Ethiopia returns nationals stranded in conflict-hit Yemen

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

May 22,2015 (ADDIS ABABA) – The Ethiopian government has continued to evacuate thousands of citizens who are stranded in Yemen’s roiling violence.

Spokes person for the Ethiopian ministry of foreign affairs, Tewelde Mulgeta on Thursday said some 2,000 nationals have arrived home during the past week alone.

Up on arrival at Addis Ababa Bole international Airport, the repatriates are being welcomed on daily basis by government officials from the ministry of foreign affairs.

Approached by Sudan Tribune, arrivals, who most are women were overwhelmed with gratitude to the urgent response by the Ethiopian government and called for more coordinated effort to evacuate for those thousands who remained behind.

According to the government official, hundreds more will be repatriated via Saudi Arabia in the weeks to come.

The repatriation operation is underway in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM)

The horn of Africa’s nation intends to evacuate at least 50,000 Ethiopians stranded following the fighting erupted in March between Houthi rebels and forces loyal to ousted president.

According to the UN refugee agency at least some 200,000 refugees from the east African region are trapped in Yemen left almost with no option for escape route.

Every month hundreds of Ethiopians and thousands of others from Eritrea and Somalia take dangerous sea journeys to Yemen, a country seen as a gate way to the wealthier Arab nation of Saudi Arabia where they hope to get a lucrative job.

However thousands of them every year drown and perish at the Arabian Sea off the coast of Yemen while travelling in a crowded and unsafe boats.

(ST)