Ethiopian ambassador deplores media bias against countrymen

March 14, 2013 | arabnews.com

Saudi media are defaming Ethiopians by reporting they commit criminal acts, said Muhammad Hassan, Ethiopian ambassador in Riyadh. “Illegal immigrants, who have no means to identify themselves, might be engaged in criminal acts, but there is no evidence that they are Ethiopians,” the ambassador told a local newspaper. He added that these reports have resulted in Saudis “loathing” Ethiopians and refraining from employing them.


Recently some reports appeared in the media about African intruders who illegally entered the country via the Yemen border and engaged in criminal activities. The authorities launched a security campaign, which resulted in the arrest of more than 2,000 persons, mostly Ethiopians.


Hassan said the embassy is considering filing charges against the media companies after he would consult with the Saudi Foreign Ministry. “If some Ethiopians had entered the country illegally and had committed offensive or criminal acts, that doesn’t mean they represent all Ethiopians in the Kingdom,” he said.


He said that Ethiopians come to the Kingdom to find job opportunities and improve their living conditions. “The media are causing damage, not to mention embarrassment, to the many honest Ethiopians who are trying to make a decent living in the country, and have been living here for tens of years.”

arabnews.com

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