ADDIS ABABA: The Ethiopian government is repatriating its citizens living in Saudi Arabia illegally, after reports that an Ethiopian was killed by Saudi police, officials said yesterday.
Last April, the Saudi government issued an amnesty period giving illegal immigrants seven months to gain legal status or leave the country. “The ones who failed are the ones who are being repatriated,” the spokesman for the Ethiopian foreign ministry, Dina Mufti said. Every year, large numbers of Ethiopians leave their country looking for work. Most are females moving to the Middle East seeking domestic work.
Last year, 200,000 women left Ethiopia seeking jobs, according to Ethiopia’s Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.
Dina said there were unconfirmed reports that an Ethiopian had been killed by Saudi police who were shifting illegal immigrants into camps. AFP
