Developing nations often face employment challenges since the industries cannot offer sufficient jobs for the people actively seeking employment, thereby causing the surge in unemployment rates. Consequently, the unemployed population often seeks employment opportunities in foreign economies with potential employment opportunities. Ethiopia is one of the developing economies that face this challenge. Several unemployed population in Ethiopia seek employment opportunities in foreign nations such as Saudi Arabia, which is one of the world’s leading oil exporter.
Recently, African employees in Saudi Arabia faced challenges as the Saudi authorities conducted a visa crackdown to ensure that every person staying within its borders have the legal rights to stay therein. This followed a seven-month amnesty for these African immigrants to correct their visas. Following the deaths resulting from the visa crackdowns, the Ethiopian foreign minister reportedly requested the Saudi authorities to repatriate the Ethiopian citizens as well as conduct serious investigations. The article also reports that most of the inhabitants of Southern Riyadh are low-income expatriates, who either entered the Saudi territory illegally, or revoked their visas through changing their jobs (). Additionally, it indicates that Saudi Arabia among other countries have been criticized for instituting systems, which gives employers extensive control over foreign employees ().
I chose this article because of the increasing concern by International Human Rights Watchdogs about the treatment of foreign employees as well as the increasing illegal immigration through ‘smuggling’ of employees. The article clearly indicates that the African employees in the Saudi territory flee their country because the home economy cannot employ the rising population. Considering the fact that the Saudi authorities have provided a seven-month amnesty, which the expatriates failed to honor, I believe that repatriation is justified. However, the killings during the run-ins with the authorities are inhuman and unacceptable.
Reference:
Reuters. (November 11, 2013). African Workers in Riyadh Seek Repatriation After Riot Deaths. Voice of America. Retrieved from http://www.voanews.com/content/reu-african-workers-riyadh-seek-repatriation-riot-deaths/1787594.html
