“The Night Duty Patrol affiliated to the Farwaniya Security Directorate has arrested 11 Asians for stealing international telephone lines, reports Al-Seyassah daily.
The suspects were picked up from apartments in Jleeb Al-Shuyoukh and police have reportedly seized huge quantities of sophisticated communications devices from the men in addition to telephone sets, computers, stop watches and sums of money” (Arab Times Dec 26, 2009).
We applaud officials and staff at the Ministry of Communications and Interior Ministry for their campaigns against illegal call providers. Yet, such a problem will continue to escalate as long as there is a constant development in software and communication gadgets! It is much better for the relevant departments at the Ministry of Communications to either cut the rates for international calls or privatize such services .
 For example, many expatriates will continue to utilize the services of illegal call providers because it is cheaper. The current rates offered by the MoC seem to be extremely high especially for low-paid workers. If they, those expatriates who flock to illegal providers have other and more practical, affordable options, they would be the first to fight this negative phenomenon.
 In addition, illegal calls does not seem to be a big issue in Western countries. Many immigrants and foreign expatriates living and working in the West continue to call their homelands, however legally. We are not sure how the Danes, Swedes, the Brits, and others are able to provide their expatriate communities with affordable international calls. In fact, it would be practical for officials of the Ministry of Communications to imitate other countries’ procedures in fighting illegal calls. If we succeed in discovering how others fight such crimes or how they provide certain outlets to undermine such illegal actions, why not do the same?
 Moreover, the MoC can allow the privatization of international calls in the country. Doing so, allowing individuals and the private sector to invest in this service will dramatically reduce violations in this regard. Furthermore, while attempting to curb illegal call providers, we need to remember that those who use such services are usually low paid workers. Their salaries barely sustain a decent way of life. Yet, they also are human beings who have the right to call their loved ones back home. They have the right to communicate with the outside world, without exhausting all their small earnings and gradually disappearing life savings!
khaledaljenfawi@yahoo.com