Debt plight of Syrian cabbie who has not seen eldest son for seven years
Abu Mahmoud and his siblings once had a dream of bringing their wives and children from Syria to the UAE, away from daily bombings and the chaos of war.
The four brothers came to the UAE seven years ago and rented a flat in Sharjah. Working as taxi drivers, they soon applied to bring their children and wives to live with them but were told that drivers could not sponsor their families.
“I paid a bank deposit of Dh5,000 and brought my wife with me,” Abu Mahmoud says.
At the time, the couple had one son who they left in Syria because they could not afford the tickets.
“I left him with his grandmother when he was a baby and told her that I would send for them once I had enough money,” Abu Mahmoud says.
It has now been seven years since he had seen his son.
“I don’t think he even remembers what me and his mother look like,” he says.
Abu Mahmoud now has two other sons in the UAE who have never seen their older brother. His siblings, who rented what was supposed to be the house that would bring them all together, lost their jobs and will be returning to Syria, leaving him with the burden of the three-bedroom flat.
The flat is in Abu Mahmoud’s name and when his siblings stopped paying he was unable to meet the instalments. He still earns Dh4,000 a month as a cabbie but, to make matters worse, was hit by a car while driving in June.
He was not responsible for the accident but his spine was damaged. He is on sick leave and having treatment for his injuries. His insurance does not cover his bills so Abu Mahmoud took a Dh7,000 loan.
He has been evicted from his flat and has to pay the owner Dh32,000 in arrears.
“They filed a police case against me and now there is a warrant for my arrest,” he says. “I’ve lived in the UAE for seven years and not once have I resorted to charity, but I am desperate and can’t get out of this on my own.
Abu Mahmoud moved into shared accommodation with his wife and sons, 4 and 7, but has to pay another Dh20,000 for the rent. He can not afford to send his son to school.
“What breaks my heart the most is that I haven’t looked into the eyes of my eldest son in seven years. My wife cries for him every day,” he says.
To clear his debts, Abu Mahmoud needs Dh60,000. All of the family’s dreams have been destroyed.
“He can not pay for his rent or loan,” says Hisham Al Zahrani from Dar Al Ber Society.
“The situation in Syria makes it worse. They expect a call at any moment telling them their hometown has been bombed and their family killed.”