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#SomeoneTellSaudiArabia: The conflict both online and offline between Saudi Arabia and Ethiopia this week

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We follow the latest updates on the uproar over migrant workers, particularly Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia. Scroll down for the latest developments. Clashes broke out in Saudi Arabia over the weekend between  Ethiopian migrant workers and Saudi police and violence has been flaring up through the course of the week. Last April, Saudi officials issued an amnesty period of 7 months to illegal immigrants to obtain legal status or leave the country. The police began the crackdown on Saturday. The Ethiopian Foreign Ministry & the Foreign Minister condemned the violence against its citizens

 

 

The Ethiopian government began repatriating its workers from Saudi.

 

 

The uproar on twitter was evident when the hash tag #SomeoneTellSaudiArabia was created

The trend caught on and Ethiopians were using it to voice their anger at the treatment of their people in the Kingdom.

Photos & videos also emerged

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdeUWdsVKKo
https://www.facebook.com/Hamoudu/posts/613189802070502

https://www.facebook.com/Hamoudu/posts/613189802070502
https://www.facebook.com/Hamoudu/posts/613189802070502

 

The Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Ministry provided its citizens in Saudi with key information concerning the repatriation process

And the updates from the ministry continued pouring in once the delegation arrived in Riyadh

Saudis joined the conversation

 

On Tuesday 12th Saudi Arabia won a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. Ethiopians  once more expressed their grievances on Social Media
https://twitter.com/meetabel/status/400315465357991936

Saudis  started reporting of retaliatory attacks by Ethiopians

https://twitter.com/abufaisal20020/status/400643974785822721

Mohammed an Ethiopian man working in Saudi skyped with CCTV Africa and had this to say:

Mohammed an Ethiopian living in Saudi Arabia
Mohammed an Ethiopian living in Saudi Arabia

What I want to tell you is that I want to participate in the campaign to expose Saudi Arabia for its crimes against humanity nowadays….they will never be a defender of global rights at a local and global level. What makes me surprised is that I heardt, this country has got a seat on the International Human Rights Council. So a country that is raping, killing and beating innocent people, like what is happening to Ethiopians now. How can it get this at the international level? To bring the peace and security and life of humanity over the world. How can it? It is shame, if they bring back their minds they would have many things that would make them ashamed. So it should be taken to the International Criminals Court rather than getting a seat at this

Nouf from Riyadh emailed CCTV Africa on the 14th with links to videos and images. She wrote:

“Hello, My Name is Nouf and I’m from Saudi Arabia and I want to show you the facts in photos and videos to make sure you get the right idea about this problem because people on twitter always try to give Saudis bad reputation but that’s not true. The Ethiopians start to attack Saudi women, children and even government I just want you to put yourself in our shoes, would you sit back and wait for them to come and kill you or you’re going to stop them! So we had to be violent with them because they started it first and in their case we warned and told them to stop but they refused so we had to stop them with violence.”

Worldwide demos have been planned by  Ethiopians via social media

Ethiopians plan global  demonstrations at Saudi Embassies
Ethiopians plan global demonstrations at Saudi Embassies

and Arab News.Com declared yesterday “Recent clashes make Saudis wary of Ethiopian maids”

Recent clashes make Saudis wary of Ethiopian maidsThe recent riots in Riyadh and Jeddah by undocumented Ethiopian workers following the ongoing crackdown on expatriates have prompted many Saudi families to fire their Ethiopian maids. Early this week, several Ethiopian workers gathered on the Manfuhah district in Riyadh, carrying knives, rocks and broken bottles, threatening the police, pedestrians and motorists.

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On the 13th violence broke out once more in the Manfuhah suburb of Riyadh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j47bHmua28o

The unrest continues on the 14th
Mamama Nunu wrote to CCTV Africa on our G+ page Capture2

On the 15th, the Ethiopian FM announced of a budget set aside to settle the returnees

Ethiopian airlines is looped in to the repatriation process

Retaliatory attacks were  reported against Saudis

 

 

 

 

 

 

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