Letter on Attach on Refugees and Laborers in Saudi Arabia

Mardaasa Addisu

Secretary of Macha Tulama
Cooperative and Development Association, USA

 November 12, 2013

Dear Prince Naif Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Saud
Ministry of Interior
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Minister of Agriculture
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

My name is Mardaasa Addisu My name is Mardaasa Addisu, an Oromo American, who is part of an international group advocating for Oromo rights. Oromo people are an ethnic group that makes up 50% of the population in Ethiopia but are being persecuted by the Tigrayan dictatorship. The Abyssinians (Tigray and Amhara) have committed Genocide on all Cushitic people to acquire resources and reduce the indigenous populations. As a result, Oromo (and all other Cushitic people) are displaced in mass numbers around the World.

More than 40% of Oromo are Muslim, with some seeking refugee in the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia. Many flee persecution in Ethiopia in hopes of finding refuge whereby they can practice their faith without Government interference. We are aware that a large number of people are also using the Ethiopian domestic labor agencies to reach Saudi Arabia.

Recently, Oromo advocates learned of your government ending the Kafala System of sponsorship for labor, which is believed to bypass Saudi Labor laws.

Human Rights Watch has been critical of the Kafala System in recent times stating:

“Saudi Arabia should get serious about regularizing the status of its workers and do away with an abusive labour systems that force migrants into illegal employment”

Although the changes are reform based, Saudi police are using brutal measures on foreign workers are severe human rights abuses, and are contrary to international norms. The deaths and attacks of laborers and refugees are direct human rights violations. It is also understood that many that are attacked are ether from East Africa or Asia.

Those from East Africa, particularly who have fled Ethiopia are primarily Oromo and or Ogadeni Somalia. Oromo and Ogadeni flee due to the overwhelming oppression in Ethiopia.

Oromo advocates are concerned with the planned deportation of Oromo and Ogaden refugees and laborers who fled from their countries in fear of persecution. While other countries can peacefully return their people to their native land, Oromo and Ogadeni run the risk of being thrown in jail in Ethiopia. Human Rights Watch documented Ethiopia’s prison abuses, particularly Oromo people in the following report:

–Full Letter in PDF

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