Power supply to bidoun houses disconnected

Most of the 'kabrat' are inhabited by UAE nationals as well as stateless people, commonly known as 'bidoun'.

The authorities have told them to vacate the 'kabrat' because the houses will be demolished as the land has been distributed to nationals.

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Jumaa Saeed Khalfan Al Naimy, who has been living in the area for the past 45 years, and his neighbour, Al Hamadi, said they were experiencing extreme difficulties.

“We are 13 family members who are managing without electricity,” said Al Hamadi.

Omer Ahmed Abu Bakr Ba Khraiba, who is living in the area since 1978, said the power supply was disconnected one and a half months ago. “My father had bought our 'kabrah' (single unit) and it was registered in his name in 1983,” Omer pointed out.

Alyaa Ahmed, Omer's sister, said, “We are stateless and my father has retired, my brother is jobless. My sisters and I have completed the secondary schooling. As we are homeless, we could not enter the university and consequently we will not find jobs.”

She alleged that the municipality had not issued any notice prior to disconnecting the power supply.

Their sister, Khadija, said their father had come to the UAE from Yemen in 1969. “Some UAE nationals were given one-year rent money, but we are stateless, without health cards,” she added.

Ahmed Mohammed, who is living in the area since 1983, too, has been managing his life without power supply.

Mohammed Salih, a UAE national who has been living in the 'kabrat' since 1989, said he had no land or house and “no way out.”

“The municipality disconnected power supply two times, but as we have no land or residence, they agreed to restore power supply to our 'kabrah',” he added.

His divorced sister, Layla Salih Saeed Al Amry, said the municipality told her that she had no right to get land or house as she had no children.

Mona Mohammed Salih Bin Izhag, who is stateless, said her father who died was an Emirati national and owner of the 'kabrah'. She is married and is now in her family way. They now have to find another place to live in. Yemeni Hanan Salim, who is married to a UAE national, said the 'kabrat' area is teeming with flies, cockroaches, rats and abandoned cats.

She added that sewage water puddles and the stench in the area have become unbearable.

Al Hayaa Salim, a UAE national who is married to an expatriate husband, is in a similar mess.

She said power supply to her 'kabrah' was disconnected three weeks ago. The authorities have not given her land or an alternative housing.

Another Emirati woman, Umm Ahmed, who has been living in 'kabrat' for the past 15 years is facing the same problem as she is married to an expatriate.

Yet another Emirati sufferer, Um Mohammed, said she has been living in 'kabrat' with her widowed mother since 1992, but despite being UAE national, she has not been given land or residence.

Sadiq Al Amry said the municipality has given him a plot in a deserted area but he has no money to construct a house.

The head of the Low-cost Housing Department in Al Ain Municipality, Mohammed Harib, claimed that the civic body had given the 'kabrat' residents sufficient time, notices and warnings to vacate the area for construction of villas for UAE nationals.

The last warning was issued in March 2007, he pointed out. “We do not accept the blame because we are only carrying out government's instructions,” Harib clarified. He stated that the municipality will offer housing allowance to the UAE nationals to find new alternative accommodations.

He added that the new land owners have filed suits against Al Ain Municipality as well as 'kabrat' residents who refused to vacate their 'kabrat'.