Abdullah Rajih Al-Abdali Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — Long considered an important part of Jeddah's vast and diversified culture, Al-Sharfiah District now has lost much of its sheen. The district, divided into three blocs, has become a den for all sorts of illegal activities with several residents expressing anger over the apathy of police and municipal officials. Residents claim that bloc one is full of violations, strangers and challenges, one of them saying that the bloc hides behind closed doors illegal gold factories, fishy warehouses and deserted mysterious homes that come to life only when the need arises. Gold change Some people use gold factories to recycle stolen or confiscated jewelry and then resell it in gold shops. It is a very simple process where diamonds are changed and gold colors are manipulated and then selling the stolen goods becomes easy. From the past Saleh Al-Qahtani talks about the history of Al-Sharfiah district saying that the older generation built their homes from wood and bricks some three decades ago, but several reasons forced them to ditch their homes and migrate to other locations. What used to be once quiet and secure homes have now turned into deserted mysterious places where only strangers live in. No one knows where these people come from or where they go. Al-Qahtani states that it is scary to think that some of them might be ex-convicts or outlaws, but he believes the majority of them are illegal migrants from Africa and Asia. Dangerous motorcycles Al-Qahtani adds saying that the district has several illegal gold factories to recycle stolen jewelry and introduce it again in the market. The area is a favorite destination of many foreign employees because it is close to many shopping centers and big companies. “But they are in constant fear as unscrupulous elements riding motorcycles steal women's bags,” he adds. Stolen services Fuad Al-Hajiri, an old resident of the district who had to abandon the area because of its myriad problems, says strangers sell illegal things during broad daylight with impunity. He says there is no system in place to check their illegal activities. The district also gets congested with traffic jams. Al-Hajiri notes that many strangers steal electricity from public poles creating dangerous situations for everyone. Geography and history Talal Fahad grew up in Al-Sharfiah, but now he laments its miserable state. He says that social life in the neighborhood is lost after many well-known families left the area. Back in the old days, people used to celebrate Eid together and visit each other frequently. That is no longer the case after all the issues that changed the geography and history of the district. Mohammed Al-Shaari adds that Khalid Bin Walid Street has been turned into a grocery shop for cart sellers and no one seems to care about the chaos. The question is, who allowed them to do this?
