Bekijk volle/desktop versie : Horriffic Story: Child 'beggars' in SA



04-08-2007, 11:27
It’s Your Fault

Saleh Al-Shehi • Al-Watan

I recently saw a cell phone clip of a knife-wielding man approaching a dark-skinned boy, who appeared to be around seven years old. His arms and legs were tied. The man was shown brutally amputating one of the boy’s arms while the child hysterically screamed. The knife-wielding man then amputated the right leg of another child lying close by, who again screamed hysterically. Blood was splattered everywhere and the boys’ screams were horrific to listen.

I didn’t need any explanation to what I was witnessing. This was the work of a professional gang that kidnaps children and deliberately amputates their limbs in order to make them effective beggars. The only thing I was unable to identify was the filthy place where the horrible crime took place.

People psychologically feel compelled to give charity to anyone who may ask for their help. Islamic teachings prohibit Muslims from scolding beggars and the poor. Yet many people are unable to ascertain whether a beggar is truly needy and as a result many of us end up contributing to the ever-growing crisis of beggars across the Kingdom.

In other words, we complain about beggars, while we end up being one of the main reasons why the problem exists in the first place.

I have always wondered why no one knows about the gangs that control child beggars.

I recently discovered, through an official, that the majority of these children do not know the areas where they live. All that they know is that a car picks them up early in the morning and then picks them up again at the end of the day.

I believe that beggary is a dishonest way of making money; I also believe that governmental bodies cannot eradicate the problem by themselves. As long as citizens continue to give money to beggars, the numbers of people begging on our streets will continue to increase. People complain about beggars. The solution, however, lies in their own hands.

Bron ArabNews

04-08-2007, 13:16




denk je dat je alles weet, blijkt er nog erger te bestaan

04-08-2007, 13:41
Gangs smuggling Yemeni children to Saudi Arabia

By Mariam Al Hakeem, Correspondent

Saudi and Yemeni officials said organised gangs in Yemen are active in kidnapping children and sending them to Saudi Arabia as beggars.

Some families resort to "renting their children" to these gangs for want of money, the officials said, adding that the phenomenon of child trafficking picks up during the religious season.

The sources said the children are mostly sent to Makkah and Madinah as well as other areas of the kingdom.

Over the past years, the Saudi authorities returned to Yemen more than 4,000 children, both boys and girls, who were caught begging in various Saudi cities.

Prince Abdul Majeed Bin Abdul Aziz, Makkah Governor, told Gulf News the phenomenon is not confined to Yemeni children, but gangs and even families of other nationalities are also involved in the racket. "Children belonging to Yemeni, African and Afghan nationalities are caught begging throughout the year.

"The problem is particularly acute during the Haj and Ramadan, the two seasons that attract the largest number of pilgrims from all over the world."

He said care centres being run by charity organisations have been set up to receive and accommodate child beggars where they are taught to read and write and recite the Holy Quran. "The government is doing all it can to put an end to the phenomenon which has been growing considerably of late," Prince Abdul Majeed said.

Dr Ali Al Namlah, Saudi Minister of Social Affairs, said Saudi Arabia and Yemen have agreed on setting up a joint committee to discuss the problem and suggest solutions.

"The issue was raised at the recent meeting of the Saudi-Yemeni Coordination Council which met in Jeddah and jointly chaired by Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz, second deputy premier and Minister of Defence and Aviation and Abdul Qadir Bajamal, the Yemeni Prime Minister.

Al Namlah said the committee will focus on outlining the guidelines and mechanism that could help reduce the problem.

He said cooperation between the two sides has been fruitful.

The issue triggered controversy in the Yemeni Parliament after the Human Rights Minister disclosed that about 3,000 Yemeni children caught begging were handed over by the Saudi authorities over the past few months.

The minister said the Yemeni side is serious about addressing the problem and said all those involved in child trafficking would be punished.

A Yemeni member of parliament said the Minister of Interior was questioned over the failure to address the problem.

04-08-2007, 13:50
Rapport van Unicef (golf area office) pdf formaat

http://www.unicef.org/gao/resources_publications_childtrafficking_dr__ushari .pdf

04-08-2007, 13:52


Well, gelukkig word er in Jemen nu wel naar gekeken. Dat is tenminste al iets. Negeren en net doen alsof het niet bestaat is (hoewel het haast niet kan) nog erger.

04-08-2007, 13:55
vreselijk gewoon