Indian missions, community organisations announce helplines for amnesty seekers

Abu Dhabi/Dubai: Indian missions in the UAE and prominent Indian community organisations have set up helplines to assist Indian amnesty seekers.

The UAE Government has announced a three-month general amnesty, starting from August 1, for foreigners violating the country’s residency laws.

A mobile number at the embassy (050-8995583) and toll-free number (80046342) of the Indian Workers Resource Centre, a support centre established by the embassy, will answer enquiries round-the-clock, Navdeep Singh Suri, Indian Ambassador to the UAE, told Gulf News on Sunday.

The embassy has also created a dedicated email ID (indemb.uaeamnesty18@gmail.com) for this purpose, he added.

Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate in Dubai has announced details of its helpdesk.

The helpline number (056-5463903) is available round-the-clock. The email id is: indiaindubai.amnesty@gmail.com

“A helpdesk is also available at the consulate,” the mission said in a statement.

Suri also said that Indian community organisations will establish their own help desks to complement the embassy’s efforts.

The Indian Social and Cultural Centre (ISC) said its reception (02-6730066) will receive calls from amnesty-seekers and a dedicated team will assist them.

“We will keep a register to record their details and our team will contact them from August 1 onwards to extend the required assistance,” said Eappen Mammoottil, honorary general secretary of the ISC.

The Kerala Social Centre has also established a help desk. People can call up (02-6314455) and the centre will extend all possible support, said president A.K Beeran Kutty.

The Abu Dhabi Malayalee Samajam’s welfare wing will take care of all amnesty-related enquiries made to 050-7035538 and 02-5537600, said president T.A Nazer. “Although many other Asians are approaching us, we will be able to help only Indians with the support of the Indian embassy,” he said.

The Indian Islamic Centre in Abu Dhabi has already started receiving enquiries from amnesty seekers, said Rashid Edathod, media coordinator at the IIC. Their number is 02-6424488.