Probe begins into case of spurned dead Emirati

A committee ordered by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to probe the death of an Emirati man who had been rebuffed by the Ministry of Social Affairs, visited the victim’s home in Fujairah.

The committee, headed by Hareb Al Amimi, Chairman of the State Auditing Office, also offered condolences to the children of Saif Al Abdouli, who died this week before he could fulfill his dream and furnish his house.

Sheikh Mohammed swiftly reacted to a newspaper report about the death of Abdouli, who had said he had sought assistance from the ministry of social affairs but could not get any satisfaction.

“Saif died dreaming of furnishing his home for his children who had been sleeping on the floor,” the Dubai-based Arabic daily Emirat Alyoum had said on Friday.

“One relative contacted this paper to inform it of Saif’s death. He said that Saif had died because of his frustration and inability to support his family.”

The paper said its reporters and photographers visited Abdouli’s house on Saturday and talked to his relatives.

“His wife and sister expressed deep gratitude to Sheikh Mohammed for his concern in their ordeal and his decision to order investigation,” it said.

“They affirmed that Sheikh Mohammed’s decision to cancel a decision by the Ministry of Social Affairs to cut social aid will delight all UAE families who have suffered daily because of lower social aid.”

The paper quoted his cousin, Khaled Abdullah, as saying Abdouli, who died aged 33 years, had turned to the ministry only after he failed to find a job because of his heart problems and other diseases.
“In 2008, Abu Hassan (Abdouli) applied for social aid but the application had gone through a long routine process that ended in allocating a provisional monthly sum for him. It was cut off, then restored, before it was cut off again. That is why he had resorted to bank loans,” he said.

In a report on Saturday, Emirat Alyoum said Sheikh Mohammed had just ordered a freeze of the decision by the ministry of social affairs to cut aid following the death of Abdouli.

It said he also ordered the formation of a committee to investigate the application presented by Abdouli before his death and the procedures taken by the Ministry of Social Affairs in dealing with that application, adding that the committee was asked to present its report to Sheikh Mohammed within one week.

Abdouli, who left behind seven children, appeared in 'Emarat Al Youm' during Ramadan to appeal for help after he was rebuffed by the ministry.

He had said his dream was to furnish his apartment so he can live with his family but that he could not fulfill it because of accumulating debt and loss of his job after suffering from a heart attack, asthma, diabetes and other diseases.

The paper said Abdouli’s ordeal has been a “talk of the town” on Blackberry handsets in the emirate, adding that many of them blamed the ministry.

“Abdouli himself had criticised the ministry for failing to help him find a job apart from giving him a token monthly aid that was cut off in Ramadan.”
“Abdouli’s ordeal had become so widespread that it triggered a reaction from Minister of Social Affairs Mariam Al Roumi. She defended herself against accusations that the ministry was behind Abdouli’s ordeal and then death. The minister justified her action by the fact that Abdouli had a 50 per cent disability while the law stipulates 80 per cent.”

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