Authorities collect biometrics of 500 expats from Himmafushi island
Homeland Minister Ihsan thanked the council of Himmafushi for their cooperation.
By
Aishath Fareeha Abdulla
Homeland Security Minister Ali Ihsan has said that data of more than 500 people have been collected so far in the operation launched to identify and collect information about expatriates as part of the government's efforts to find a permanent solution to the problem of illegal immigrants in the Maldives.
Regarding the operation 'Kurangi' to collect information on foreigners, Ihsan said on social media that the operation started on the 2nd of this month in Kaafu atoll Himmafushi. Biometric data and photographs of 532 foreign workers have been collected so far from Himmafushi alone.
Fingerprints and facial recognition photographs of each of them have been taken and uploaded to the system, he said.
“Soon, the work will start in five regions of Maldives simultaneously,” Ihsan said.
He thanked the council of Himmafushi for its cooperation.
Ihsan had earlier said the Kurangi operation, which is being conducted in two phases by the Homeland Security Ministry, police and immigration, would be completed within three years. Thus:
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By the end of the first year, it will be known how many foreigners are in different parts of Maldives and who is sponsoring them or where they are currently working
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In the next two years, biometric identification and photo identification will be done to identify those who are undocumented
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If there is no information about an expatriate within the government system, the embassy of his country will be contactyed to get his original paperwork that can identify him and then he will be deported from Maldives
A register of foreigners in each island will be compiled and the information will be shared with the council, he said. He said he would also try to ensure that the ministry does not lose control of foreigners' information.
“From time to time, the police and the council will question foreigners on the island and verify if they should be there,” Ihsan said.
