Muscat: Begging has become a nuisance affecting families across various public settings such as parks, road intersections, markets, religious sites, and commercial complexes. This undesirable phenomenon negatively influences society and demands a collaborative approach for effective resolution.
To address the issue, the involvement of civil organisations and volunteer groups is as significant as competent authorities.
All these entities must play a pivotal role in educating different segments of society to refrain from enabling beggars through financial contributions, thereby encouraging the perpetuation of practices that are detrimental to societal norms.
A range of motivations and objectives fuels begging. Some individuals resort to begging due to hunger, attempting to alleviate their immediate food scarcity. Others adopt begging as a profession, exploiting it to deceive unsuspecting donors. Certain beggars seek sympathy from passersby on streets and in front of mosques. Their rationales for begging vary widely, encompassing claims of needing medical treatment, sustenance, rent payment, or travel funds. Curiously, their appeals often revolve around monetary assistance rather than material goods, signalling that their genuine requirements might be secondary. In contemporary times, begging has extended to exploit modern technologies and communication methods, transforming it from a plea for help into fraudulent attempts to accumulate funds.
According to Youssef al Salmi, begging manifests in diverse patterns, including direct, indirect, and seasonal approaches such as Khahreef Salalah. Beggars frequently ask for money directly by positioning themselves at mosque entrances, traversing through markets and shops, or in gas stations.
Al Salmi emphasises that numerous citizens fall victim to manipulation and deceit through the deluge of daily messages and online posts on social media platforms. These communications implore financial assistance under various pretexts, capitalising on people’s emotions. Examples range from funding patients’ medical treatments, university fees for students, medication expenses, or accumulated rent.
Al Salmi said that some beggars orchestrate their actions in an organised manner, hinting at a level of professionalism that surpasses spontaneous begging. Citizens are urged to play an active role in mitigating the beggary phenomenon by refraining from giving direct monetary donations and instead guiding beggars toward relevant institutions. In cases of genuine necessity, individuals should report such instances to the appropriate authorities tasked with combating this issue.
Abdullah al Amri said that the motives for begging are the desire to earn money in any way, given that begging is easier and more profitable without much effort and in a very short period of time. Therefore, people often notice that the beggar asks for money without in-kind goods because he often does not need food or medicine but seeks to collect money until this becomes his profession and daily work.
Al Amri added that everyone should contribute to addressing the phenomenon of beggary and inform the concerned authorities about them. Citizens are advised to refrain from offering monetary aid, as this inadvertently fuels the persistence of such practices.
He suggested that alms are encouraged to channel their donations into well-established collection boxes or official institutions or to assist the genuinely needy through avenues that yield broader societal benefits, in stark contrast to the harmful effects of begging.
Acknowledging the pivotal role played by the Ministry of Social Development, it collaborates closely with the Royal Oman Police, Public Prosecution, and relevant agencies to combat the begging issue.
Joint efforts are aimed at reducing the prevalence of this problem. Legal measures, as outlined in the Omani Penal Code, are employed against beggars involved in seized cases. Penalties encompass imprisonment for periods ranging from a month to a year, along with fines ranging from RO 50 to RO 100. Repeated offences must result in more severe consequences.
Saif al Kaabi emphasises the importance of stringent legislation and society’s role in addressing begging. Alongside imposing penalties, society should extend support to beggars, offering them opportunities for legitimate earnings through simple professions. This approach holds beggars accountable while facilitating their transition towards self-sufficiency.
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