- Title: Undocumented Ethiopian workers return home from Saudi Arabia
- Date: 1st August 2017
- Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JULY 31, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ETHIOPIAN FAMILIES RETURNING FROM SAUDI ARABIA IN AIRPORT LOBBY WOMEN QUEUING AT FOREIGN EXCHANGE COUNTER WOMEN GATHERED IN AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) RETURNING MIGRANT, LUBABA TAJU, SAYING: "I am so happy to come back home. I have lived in Arab countries for four years. I am saying no more migration. I will try to work harder and live in my own country." ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JULY 27, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, MELESE ALEM, SEATED IN HIS OFFICE (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, MELESE ALEM, SAYING: "The government has some revolving fund to provide an opportunity for our nationals, for the youth, in the country to create job opportunities. So our nationals who are repatriated from Saudi Arabia will be part of this initiative." ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JULY 31, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF RETURNING FEMALE MIGRANTS AT AIRPORT ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JULY 27, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, MELESE ALEM, SAYING: "The decree was issued without the expectations of our side. And repatriating this magnitude, this magnitude, and this number of populations within very short period of time is another challenge. As you know Saudi Arabia is a very big big country and our nationals are living in different corners of the country." ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (JULY 31, 2017) (REUTERS) RETURNING MIGRANT, TIRHAS FISSEHA, SITTING IN AIRPORT NEXT TO A WOMAN WITH A BABY BABY IN WOMAN'S LAP WOMAN CARRYING BABY (SOUNDBITE) (Amharic) RETURNING MIGRANT, TIRHAS FISSEHA SAYING: "They don't have any sympathy for their maids. They don't even consider us human beings. They don't think we can ever get tired at all. This makes you hate your life even though you want to at least have some savings to send back home and it is that mentality that makes you endure everything." VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN AT AIRPORT VARIOUS OF RETURNING MIGRANT, IFTU MOHAMAD, SEATED WITH HER CHILDREN AT AIRPORT (SOUNDBITE) (Afaan Oromo) RETURNING MIGRANT, IFTU MOHAMAD, SAYING: "Even now I plan to go to a different country. How can I sit here idly? I have a lot of expenses to cover and I have to feed these children, provide clothes, educate them and pay rent. How can I cover all this here?" VARIOUS OF RETURNING MIGRANTS OUTSIDE AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 15th August 2017 12:31
- Keywords: Saudi Arabia migrant workers undocumented Ethiopian workers amnesty for undocumented workers
- Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
- City: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
- Country: Ethiopia
- Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016SBRUXH
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Thousands of Ethiopians have returned home from Saudi Arabia after authorities there issued a notice for illegal workers to leave the country or face arrest.
Saudi authorities said there were close to 400,000 Ethiopians working illegally in the Gulf state. Ethiopia's foreign ministry said it was only able to register 130,000.
The rush home came as an extended 90-day amnesty ended on July 25.
Some of those arriving at the main airport in Addis Ababa said they were relieved to be home.
"I am so happy to come back home. I have lived in Arab countries for four years. I am saying no more migration. I will try to work harder and live in my own country," said Lubaba Taju.
Ethiopia's foreign ministry spokesman, Melese Alem, said the government was working on creating jobs for those coming back.
"The government has some revolving fund to provide an opportunity for our nationals, for the youth, in the country to create job opportunities. So our nationals who are repatriated from Saudi Arabia will be part of this initiative," he said.
But he added that this repatriation process had been unexpected.
"The decree was issued without the expectations of our side. And repatriating this magnitude, this magnitude, and this number of populations within very short period of time is another challenge. As you know Saudi Arabia is a very big big country and our nationals are living in different corners of the country," Alem added.
Many of those that who have come back to Ethiopia were working as house maids or nannies and often reported working under tough conditions.
International human rights watchdogs have criticized Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, over its treatment of foreign workers.
"They don't have any sympathy for their maids. They don't even consider us human beings. They don't think we can ever get tired at all. This makes you hate your life even though you want to at least have some savings to send back home and it is that mentality that makes you endure everything," said Tirhas Fisseha, who lived and worked in Saudi Arabia for five years.
Although a state-led industrial drive has transformed Ethiopia into one of Africa's fastest-growing economies, a third of its 99 million citizens still survive on less than $1.90 a day - the World Bank's measure of extreme poverty.
Apart from travelling to the Middle East, thousands of Ethiopians also embark on risky boat journeys every year to seek economic opportunities in Europe.
Iftu Mohammed went to Saudi Arabia in 2014. She has five children and says she also supports her parents and siblings.
"Even now I plan to go to a different country. How can I sit here idly? I have a lot of expenses to cover and I have to feed these children, provide clothes, educate them and pay rent. How can I cover all this here?" she said
Some Ethiopian migrants entered Saudi Arabia legally but later broke the terms of their residence permits by changing jobs, many others were smuggled across the border or came as pilgrims and did not return home.
Some have opted to try to correct their visas and remain in Saudi Arabia. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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