MBASSADOR'S MESSAGE TO INDIAN VOLUNTEERS
"Our Unity Takes Us Forward"
The July 3rd deadline is fast approaching. We have been partners in our endeavor to assist our brothers and sisters in fully utilizing the 'concessions' announced by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for overstaying expatriates to correct their status or to leave the country without facing penal action. Together we have made significant progress to (i) spread the message to Indians all across the Kingdom to utilize the 'concessions' within the grace period; (ii) generate awareness among our countrymen here and in India on the need to follow the rules and regulations of this country; (iii) collect and process Emergency Certificate applications from the length and breadth of this large country; (iv) take up our concerns with the authorities of this country at all levels; (v) build a network of committed volunteers all across this large country; (vi) provide assistance to Saudi labour offices and Tarheels in translation and other work; and (vi) provide solace and comfort to our brothers and sisters in distress.
Let me reiterate my sincere gratitude to the Custodian of Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and the leadership of this country for the 'concessions' and adopting humanitarian approach towards this issue. For many of our brothers and sisters in distress these 'concessions' and grace period were dreams come true. Many of our fellow Indians have utilized these concessions and changed their companies and employers. More than 150 major companies have come forward to recruit thousands of Indians. Many of our brothers are in the process of changing their companies. However, the time is now running out. We are only three weeks away from the deadline of July 3.
I thank the entire Indian community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia particularly the large number of volunteers who joined hands with the Embassy in our efforts to achieve our target. While performing operations at this huge scale, it is natural that there will be glitches/errors, but it is our prime effort to ensure that such inadvertent mistakes remain within a manageable limit and do not affect our broader objectives. Our volunteers have been actively working everywhere - at the embassy, at Tarheels, airports, labour offices, schools, labour camps, small villages and even in remote locations in desert. They are continuing their efforts to reach out to all our brothers and sisters to educate them to utilize the 'concessions' before the end of grace period.
A telephone call from the Embassy to check on their welfare means a lot to someone who has been staying away from their homeland and their family for many years. All Indians who submitted their EC applications received at least four to five telephone calls from the volunteers. This was an experience most of them never had in Saudi Arabia. On an average our volunteers make 4000 to 5000 telephone calls to our fellow Indians each day in Riyadh alone. I understand that spouses of many of our volunteers also joined their husbands in telephoning Indians in distress. Each phone call you made is bond of invisible togetherness that gave us strength. I could see the satisfaction on the face of each of those Indians who approached the Embassy, when they say that they came here because they received personal calls from "my" Embassy. They feel being cared for and attended to.
The way we all broke the language barriers to get across our messages was amazing. All our press releases were translated to multiple languages in no time by our volunteers. So many multiple language booklets were prepared and distributed. Internet and social media were used effectively. I thank our Indian community schools all across Saudi Arabia for their commitment and support. I thank the media both English and vernacular for spreading our messages. The overwhelming and unwavering commitment from all around fills us all with an inspiration. It also provides us with much needed energy to continue good work.
By June 20 we will complete all EC related work at the Embassy. We would have by then processed/delivered/renewed ECs of almost 99% of the applicants. We will process the rest of the requests in coming days. The Embassy is also in constant touch with concerned authorities in India on the developments in Saudi Arabia. I have written to all Chief Secretaries of State Governments to process the EC reference cases, where no documents were available. I have received some responses, others I hope would respond shortly. We are also issuing passports for those wanting to go for Tanazul in three days. I have shared our database with the Government of India and our State Governments. I have also alerted our Airlines and discussed with them the issue of additional flights and seats. We will continue to follow up on these issues.
Many people ask about an extension of the July 3rd deadline. We are ready to meet the deadline. Our endeavour should be to continue our efforts to fully utilize the grace period. The Embassy has a clear database of the EC applications received, renewed and the Huroob passports distributed. The Embassy has already shared it with the authorities of this country and will continue to provide additional database in the coming days.
For us now the focus is also at activities in Jawazat and Tarheels. There are many challenges ahead. All news that we hear may not be good. Our Embassy officers are at Tarheel and labour offices in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. The Embassy has its limitation as a diplomatic mission. In cities like Dammam and in other provinces it is our volunteers who are providing valuable support. We need to act within the rules of Saudi Arabia. I urge more volunteers to come forward to join us in rendering assistance at Jawazats, Tarheels and labour offices all across Saudi Arabia. We have a commitment to help our brothers and sisters. We also have a standing invitation from the Saudi authorities to assist them, particularly in translation.
I fully understand the frustration of those who go to Jawazats and Tarheels several times to check their status but not able to get a response. This pains me and this pains you. But we should not lose hope. Our concerns are regularly conveyed to the leadership of this country at appropriate levels during our regular interactions with Saudi authorities. I remain confident that the Saudi authorities would do the needful. There is no need for any panic reaction here or in India. My officers are present at Tarheels, Jawazats and airport to assist our fellow Indians in need.
We are living in a foreign land, and we will obey the rules and regulations of this country. We Indians have a reputation of being a peace loving, law abiding and hard working community. We will maintain that reputation at any cost. We will not and should not lose hope come what may. I am confident that the humanitarian approach adopted by the leadership of this country will percolate down to the operational levels in the coming days. We will remain in constant touch on the way forward. So far we got it right. Together we have come so far. A streamlined and rule based Saudi labour market is in our interest.
Our volunteers who joined hands with us during this crisis prove to be our strength. All that we did would not have been possible without the wholehearted efforts and support of our volunteers. There is an invisible but unbreakable bond that we have been able to develop while facing this crisis. We are in it for a long-term partnership. We will continue our engagement even after the end of the grace period. Our partnership will benefit our community during this crisis period and beyond. It remains a firm commitment of the Embassy to provide prompt services to all Indians in an effective manner, while working within the Saudi laws and regulations, and within our limited resources. We will continue our focus to achieve our immediate goal to help our brothers and sisters to successfully meet the deadline of July 3. Together we can and we will make it happen. Our invisible but unbreakable bond of unity takes us forward.
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