A Filipino Expats Receives The Early Ramadan Gift -- iba messageboard

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Date Posted: 16:45:28 10/05/05 Wed
Author: ed
Subject: A Filipino Expats Receives The Early Ramadan Gift

A Filipino Expat Receives The Early Ramadan Gift

This coming October 4 `til 2 November 2005 the sacred month of
Ramadan will be observed by all Muslims in the Kingdom and other
Muslim communities in the world. During this period Muslims fast from
dawn until sundown, abstaining from food, drink and sex. Also during
Ramadan there are valuable Ramadan gifts to be enjoyed by the lucky
ones.

I still remember my co-worker who received his first and last Ramadan
gift almost three years now. The gift was unusual and it was a real
nightmare for Dong and also for all of us working in the same company.

On November 11, 2002, a Filipino expat (we called him Dong) was
scheduled to leave the Kingdom. But his departure was rescheduled on
November 16, 2002. The reason was that, the person to approve for his
release was not around. Dong arrived in the Kingdom on December 03,
2001, to work as clerk/typist with the company where I am also
working. He was friendly and a hardworking employee. Sometimes he had
some arguments with his co-officemates but those were only jokes of
the day with laughter and shouting.

Dong's nightmare started on September 23, 2002 also for that year the
month of Ramadan was approaching. At 7pm Dong left our flat to buy
bread at Al Othaim supermarket � a walking distance from our flat,
but Dong was unable to return home. We' got worried and surmised that
Dong may have been abducted by some idiots and was desecrated and
murdered. Usually when Dong goes out for shopping, in an hour or two
he's at home already. At around 12midnight we decided to report the
missing Dong to the police and the police assured us they would look
for him.

The next day at the office, we received a call from the police
informing us that Dong was already in their custody handed by the
religious muttawas, who caught Dong at Al Othaim supermarket. The
police reports stated, that the Muttawas charged Dong with keeping
earring, a small pendant cross and a small pamphlet of Christian
bible kept in his wallet. Also he was suspected of being a woman with
his mushroom haircut, fair complexion and his smiles and preaching
Christianity in the Kingdom.

Of course everybody in the office was surprised and believed that
Dong was innocent of those charges. That same day Dong was released.
We asked him if those charges were true but he told us those were
only allegations.

Now we thought the case was over but on November 6, 2002, the police
called us again and instructed our company to prepare Dong for
deportation. They said that the religious muttawas brought the case
to court and their request was approved by the high court deporting
Dong out of the Kingdom immediately. It was so sad to learn about the
news, as Dong will be deported soon.

On November 16, 2002, Dong went to the immigration department
escorted by a police officer and our company secretary to get his
deportation clearance but he was not cleared on that day. The reason
was that the officer was in Makkah. The police officer insisted that
Dong should be detained in their custody until such the time his
clearance to depart out of the kingdom is materialized. And there
Dong was temporarily detained for days at Al�Batha Police Station,
Riyadh City and later was transferred to the immigration office in
Riyadh City. Finally on November 18, 2002, Dong received his early
Ramadan gift; he left the Kingdom at 8:30 PM for Philippines.

From that incident we learned our lessons that in Saudi Arabia the
migrants (male/female) should avoid the following: never smile and
stare at people you are not familiar with, make low profile spending
your free times walking inside malls and in the parks and other
public places with your long hair, unloose shirts, short pants, gold
bracelets and necklaces (especially for men) the Muttawas or
religious police might send you deep in hot water.

Paul O. Pruel
KSA

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