The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : ‘Nightmare’ in Sharjah for them

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Tuesday, Jul 08, 2008
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‘Nightmare’ in Sharjah for them

Special Correspondent

Thiruvananthapuram: Armed with employment visas, Rafi, Surendran and Shaiju had high hopes when they boarded a plane to the United Arab Emirates last month. They were quite unprepared for the nightmare they had to endure at when the aircraft landed at Sharjah.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, the three youngsters described how they were locked up in a crammed cell and subjected to brutal assault by the police for no fault of theirs. “We lost the job and the money spent on procuring the visa. But what is most depressing is the fact the Indian Embassy failed to come to our rescue.”

According to R. Rajan Edayadi, secretary, Pravasi Malayali Development Society, workers returning to their homeland after completing a term of employment in the UAE have their passports stamped with a one-year ban on re-entering the country.

“The UAE government issues a fresh visa for those who have completed one year after returning from the country. But strangely, those with a valid visa are held at the airport and confined to lock up on the grounds that their passport carries a ban on re-entering the country. Hundreds of Malayalis have landed up behind bars for days before they are sent back.”

Locked up for 8 days

Recounting the experience, Mr. Rafi hailing from Kazhakkuttam said they were locked up in a dingy, crammed cell for eight days along with others from India, Sri Lanka, the Philippines and other countries. “We were packed together like sardines. Food was hardly adequate and we were roughed up by the police. Repeated pleas to the Indian embassy failed to evoke response. We had to go through this for eight days because the authorities insisted on our return by the same flight that brought us to the country. However, job-seekers from the other countries were speedily let off after their embassies intervened. It was a humiliating experience.”

Mr.Edayadi said it was up to the Indian Embassy to ensure that the computerised records of job-seekers to the UAE were promptly updated. He appealed to the ministries of External Affairs and Overseas Indian Affairs to intervene and find a solution to the issue.

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