1094 absconding housemaids apprehended

Following successive intensive raids, the inspection teams of the Violators and Foreigners Follow up Section at the Ministry of Interior, seized 1094 runaway housemaids in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and Sharjah in the first quarter of this year.

By (WAM)

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Published: Sat 24 Apr 2010, 8:59 PM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 10:56 AM

Brigadier Nasser Al Awadhi Al Minhali, Acting Assistant Undersecretary for Naturalisation, Residency and Ports Affairs at the Ministry of Interior, stressed in a statement that the campaigns would continue to crack down on the absconding housemaids, offenders and infiltrators and those who harbour them to bring them all to books.

He said that the Interior Ministry is currently coordinating with the concerned embassies and consulates to facilitate the deportation procedures of the housemaids to their home countries, pointing out that the cooperation of the embassies and consulates with the ministry is necessary for speeding up the procedures.

Al Minhali commended remarkable efforts of staff for tracking down the absconding workers and infiltrators to safeguard security and safety in the UAE, adding that the department is keen to further develop methods of inspection.

He noted that such inspection campaigns and raids will continue day and night in line with the implementation of the Entry and Residency Laws, pointing out that the directives of higher police command stress the need to take all measures to eradicate the remnants of infiltrators and violators or those who help or harbour them in contravention of the laws.

For his part, Colonel Saeed bin Rakan Al Rashidi, Director of the Violators follow-Up Section at the department, said that the inspection teams seized in Abu Dhabi during the first four months of this year, 582 housemaids, 242 in Al Ain and 270 housemaids in Sharjah, who ran away from the sponsors, bringing the total fugitive number in the three areas to 10, 94.

He emphasised that the seizure of such a number of housemaids is an indicative of there are remnants, adding that regular inspections will continue to seize violators and those who harbour them.

Al Rashidi called on the citizens and residents to report infiltrators and offenders by contacting the toll free number 80 080 over the 24 hours, expecting that this phenomenon will disappear or become less if all community members cooperate.

He said there are some reasons that encourage and stand behind the absconding of some housemaids, citing some brokers who offer illegal or part time domestic jobs to the housemaids at expense of security and national interest against trivial material gains.

To deal with this, Al Rashidi continued, the competent authorities have to raise the fine for sheltering and employing a violator to AED 50, 000 and employing of infiltrator to AED1, 00, 000, to be followed with imprisonment and deportation. He underlined that the ministry will spare no effort to track down anyone who attempt to enter the country or stay illegally.

He said the investigation revealed that most of runaway housemaids fled to get additional work illegally, adding that this is detrimental because they become vulnerable to exploitation. He urged the employers not to leave precious jewelry in front of housemaids- a thing that could lure some to steal and escape.


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