Amnesty-seekers miss free flight home

Dubai: Four Indian illegals missed the special free flight to their home town on Friday night because they did not complete the necessary paperwork, it has emerged.
On the last day of the amnesty, all four from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh had gone to Dubai International Airport after receiving free air tickets at the Sharjah Indian Association from Mohammad Ali Shabeer, Minority Welfare Minister in the Andhra Pradesh Government, who had come to the UAE to escort the labourers back home.
"I was so happy to have got a free passage. Now, I was told that I should go to the Sharjah Immigration and Naturalisation Department and get my paperwork completed. No one informed me of these procedures before," said Sinu, pushing his luggage trolley out of the departure area at Terminal 2 after missing his flight.
On the last day of the amnesty, all four from the South Indian state of Andhra Pradesh had gone to Dubai International Airport after receiving free air tickets at the Sharjah Indian Association from Mohammad Ali Shabeer, Minority Welfare Minister in the Andhra Pradesh Government, who had come to the UAE to escort the labourers back home.
"I was so happy to have got a free passage. Now, I was told that I should go to the Sharjah Immigration and Naturalisation Department and get my paperwork completed. No one informed me of these procedures before," said Sinu, pushing his luggage trolley out of the departure area at Terminal 2 after missing his flight.
"I informed Minister Shabeer of my situation and he requested an Indian volunteer to direct me to the proper channels and get my immigration clearance done," said Sinu who wondered whether he would be branded an offender now that the amnesty period has ended.
The three-month amnesty was declared by the UAE government on June 2 and it was later extended until November 3.
03/11/07 Sunita Menon/Gulf News, United Arab Emirates

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Categories: Foreign Nov 2007