1,800 people in Saudi Arabia yet to be repatriated

• The most vulnerable categories were people who need urgent medical attention, students and elderly

By Sheain Fernandopulle 

While saying that they were able to repatriate around 2,400 Sri Lankans since January 2021, Charge d’Affairs of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Riyadh Madhuka Wickramarachchi said they have yet a growing waiting list of another 1,800 people. 

In a statement, he said it has prioritised the most vulnerable categories, such as people who need urgent medical attention, students and the elderly to be included in the flights. 

“We are astonished by the number of people who have contacted the Embassy with life-threatening illnesses such as cardio-vascular diseases and cancer. We are trying our best to accommodate them on available flights. During the month of February, we were able to accommodate segments of Sri Lankans from the Saudi deportation camps, jails etc. Many people want to go through government-sponsored quarantine facilities and are waiting until they get an opportunity,” Wickramarachchi said. 

“Some of the male workers who have lost their jobs during the COVID-19 peak period have now found some substitute work. Most of the workers who had lost their jobs are from the ‘semi-skilled’ category, such as bartenders, waiters, helpers, construction assistants etc. This has to some extent lessened the stress from the Embassy,” he stressed. 

“Nevertheless, at present, we could see that new recruitments are slowly rebounding.