Ethiopia and the Migrant Crisis Causing Death (Religious Persecution)
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Ongoing ethnic, military, and political tensions within Ethiopia continue to worsen the broader migrant and refugee crisis, particularly for those attempting to reach Saudi Arabia in search of work and stability.
In recent years, many Ethiopians fleeing internal upheaval—both economic migrants and refugees—have also sought opportunities in Europe and elsewhere. While some may find greater protection from persecution in Europe, Ethiopian migrants often face severe hardship when passing through or arriving in Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Human rights organizations have documented cases in which Saudi border guards allegedly killed Ethiopian migrants attempting to cross from Yemen.
Discrimination against Ethiopians in Yemen and Saudi Arabia affects people of all backgrounds. However, Christianity is illegal in Saudi Arabia, which can compound the vulnerability of Ethiopian Christians. In Yemen, religious freedom is also severely limited, and conversion from Islam is prohibited under local Sharia based law. As a result, while both Christian and Muslim Ethiopians endure extreme hardship—including violence, exploitation, and discrimination—Christians (may) encounter additional risks linked to religious intolerance in these environments.
Beyond contemporary conflicts, long-standing social hierarchies and racial prejudice continue to shape the experiences of Black African migrants in parts of the Arabian Peninsula. Although slavery was officially abolished in Saudi Arabia and Yemen in the 1960s, its legacy persists. In Yemen, this is visible in the continued marginalization of the Al-Muhamashin, descendants of former slaves. Ethiopian migrants are likewise affected by these entrenched patterns, rooted in centuries of historical exploitation and dehumanization.
AP News reports that more than 1.1 million Ethiopians were living abroad as migrants in 2024, up from approximately 200,000 in 2010, according to United Nations figures.
Human Rights Watch has reported that Saudi border guards have killed hundreds of Ethiopian migrants attempting to cross from Yemen into Saudi Arabia. The allegations include women and children among the victims, with survivors describing widespread and brutal violence. HRW stated in an earlier report: “Saudi border guards have used explosive weapons and shot people at close range, including women and children, in a pattern that is widespread and systematic. If committed as part of a Saudi government policy, these killings could constitute crimes against humanity.”
Nadia Hardman, HRW’s lead author, said: “What we documented are essentially mass killings.”
The BBC has also reported accounts from migrants describing terrifying night-time crossings, during which large groups of Ethiopians—including many women and children—came under fire as they attempted to enter Saudi Arabia in search of work.
Conflict and instability continue across Ethiopia, Somalia, Yemen, and neighboring regions. In Ethiopia, ethnic and political violence, including attacks on Amhara communities, has driven large-scale displacement. In Yemen, prolonged conflict—shaped by sectarian divisions and regional power struggles—has created a devastating humanitarian crisis.
Also, in Somalia, the insurgency led by al-Shabaab continues to undermine stability. Together, these crises fuel a relentless cycle of displacement, forcing migrants into perilous journeys marked by violence and uncertainty.
Yet much of this suffering receives limited international attention, as global focus often centers on a small number of high-profile conflicts, such as Ukraine and Gaza. Meanwhile, systemic abuses against migrants and restrictions on religious freedom in parts of the region frequently escape sustained scrutiny.
As a result, many Ethiopians fleeing war, ethnic persecution, and economic collapse at home are met not with safety, but with exploitation, violence, and, in too many cases, death in transit countries such as Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
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