Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians face deportation in Saudi Arabia

ESAT News (June 26, 2017)

Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia face monetary penalty and imprisonment as the Kingdom’s amnesty for undocumented workers expired on June 25.

Ethiopian government spokesperson, Negere Lencho told local media that of the 85,000 who took travel documents, only about 35,000 have returned home. It is estimated that about 700,000 Ethiopians live in the Kingdom and a great majority of them are undocumented.

The government of Saudi Arabia in March decreed a 90 day amnesty for undocumented workers to leave the Kingdom and legally return if they wish to.

The hundreds of Ethiopians who haven’t obtained their travel documents now face penalty and imprisonment which will be followed by deportation. The Ethiopians in the Kingdom have been accusing their government of not facilitating their return. They said while citizens of other countries have been provided by their government free transportations, ticket prices from the Ethiopian airlines have become unaffordable for them.

The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Meles Alem said his Ministry has requested Saudi Arabia for an extension of the amnesty;but it is not yet known if Kingdom responds positively.

Maj Gen Sulaiman Al-Yahya, director general of passports in Saudi Arabia, said last week more than 400,000 foreigners completed final exit procedures by taking advantage of the three-month amnesty, according to Saudi Gazette.
He warned that there won’t be any leniency towards those violators who failed to benefit from the amnesty.