Manama: Most of the street beggars apprehended by the authorities in the Saudi capital Riyadh are of African origin.
A spokesperson for the social affairs ministry said that foreigners made up around 85 per cent of all the beggars while the others were Saudi citizens.
“With the month of Ramadan days away, we have intensified our campaigns to apprehend beggars,” Khalid Al Thubaiti said. “We refer the non-Saudis who constitute around 85 per cent [of all the beggars] to the competent authorities for follow-up while the Saudi nationals are referred to the social solidarity officials to study their cases and assess if they need assistance. Some of them are referred to charity societies or to homes,” he said in remarks published by local news site Sabq on Thursday.
Begging turns into a thriving business for many people during Ramadan, venerated by Muslims as the month of intense worshipping and acts of charity and compassion.
Several African women were spotted in Riyadh carrying babies and children and used them to beg for money to help provide proper care.
“The beggars take huge risks by standing near traffic lights and jaywalking to reach drivers. Many of them are also exposed to harassment and to exploitation while they themselves can be a source of diseases,” the report said.
Most of them readily talk about how miserable their lives are and how they need money urgently to help them out of their pain and sufferings, it added.
A 12-year-old African girl extended her hand to take money as she quickly talked about she took up begging to help her suffering mother following the death of her father.
“We often receive calls from citizens who express their concern about beggars and we respond through the committees we have set up jointly with the police,” Al Thubaiti said.
Saudi Arabia, like other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries has banned street begging and set up units to help fight the phenomenon.
The GCC which brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, is the richest region in the Arab world and attracts millions of foreigners to live and work. Beggars have also been lured by high possibilities of lucrative gains, especially during Ramadan, the month of devotion and compassion for Muslims.
The sacred month, during which Muslim adults abstain from food and drink from sunrise until sunset and engage in greater charity work, is expected to start on June 28.
