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Despite the devotion by the governments, repatriates are below expected
Tesfaye Lemma
The government of Ethiopia in collaboration with the people and concerned individuals in Saudi Arabia has been striving to bring back home unauthorized citizens from that country. According to the Government Communication Affairs Office, more than 35,000 Ethiopians have repatriated so far using the 90-day amnesty period granted by the government of Saudi Arabia.
It has been campaigning for the past four years to ban all unlicensed foreign nationals to live in its kingdom. Through this three month campaign, Saudi Arabia has set to deport over 5 million migrants who settled in the kingdom without proper living and working documents.
Despite the large number of undocumented Ethiopians living in Saudi, the number of returnees is so minimal. Now, the amnesty period, which is expected to become effective since March 29, is coming to an end.
GCAO’s Minister Dr. Negeri Lencho disclosed that, about 85,000 Ethiopians have already secured exit visas to return home. In this case, it is crystal clear that there are many undocumented Ethiopians who haven’t secured their safe return yet.
In fact, the government has been exerted a consolidated effort to repatriate those who obtained exit visas using different means of transportation. The repatriation command post has been using air transport, and also expected to use ship and rail transports via Djibouti and Sudan.
In his briefing to journalists, the Minister emphasized that, the government is following the situation so closely. “We have been calling on citizens living in Saudi Arabia to return home before the deadline that the Gulf nation has given to foreign nationals to leave.”
It is known that, the amnesty period for illegal foreign nationals to leave the kingdom without penalties started on March 29, 2017. Ethiopians at home, including the Premier have express their fears that those Ethiopians reluctant to heed to the call will certainly face a catastrophic situation.
In previous campaigns held in November 2013, the Saudi police and labor authorities locate, detain, and forcibly deport undocumented migrant workers, which led to the violation of the rights of migrants. This followed the April 2013 amendment to the labor law that allowed police and labor authorities to enforce the labor code provisions against undocumented workers, including detaining and deporting anyone not working for a designated employer.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn recently said; “A situation that makes the Saudi Government to forcibly deport our citizens is being created. Therefore, it is better for our citizens come back home before various problems arise, seizing the opportunity they are given even in the remaining short period”.
Even if the 90 day deadline, very few Ethiopians have returned home as compared to the expected number. There is a need of cooperation between the two countries (Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia) to return the Ethiopian citizens back home. There are lots of challenges that hindered a large number of Ethiopians to come to the Embassy or other assigned temporary registration post.
One could be the fact that, they might access the information unless their employers assist them. Some of them might not even allow taking time to listen, read or watch media because everything is done at the will and order of their employers. In this regard, there should be a consideration that the Saudi government has to take in order to return the undocumented Ethiopians in its territory to come back home safely.
There must be an understanding that, it has been for decades that such large number of Ethiopians entered into Saudi Arabia in all ways. But now, the time is too short for all the unauthorized citizens to completely withdraw in 90 days. Moreover, as we are on the verge of the deadline, it is very much difficult for the rest to leave in the last few days. Therefore, it is vital for the two governments to handle the situation after the end of the amnesty period smoothly. If the ultimate goal of the Saudi government is to force foreign nationals to withdraw from its territory, this could be done with human rights respect of the repatriates.
It is previously reported that the authorities of the Kingdom have drawn up plans for daily combing operations to nab illegal workers after the end of the amnesty period. The Saudi government should handle the campaign wisely and foreign citizens should be forced to leave the country in an organized and peaceful way.
The question here in Ethiopia and also in other countries is that what the Saudi government will do in the aftermath of the end of the amnesty period. They called Saudi police and other responsible citizens of that country to avoid torturing and other ill practices upon foreign citizens.
In fact, the government along with religious institutions and leaders are devoted for the past three months to aware unauthorized Ethiopian citizens to use the opportunity and return safely to home. The government of Ethiopia has made various major activities since the decree that force foreign nationals leave the Kingdom.
Accordingly, it has established a command post that led the repatriation mission and opening offices in a number of cities so as to facilitate the safe return of undocumented Ethiopians. This is one of the most significant steps the government has done to bring its citizens back home safely.
In this regard, it is known that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had sent a diplomatic team to Saudi Arabia to help the Ethiopians migrants return home before the deadline. Besides, some 20 people drawn from Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regional states went to Saudi Arabia and attempted to mobilize unlicensed Ethiopian migrants living in that country to return home.
The Inter Religious Council of Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Team have also attempted to persuade undocumented Ethiopians living in Saudi Arabia and extended their immediate calls to return to their home country before the deadline set by the Saudi Government with expressed their willingness to support them in a sustainable manner. The efforts of forcing the foreign nationals should not be completely gloomy. There must be a serious concern of respecting their rights.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that there are some 2 million Ethiopians who have been living abroad, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which has one of the major shares of destination. Despite the stated facts, undocumented Ethiopians living in Saudi Arabia who are estimated up to 500,000 have entered into a deadline to leave from the Kingdom. Though it is unfortunate for the citizens, Ethiopia is working to repatriate its citizens since the 90 days amnesty declaration.
