Immigrants living in Saudi Arabia are thought to live in big cities, but a large number of them also live in villages.
Saudi Arabia is home to millions of Pakistani and Indian expatriates, most of whom live in cities and are associated with various walks of life.
When immigrants are mentioned, the idea usually arises that they settle in big cities, but in Saudi Arabia, a large number of these immigrants also live in villages.
Independent has tried to find out the lifestyle of some such migrants in Duralabwa village, about 250 km south of Madinah.
The special thing about Alabwa village is that the mother of the Prophet of Islam ﷺ is buried here, who died during his journey here.
Alaboa presents an ancient village scene with a main road running through it while random mud houses are seen along the road.
At the back of the village there are fields and farms owned by local people but employed by Pakistanis, Indians and other nationalities.
'The matter of your village is different'
Fahad hails from Ghotki in Sindh and has been working as a farm maintenance worker in Alabwa for the past several years.
He said that there are fields of maize, okra and other vegetables which depend on rainwater supply.
He said that in the year when the rains are good, there is no problem of water scarcity, while in the absence of rains, the production of crops is very low.
Fahad said that although he lives in a Saudi village and has not seen the big cities here, he feels that the environment here is quite different from his native village, because according to Fahad, 'the thing about his village is different. '
'Looks like we are in Orissa'
Unlike Fahad, the eminent Indian scholar sees a reflection of his native state of Orissa in Alabwa, but said that at first he did not feel that he was outside his country.
Mumtaz takes care of a local man's goats as well as works on a vegetable farm.
They said that they are quite happy with the village life and have no complaints about the local people or the environment.
Mentioning his daily routine, Mumtaz said that he arranges fodder for the goats in the morning, then goes to work in the field and finishes all his work by evening.
5,500 expected births in Gaza and the World Health Organization warns of the spread of infectious diseases
An official at the United Nations Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency revealed that it expected 5,500 births to occur in Gaza in the coming weeks, while the World Health Organization warned of the spread of infectious diseases in the Strip due to the disruption of health facilities as a result of the Israeli bombing.
The United Nations expects that about 5,500 women will give birth in Gaza in the coming weeks, as doctors in hospitals suffering due to the Israeli war on the Strip deliver women without anesthesia or with simple anesthesia.
The Regional Director for Arab Countries at the Sexual and Reproductive Health Agency, Laila Bakr, said in an interview on the United Nations News website that she fears for the fate of new mothers and their children amid the “loss of complete humanity” in Gaza.
She confirmed that 2.2 million people, including 50,000 pregnant women, have been trapped for more than a month, and indicated that 5,500 women are expected to give birth during the next few weeks.
She revealed that the lives of the 160 women who gave birth during the past month and the lives of their children are still in danger.
The suffering of pregnant women in Gaza deepens, according to Bakr, with the absence of a safe haven from bombing and the ability to obtain food and water, like the rest of the civilians in the Strip.
Infectious diseases in Gaza
In the same context, the World Health Organization warned on Wednesday of the spread of infectious diseases in the Gaza Strip, as a result of the disruption of health facilities and water and sanitation systems as a result of the Israeli bombing.
The organization confirmed in a statement that deaths and injuries have increased as a result of the intensification of Israeli attacks on Gaza, and that this situation poses a threat to people's health.
She explained that "the risk of the spread of diseases in Gaza increases due to the breakdown of health facilities and water and sanitation systems," and that "this situation is worrying." She revealed that the fuel shortage led to the closure of water desalination plants, and that this forces people to consume polluted water and greatly increases the risk of the spread of bacterial diseases.
The statement stressed the need for rapid access of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip, including fuel, water, food and medical supplies.
The organization called on the parties to the conflict to adhere to international law to protect civilians, health care services and infrastructure for civilians.
Calls to pressure Israel to stop targeting journalists and stand against “war crimes”
The children's rights organization Eurochild called on the European Union to stand against "Israeli war crimes" in the Gaza Strip, especially against children, while the government media office called on international organizations to pressure Israel to stop targeting journalists.
The government media office in Gaza said on Thursday that the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip left 49 journalists martyred, and called on international organizations to put pressure on Israel to stop targeting journalists.
The office added in a statement that it "condemns the suspicious campaign of incitement carried out by the Israeli occupation and its recruited media against Palestinian journalists and media professionals who excelled in the media coverage of the ongoing Nazi barbaric Holocaust against our people in the Gaza Strip."
The office warned "the occupation against the consequences of continuing to target Palestinian journalists and media professionals, and holds it fully responsible for their safety and lives."
He called on "the international community to restrain the occupation and stop the ongoing aggression against Gaza," and called on "all organizations and bodies related to journalistic and media work to stand up to their responsibilities and protect journalists and media professionals, of whom 49 journalists have been martyred so far while covering the war."
"Israeli war crimes"
For its part, the children's rights organization Eurochild, based in Brussels, called on the European Union to stand against "Israeli war crimes" in the Gaza Strip, especially against children.
The organization's communications director, David Rambaldi, said in a statement Thursday that the European Union must support civilians equally, regardless of their religion, nationality, or place of residence.
He added, "Otherwise, it would demonstrate an unacceptable double standard in the EU's response to humanitarian crises, and would ultimately undermine the EU's internal, social, democratic and international credibility."
In his statement, Rambaldi called on all European Union institutions and member states to use their diplomatic influence to ensure a ceasefire, continued humanitarian access to Gaza, and “to hold accountable those involved in the collective punishment of civilians.”
He continued: "We call on European Union officials to stand against Israeli war crimes and collective punishment against the Palestinian people, especially children." He stressed that children are the group most affected by the feeling of fear and terror resulting from attacks and bombing.
A very informative read
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