According to the various segments of UAE society, the two-month amnesty declared by the Ministry of Interior for violators of the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners, between December 4th 2012 and February 4th 2013, represents an important achievement. They emphasized that violators and those who harbor or hire them, constitute a security risk; with social, health and economic impacts, requiring concerted efforts with the various law enforcement entities to curb this scourge.
Citizens commended the UAE government’s kind gesture to grant violators a new amnesty. They stressed the importance of the address given by Major General Nasser Al Awadi Al Menhali, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports, in his recent press conference in this regard. According to the amnesty, offenders will be exempt of all fines if they pledge to leave the country voluntarily. Al Menhali urged violators to come forward to the various Residency and Foreigners’ Affairs Centers to legalize their statuses; according to simple procedures; and to get their fines and penalties waived, according to the Law of Entry and Residence of Foreigners.
In a series of meetings, within the Ministry of Interior’s “No to Violators” campaign; citizens expressed their appreciation for all efforts to promote the process of security and stability. Nasser Al Ma'amari, Director of the Marriage Grants Department, indicated the risk of violating the Law of Residence; stressing the importance of establishing a database for this category that represent the hidden side of community.
Al Ma'amari pointed out the importance of this amnesty to help violators legalize their statuses. He noted that harboring offenders is no less dangerous than the violation itself, as it affects security in our society.
For his part, Mabkhoot Mossalli Saleh Al Karbi, an employee, affirmed that offenders constitute hotbeds of crime in safe residential areas. This requires concerted efforts to combat this phenomenon in all means and methods, to protect society. He noted that illegal labor in residential areas pose a threat for families. This requires cooperation with the Ministry of Interior to educate people on the risks of such a problem.
For his part, Khaled Hamdan Al Ketbi emphasized the need to cooperate with the Ministry of Interior’s campaign "No to Violators", to enhance security and stability, provided by the state to its citizens and residents alike. He called on offenders to take advantage of the amnesty by coming forward to the centers designated by the competent authorities in the state. Moreover, he stressed the need for community members to come together to spread the Law respect culture, and to combat all forms of illegal practices, for their countless risks.
Al Ketbi said that the solutions provided by the "No to violators" campaign are an efficient tool towards the optimal and right solution for this problem.
Media figure Ahmed Al Nuaimi said that the UAE is keen to provide safety and stability for its community members. He noted that the Ministry of Interior has spared no effort to implement the most effective solutions to instill the Law respect concept. However, some people enjoy violating the law, thus posing a risk to the security and safety of the community.
Moreover, he noted the need to report violators to the competent authorities, and to avoid harboring them. He called on employers to cooperate by refraining from hiring illegal workers, and denying violators the opportunity to stay in the country.
For his part, Hussam Mohammed Rashad Al Awadi (an employee), stated that offenders are the most likely segment of society to commit crimes. He noted that vi