Saudis urged to stop hiring Ethiopian maids

A Saudi official has urged the Gulf Kingdom to stop importing domestic workers from Ethiopia following a series of crimes committed by housemaids from that African country, a newspaper reported on Monday.

“There is a need now to halt the recruitment of domestic servants from Ethiopia after an increase in their crimes against children in the Kingdom,” said Saad Al Baddah, director of the National Workers Hiring Committee.

Quoted by Alsaudeh daily, he said last week’s murder by an Ethiopian maid of a 10-year-old Syrian girl should prompt the government to take urgent action.

“The maid said it killed that girl to present her as an offering for an occult power. This behavior comes from those with certain beliefs in some Ethiopian villages…as we notice, crimes against children have largely increased since we opened the door for hiring Ethiopian maids in mid 2011,” he said.

Baddah also urged GCC health ministers to expand check up procedures for foreign housemaids to include psychological examination.

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