Security authorities have said that unemployment in the border regions has become a threat to the security of the Kingdom. These unemployed young Saudis are being recruited and exploited by smugglers and criminals, Al-Watan reported Saturday. Unemployed youth are being employed to smuggle contraband substances such as drugs and qat as well as weapons. Security analysts in the Kingdom have compared this growing problem to a ticking time bomb. Over the last several years there have been many reports of gangs being formed to smuggle illegal substances and also to smuggle in people. Official statistics released by the Ministry of Economy and Planning said the unemployed constitute 11 percent of the workforce, equaling half a million young Saudis. Al-Watan interviewed several unemployed Saudis between the ages of 15 and 35-years old on the border with Yemen and the Kingdom. Several admitted to having been involved in smuggling operations in addition to having a criminal record for trafficking and narcotics. A 20-year-old identified only as S.M. said he tried to join the Frontier Guard but was denied because he did not have a high school diploma. So instead he smuggled qat. “Why should I stop? How much will be paid if I take a normal job? SR3000, SR4000…SR10,000. If I risk my life one night I can make a year's salary,” he said. With the money he made from smuggling qat he was able to buy a new Jeep. A 32-year-old Saudi man said he used to work as a security guard at a school in Dharan Al-Jonoub for SR1200 a month. He paid SR600 for his rent and SR200 for fuel. The remaining SR400 was not enough to provide for his family. He was later arrested for smuggling hashish. Dr Talal Bakri, Head of the Social Committee in the Shoura Council said the border regions still need to receive comprehensive development, which the rest of the Kingdom has seen extensively. The lack of large-scale development projects has forced some young Saudis to look for illegal sources of income, Bakri said. “Also the nonexistence of university branches in these areas have thwarted young Saudis from pursuing higher education ambitions for the better paying jobs,” In addition to a lack of unemployment business owners cannot hire many Saudis because of the scale of their businesses being too small, he said. “This shows that the entire burden falls on the government. Adding to this the broader lack of infrastructure which is necessary for investment.” Bakri said. “This is one of the main reasons behind the lack of investment projects in these areas which contribute to the unemployment problem.” He said the development of these remote border areas would reduce the threat to the Kingdom. Another problem is overstayers growing qat and smuggling it into the country. Sheikh Ali Al-Qahtani, Imam of a mosque in Tihama said one of the main reasons why Saudis are unemployed in the border regions is because education facilities were not available early enough. Therefore many Saudis are left with no education, which means they cannot meet the minimum requirement for government jobs.
