Expatriates in distress should approach immigration officials directly rather than through “mediators”, a top government official has urged.
Nationality, Passport and Residence Affairs (NPRA) human and financial resources director Nayef Ahmed Al Sherooqi said a department has been assigned the responsibility of either helping such expatriates legalise their stay or allow them to leave the country.
He assured no arrests will be made, unless the victim is guilty of wrongdoing or breaking the law.
“Anyone who has an issue regarding their legal status in the country can approach us without fear; there is a full-fledged department working to help them,” he said.
“We urge people not to deal with mediators who, we think, are spreading fear about immigration officials.”
Mr Al Sherooqi was speaking to the GDN after the NPRA yesterday stepped in to help an Indian national who was apparently stranded in Bahrain after his former employer, also Indian, stole his identity to flee the country.
The GDN reported last month that the former employer of Anuprasad Sivaprasad had obtained an outpass from the Indian Embassy by posing as Mr Sivaprasad and producing a copy of his passport, claiming he had lost the original.
“We investigate a case as soon as it is brought to our attention,” said Mr Al Sheeroqi.
“Some cases need legal clearance, while others need reports from embassies concerned.
“In the recent case, we contacted the person (Mr Sivaprasad) and we are liaising with the embassy.
“The man claims he was duped of his passport; the embassy must also investigate as it apparently issued an outpass to a person who exited the country using the man’s travel document.”
In the recent past, the NPRA has helped three stranded Indian expatriates return home after the GDN reported their ordeals.
Alosious Earnest, aged 64, who was bedridden and at the mercy of fellow expatriates returned home on October 27 while Purayil Nalarajan, a 79-year-old businessman, who was stranded here for more than six years under a travel ban, returned home on November 9.
Babu Narayanan, aged 60, who was stranded here for two decades after suffering from memory loss returned home on November 21.
Meanwhile, the National Institution for Human Rights (NIHR) has also taken up Mr Sivaprasad’s case.
“We contacted him on Sunday and asked him to report to our office in Sehla (at the Expat Protection Centre run by the Labour Market and Regulatory Authority),” said NIHR chairwoman Maria Khoury.
She underlined the watchdog’s role in helping victims who may not be in a position to deal with the authorities on their own.
“Most of the time people are scared or unaware that they can reach out to us to seek help,” she said.
“They sometimes even get doubly exploited by not approaching the right authority.
“It is not their fault usually as they are unable to reach us for various reasons, one main thing being accessibility – they don’t know how to reach out to us.
“It is our mandate and calling, to support these people and hence we reach out in response to media or other means.
“We are more than happy to assist who are in need.”
raji@gdn.com.bh
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