November 22, 2013
Dawit Giorgis, David Andrew Weinberg
This past week,three Ethiopians were killed in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, as well asone foreign worker from Sudan. They died amidvigilanteviolence and reports ofpolice brutalityafter illegal immigrants in the slum of Manfouha protested against a massive campaign of deportations that the government launched this month. Asimilar demonstration was broken up in the city of Jeddah, and its organizers arrested.
Meanwhile, large groups of Ethiopians have been gathering for protests this week at Saudi diplomatic institutions across the United States, including in front of the Saudi Embassy inWashington, as well as the Kingdom’s consulates inAtlanta andLos Angeles.
What is this big controversy about?
Saudi officials claim that the Ethiopians instigated this episode by throwing stones at cars without any provocation, but a reporter for the Wall Street Journaltalked to locals who had a different view. They said “Saudi security forces had come to the neighborhood the night before to declare that all illegal African migrants had to leave… immediately. Pakistani laborers began trying to help police by catching African workers, and clashes began”.
This harsh crackdown comes as part of a longstanding Saudi effort aimed at increasing the proportion of citizens employed in productive sectors of the economy. However, it is also the result of a pervasive legacy of racism and religious discrimination experienced by African Christians in the Kingdom.