Sharjah evictions: 4,000 single men removed from neighbourhood after complaint


Salam Al Amir
  • English
  • Arabic

Nearly 4,000 men were evicted from a residential suburb in Sharjah after a complaint about the number of bachelors in the area.

Sharjah Municipality released the figure on Wednesday, two weeks after it began door-to-door checks in Qadisiya, a low-rise district of ageing villas north of the city centre.

Officials found significant overcrowding in run-down homes, with as many 20 people per residence.

The inspections led to "3,936 bachelors, labourers and illegal tenants being evicted from 185 homes", said Thabet Al Traifi, head of Sharjah Municipality.

Landlords and tenants were issued notices for the partition of accommodation, sub-letting, overcrowding, exposed wiring and other breaches of the law

“One hundred and sixty-one houses were shut down, while landlords and tenants were issued violation notices for the unauthorised partition of accommodation, sub-letting, overcrowding, exposed wiring and other breaches of the law."

Officials began clearing out tenants on September 27 after an Emirati woman phoned Sharjah's Radio's Direct Line talk show.

She claimed she felt intimidated by the number of bachelors – a Gulf term for single working migrant men with families in their home countries – in the area.

After the call, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, ordered that single male residents living illegally in family neighbourhoods be removed.

Police in tactical gear joined municipal workers, while staff from Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority cut the power in some homes.

“Notices to cut off electric and water services were served to 169 more homes,” Mr Al Traifi said.

Inspections will continue to include other family neighbourhoods, he said.

Two years ago, the spotlight fell on overcrowding when a fire tore through a large villa in the Maysaloon district, about three kilometres from Al Qadisiya. A woman and her son were killed in the blaze, which injured 64 others.

Officials said that about 70 low-income workers were living in the house at the time of the fire.

When The National visited Qadisiya two weeks ago, the men there, mostly from India and Pakistan, said they had lived in the area for decades, working as taxi drivers and manual workers in nearby Sharjah City.

Although some men with families expressed concerns about their wives and children going to corner shops at night, the women interviewed said they were not worried, having lived alongside the same people for years.

Officials did not say where the nearly 4,000 men were moved to.

But speaking as the clearance campaign began, Maj Gen Saif Al Shamsi, commander-in-chief of Sharjah Police, said many employers were obliged to provide suitable accommodation for their staff, instead of forcing them to find private homes on low salaries.

"I hope that everyone complies, including companies, by evicting the workers and moving them to areas designated for worker accommodation," he said.

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Establish logistics and systems needed to globally deploy vaccines


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Other ways to buy used products in the UAE

UAE insurance firm Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC) last year launched an e-commerce website with a facility enabling users to buy car wrecks.

Bidders and potential buyers register on the online salvage car auction portal to view vehicles, review condition reports, or arrange physical surveys, and then start bidding for motors they plan to restore or harvest for parts.

Physical salvage car auctions are a common method for insurers around the world to move on heavily damaged vehicles, but AWNIC is one of the few UAE insurers to offer such services online.

For cars and less sizeable items such as bicycles and furniture, Dubizzle is arguably the best-known marketplace for pre-loved.

Founded in 2005, in recent years it has been joined by a plethora of Facebook community pages for shifting used goods, including Abu Dhabi Marketplace, Flea Market UAE and Arabian Ranches Souq Market while sites such as The Luxury Closet and Riot deal largely in second-hand fashion.

At the high-end of the pre-used spectrum, resellers such as Timepiece360.ae, WatchBox Middle East and Watches Market Dubai deal in authenticated second-hand luxury timepieces from brands such as Rolex, Hublot and Tag Heuer, with a warranty.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent   

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Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

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Thursday
Dibba v Al Dhafra, Fujairah Stadium (5pm)
Al Wahda v Hatta, Al Nahyan Stadium (8pm)

Friday
Al Nasr v Ajman, Zabeel Stadium (5pm)
Al Jazria v Al Wasl, Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium (8pm)

Saturday
Emirates v Al Ain, Emirates Club Stadium (5pm)
Sharjah v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, Sharjah Stadium (8pm)

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Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

PROFILE OF STARZPLAY

Date started: 2014

Founders: Maaz Sheikh, Danny Bates

Based: Dubai, UAE

Sector: Entertainment/Streaming Video On Demand

Number of employees: 125

Investors/Investment amount: $125 million. Major investors include Starz/Lionsgate, State Street, SEQ and Delta Partners

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
yallacompare profile

Date of launch: 2014

Founder: Jon Richards, founder and chief executive; Samer Chebab, co-founder and chief operating officer, and Jonathan Rawlings, co-founder and chief financial officer

Based: Media City, Dubai 

Sector: Financial services

Size: 120 employees

Investors: 2014: $500,000 in a seed round led by Mulverhill Associates; 2015: $3m in Series A funding led by STC Ventures (managed by Iris Capital), Wamda and Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority; 2019: $8m in Series B funding with the same investors as Series A along with Precinct Partners, Saned and Argo Ventures (the VC arm of multinational insurer Argo Group)

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Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

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Transmission: 8-speed auto

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