News: Begging is BIG business in Sharjah, UAE

Beggars say they are given ticket, visa and accommodation by organised gangs who give them only 10 per cent of the money.

 Some unwelcome guests are taking undue advantage of the good weather and have been bothering Sharjah residents and shopkeepers of late.

The number of beggars, who were usually seen begging for alms during the Holy Month of Ramadan, has gone up even on normal days owing to the pleasant weather and lack of police inspection these days.

Some of the beggars told Khaleej Times that they were sent visas and tickets and provided accommodation to carry out begging activities, especially these days as the police inspections on such activities are intensified only during certain holy months. They said the weather is cool and it's comfortable to walk around and beg.

The phenomenon has seen a rise of late, as a large number of beggars are seen annoying the public in commercial areas, streets and parks. They enter shops and ask for monetary help from shop keepers and customers. They endanger their lives by walking around cars that stop at traffic signals and knocking at the windows. This also endangers the lives of motorists as they get distracted.
Beggars walking around streets include men and women of different age groups - mostly Arabs and Asians.

Some of the beggars, said they were brought to the UAE on a 15-day or a one month visa by certain organised gangs. They added that they only get 10 per cent of the money from the begging, with the remaining going to the gang. Hence they try hard to make as much money by begging.
A 58-year-old Pakistani woman said she was approached by some people who promised her a good job in the UAE for one month, saying that she would be able to return back home with a lot of money that would even enable her to buy a house instead of living in the slums in Peshawar.
"When I arrived here I found it to be a begging job which I have never done in my life. They told me if I refuse to beg, I will not get food and accommodation and will not be sent back home with the promised money. Therefore, I had to do the job. At the end of the day when the organisers pick us up from various locations, they search us thoroughly to ensure we are not hiding money from them."
The woman offered all this information to Khaleej Times after she was given Dh100/$28.
One Egyptian beggar told Khaleej Times that he needed the money as he was in serious financial problem and that he was on a visit visa which was valid till the end of this month.

Another 56-year-old well-built Arab beggar said he had collected Dh700/$192 by begging from 8am to 5pm, which he would never earn in one day had he been working anywhere else.

Khaleej Times alerted the Sharjah Police about such begging activities and the latter promised to intensify inspections.