NRI group to organise 500 anti-suicide meets

With the number of Indians committing suicide in the UAE and other Gulf countries on the increase, a socio- political group is starting a three-month campaign among their countrymen to fight suicides and the lifestyle that lead people to take their lives.

Coinciding with the holy Month of Ramadan, Risala Study Circle (RSC), part of the Sunni Students Federation, will organise “awakening” meetings at 500 places in the six GCC countries, 150 of them in the UAE.

RSC officials plan to reach directly half a million Indian expatriates in the six GCC countries and the entire Indian community through mass media. The RSC group is appealing to other Indian community associations to take part in the three-month campaign against alcoholism,

luxury lifestyle, excessive borrowing and tendency to commit suicide.

Campaigns will be held in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait through RSC national committees. The campaign will be conducted inMalayalam, language of the southern Indian state of Kerla. Community associations like Youth India and Sevanam have already launched suicide prevention campaigns.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7, Rasaq Marancherry of the planning board of the Gulf chapter of RSC, said the campaign will focus on a lifestyle based on values and will make people aware of the inherent dangers of borrowing heavily from banks and credit card companies, and the need for a disciplined life.

Rasaq said: “The growing number of suicides among Indian expatriates, especially from Kerala, is a matter of serious concern. There are many factors that lead people to suicide. Alcoholism, uncontrolled sex and lack of financial discipline are reasons that lead people into debt traps and suicides.

“Our campaign started on July 1 and will end in September,” he said, adding that the UAE campaign will kick off at an event at Abu Dhabi on July 13 in which scholars and dignitaries will participate. RSC has been an active socio-political organisation in the region for two decades and it has a network of supporters and members.

“In each of the six GCC countries, we have RSC national committees and under each national committee, there are zonal, sector and unit level groups that inculcate moral values. There are twelve zonal committees in the UAE and 4,630 members and more than double that number of well-wishers and supporters,” said Abdul Hakkem A K, general convener of RSC UAE.

The group reaches out to the South Indian expatriate community through its magazine ‘Risala’.

“There is growing insecurity among Indian expatriates in the Gulf countries. The main reason for growing suicidal tendency is financial extravaganza through heavy borrowings. Lack of financial discipline tempts people to go for big loans and credit cards and to indulge in a luxurious life style. We are inviting all the major Indian associations in the region to participate in the campaign,” said Usman Kakkad, vice-chairman of the RSC UAE chapter.

He said the “awakening meetings” in various locations will send out a new message to stressed expatriates. Suicide has been relatively lower among Indian Muslims, but recently even Muslims have started ending their lives. “This is a crucial season for Muslims to take certain firm decisions about their future. Ramadan is a season for charity and good deeds. We are planning various awareness seminars, children’s meetings, direct people-to-people contacts. Expatriates should be able to control their emotions and desist from excessive bank loans, credit cards, building large houses back home using borrowed money, expensive vehicles, use of liquor and other intoxicants and illicit sex,” Rasaq added.

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