If you were born in Qatar, or have been living here for more than 15 years, you would remember the Arab Bank roundabout and the areas around that place. Most of these areas are already taken down (including Al-Asmakh street, Souq Najadah, Sofitel) and projects such as Souq Waqif and Msheireb Properties has taken the place.
About 5 days ago, Doha News published an article about 1000s of workers took out of their houses in that area. http://dohanews.co/three-days-later-musheireb-residents-still-struggling-eviction/
Today, I had the chance to go down to the streets, and actually, witness it with my own eyes. I had the chance to talk to Mohamed Shamshad, Here's exactly how my conversation went:
Me: "So what exactly happened? Why are you all here?"
Mohamed: "Police came, kicked us all out, threw our stuff away. We can't go back in, they locked it down."
"How many people were living here?"
"About 5000 or more"
"So where are you sleeping these days?
"Here, on the streets"
"What do you guys work as?"
"I work as labor, he is a tailor, he works in a cleaning company, he is a freelance mason,.." He starts pointing on his friends.
"How many houses they took down?"
"We don't know, they took down this whole street!! There were people crying last night on the streets, craving for food, water, electricity, A/C, beds!!"
"Where is all your furniture?"
"We don't know! First, they don't allow us to take stuff out of our room. Second, we went all morning across the country to check out houses, when we came back here hopeless, we found most of our furniture stolen"
"Why did this happen? Did you receive a notice about this?
"Yes, they came earlier, put up a notice on our doors - we have no clue what it said - it was in Arabic, but they told us to find a place. Sharing is banned in the country now, and where else can you find a bed-space for 300QAR?"
"So housing is one issue, what is another major issue that you guys are facing?"
"We barely have money to spend on food. When we had houses, we could cook ourselves and share together. Where to cook now, and where to find money to afford daily bills in the restaurants? Many of us are fasting and we break our fasts in Ramadan tents. What are we going to do after Ramadan? We have no clue!"
While another man spoke up and said "We don't even have water, we are just spending days and nights out and about. Some of us are asking help from our friends living far away." And one of them sitting in the corner started crying.
Besides this, inside the streets, I saw a family. The guy (mid 40s) with his wife and 5 kids on bicycles were seen out of their house. Went to them and they said that the police gave them a notice until Eid. But they came 2 days ago, and asked us to leave by this Friday.
What can we do to help?
Here is something you can donate on a day to day basis to them:
1. Dates, Water, Food
2. Used clothing, blankets
3. Water coolers
4. Hats, umbrellas, t-shirts and even shoes
5. Visit the streets, talk, communicate with them
6. Donate fitrana/zakat for Eid
7. Travelling bags
Let's work together and help these guys with the least we can do. It might not solve the bigger issue, but it will at least help them take the stress of nutrition out, so they can focus on getting housing.
Local communities have already started planning to take action. The Youth Company is taking an action, as a part of their ongoing program 7asanat Olympics to deliver water/food on a day-to-day basis, which has been sponsored by Gulf Warehousing Company, W Doha Hotel & Residences, Al-Abdulla Group Enterprise and Rayyan Water.
Communications are taking place with local newspapers, NGOs and governmental organizations to solve the long term issue. If you are willing to help and support, you can reach me at asajid@theyouthcompany.com.
 |
| Amateur Picture |
Today, I had the chance to go down to the streets, and actually, witness it with my own eyes. I had the chance to talk to Mohamed Shamshad, Here's exactly how my conversation went:
Me: "So what exactly happened? Why are you all here?"
Mohamed: "Police came, kicked us all out, threw our stuff away. We can't go back in, they locked it down."
"How many people were living here?"
"About 5000 or more"
"So where are you sleeping these days?
"Here, on the streets"
"What do you guys work as?"
"I work as labor, he is a tailor, he works in a cleaning company, he is a freelance mason,.." He starts pointing on his friends.
"How many houses they took down?"
"We don't know, they took down this whole street!! There were people crying last night on the streets, craving for food, water, electricity, A/C, beds!!"
"Where is all your furniture?"
"We don't know! First, they don't allow us to take stuff out of our room. Second, we went all morning across the country to check out houses, when we came back here hopeless, we found most of our furniture stolen"
"Why did this happen? Did you receive a notice about this?
"Yes, they came earlier, put up a notice on our doors - we have no clue what it said - it was in Arabic, but they told us to find a place. Sharing is banned in the country now, and where else can you find a bed-space for 300QAR?"
"So housing is one issue, what is another major issue that you guys are facing?"
"We barely have money to spend on food. When we had houses, we could cook ourselves and share together. Where to cook now, and where to find money to afford daily bills in the restaurants? Many of us are fasting and we break our fasts in Ramadan tents. What are we going to do after Ramadan? We have no clue!"
While another man spoke up and said "We don't even have water, we are just spending days and nights out and about. Some of us are asking help from our friends living far away." And one of them sitting in the corner started crying.
Besides this, inside the streets, I saw a family. The guy (mid 40s) with his wife and 5 kids on bicycles were seen out of their house. Went to them and they said that the police gave them a notice until Eid. But they came 2 days ago, and asked us to leave by this Friday.
 |
| Amateur Picture |
What can we do to help?
Here is something you can donate on a day to day basis to them:
1. Dates, Water, Food
2. Used clothing, blankets
3. Water coolers
4. Hats, umbrellas, t-shirts and even shoes
5. Visit the streets, talk, communicate with them
6. Donate fitrana/zakat for Eid
7. Travelling bags
Let's work together and help these guys with the least we can do. It might not solve the bigger issue, but it will at least help them take the stress of nutrition out, so they can focus on getting housing.
Local communities have already started planning to take action. The Youth Company is taking an action, as a part of their ongoing program 7asanat Olympics to deliver water/food on a day-to-day basis, which has been sponsored by Gulf Warehousing Company, W Doha Hotel & Residences, Al-Abdulla Group Enterprise and Rayyan Water.
Communications are taking place with local newspapers, NGOs and governmental organizations to solve the long term issue. If you are willing to help and support, you can reach me at asajid@theyouthcompany.com.
