Oromo Relief Association (ORA): Urgent Appeal Letter – Re: Refoulement of Refugees from Saudi Arabia

The following is an urgent appeal letter from the Oromo Relief Association (ORA).

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His Highness Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdul Aziz
Embassy of Saudi Arabia
30 Charles Street
London W1J 5DZ

18 November 2013

Your Highness,

I write as Chairman of the Management Committee of the Oromo Relief Association, UK, to express my organisation’s concern about the recent killing, beating and detention of Oromo and other Ethiopian migrants in Saudi Arabia.

Many of these migrants are law-abiding citizens who have fled because of persecution in Ethiopia and who have become unwitting victims of employment practices in Saudi Arabia.

Our deepest concern is that some of those detained may be returned to Ethiopia against their will. For those who have fled from persecution in Ethiopia, this will amount to refoulement, contrary to the UN Refugee Convention.

The Oromo Relief Association respectfully requests that no-one is subject to involuntary return to Ethiopia until any claim for asylum from persecution in that country is thoroughly and professionally assessed by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

The Oromo Relief Association would welcome your reassurance that involuntary returns to Ethiopia will not take place without such consideration of refugee status.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Trevor Trueman, Chairman, ORA UK.

cc Minister of Interior, Ahmad bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, Riyadh

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