sharjah: 1,182 people arrested

A total of 1,182 violators of immigration and residency laws have been arrested in Sharjah between February 1 and March 10, a top official said.

The arrests came after inspections carried out by the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department to clamp down on violators, said Colonel Dr Abdullah Ali Bin Sahoo, Director of the department.

In a crackdown against violators of immigration and residency laws, the department arrested 1,182 people in raids, the official said.

The arrested violators included 614 who entered the country illegally, 164 absconding private sector workers, 269 absconding domestic workers, besides 123 others who entered the country on visit visas and overstayed the period.

The campaign was conducted in line with the directives of Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior, Colonel Bin Sahoo added.

- WAM